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Symbols
The mallee tree symbolizes resilience and the importance of adapting to one’s circumstances. The tree, which is a species of Eucalyptus tree that is native to the area that houses Loveday camp, has the ability to change its form and regenerate to better suit its environment. After the death of his brother, Nobuhiro, Dr. Ibaraki gazes at the mallee trees and admires this ability. As a character who is literally forced to adapt to a new environment (the internment camps) and, additionally, struggles with the trauma of loss and guilt throughout the novel, Ibaraki’s admiration of the tree is significant: the mallee tree reminds Ibaraki and the reader that one can survive anything if they work to grow and change.
Mallee Tree Quotes in After Darkness
The After Darkness quotes below all refer to the symbol of Mallee Tree. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 11: Loveday, 1942
Quotes
I was struck by the ingenuity of the [mallee] tree in its ability to regenerate and create a new shape better suited for its environment.
Gazing at the mallee trees as we walked to the river, I once more admired their inconspicuous quality [….] Taking a wider perspective, I realized that every element of the landscape […] seemed at pains not to outdo the others, and it struck me as a very noble quality indeed.
Related Characters:
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Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire After Darkness LitChart as a printable PDF.
Mallee Tree Symbol Timeline in After Darkness
The timeline below shows where the symbol Mallee Tree appears in After Darkness. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 11: Loveday, 1942
...Ibaraki feels like a “carbon copy” of his fellow internees. While they walk, they pass mallee trees . Ibaraki admires these trees for their ability to take a new shape to be...
(full context)
