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Chapter 3
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Crow Country, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Prejudice and Discrimination
Heritage and Land
Justice and Restitution
Violence and Integrity
Summary
Analysis
On her way back from school, Sadie stops at the hospital where her mother works. As she waits for her, she sees an Aboriginal boy named Walter, who goes to her school. Like her, he is new to the town. There have been rumors that he’d been in trouble with the police in Mildura, the town he lived in before coming to Boort.
While Walter, like Sadie, is new to Boort, one significant difference between the two is that Sadie is white and Walter is Aboriginal. Walter’s troubled history also indicates that he has had a turbulent experience in his past life in Mildura.
Themes
Ellie finally appears. Tagging along is another man, David, whom Sadie’s mother introduces her to, telling Sadie that she used to know him ages ago. He is a social worker in the district. Impulsively, Ellie invites him and Walter to the house for dinner. On the way to the supermarket, Ellie discloses to Sadie that she and David dated when she was young, but that the relationship was complicated—mostly because David was “black”—an Aboriginal.
Ellie’s confession to Sadie that she had dated David but that the relationship was complicated because David was an Aboriginal, or “black,” alludes to the racial tensions that exist between white and Aboriginal residents of the town. Clearly, Aboriginals like David and Walter occupy a different social status than the town’s white residents, and mixed-race relationships seem to be frowned upon by white people.
Themes
As Ellie hectically prepares dinner at home, Sadie goes into the backyard. Soon, Walter joins her. She finds out that Walter is David’s nephew, and that Walter’s mother sent him down to Boort. He has some family in the area. He mentions that things weren’t good in Mildura, and Sadie wonders whether the rumor that he stabbed someone there is true. Still, she realizes she likes Walter. Eventually, the back door opens and David calls in the kids for dinner.
Sadie and Walter’s conversation in the backyard suggests the beginning of a friendship. In spite of the rumors about Walter’s violent past, she likes him. Sadie is beginning to develop relationships and connections in Boort, although she is still unhappy about her mother having made her move here.
Themes
