Crow Country

by

Kate Constable

Boort Symbol Icon

The town of Boort represents a microcosm of the country of Australia. Particularly, the town embodies the socioeconomic divisions and hierarchies that exist between white and Aboriginal Australians. The prejudice that Aboriginal characters such as Jimmy Raven, David, and Walter are subjected to in Boort reflects wider national patterns of prejudice and division. This is exemplified, for instance, in the fact that the town is reluctant to include Jimmy Raven on its World War I monument, in spite of his service during the war. Walter and David also face their share of discrimination in the town—as when they receive hostile stares and looks when they enter the town pub. The prejudice that Jimmy, David, and Walter experience alludes to historical discrimination and prejudice faced by the country’s Aboriginal inhabitants. Furthermore, the socioeconomic inequality that exists between the white and Aboriginal residents of Boort reveals the gap that exists between these two groups; white Boort residents such as the Mortlocks wield an immense amount of socioeconomic power because of their legal ownership of much of the land around the town, while Aboriginal characters such as Jimmy Raven and Walter are socioeconomically disadvantaged and dispossessed. This is reflected in the fact that Aboriginal characters must fight for physical access to, and protection of, their Aboriginal heritage—such as the stone circle that sits on the Mortlocks’ property—even though they have a claim to this heritage, and the land in fact belonged to them before it belonged to white settlers such as the Mortlocks. As such, Boort’s economic and social fabric—which privileges whites over Aboriginals—embodies the wider unjust economic and social hierarchies of the Australian nation.

Boort Quotes in Crow Country

The Crow Country quotes below all refer to the symbol of Boort. 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:
Prejudice and Discrimination Theme Icon
).
Chapter 2 Quotes

But the crow could read the old signs, the old stories. They might be hidden, but they had not vanished. Crow was hidden, too, but he was not gone. Crow was awake. Now it would begin.

Related Characters: Sadie Hazzard, The Crows
Related Symbols: The Stone Circle, Boort
Page Number: 13
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 4 Quotes

“David and I,” Ellie said in a low voice, “well, we used to go out together.” She glanced about, but there was no one within earshot. “Years ago, before I met your father. But it was - difficult.”

“Because he’s black?”

“Yes, partly. Mostly.”

Related Characters: Sadie Hazzard (speaker), Ellie Hazzard (speaker), David
Related Symbols: Boort
Page Number: 25-26
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 8 Quotes

[…] Dad had fought the whole town council, when the war memorial was built, to have Jimmy’s name put on it, too. They said it couldn’t be done, because Jimmy hadn’t enlisted in Boort; he’d joined up down in Melbourne. But Dad said he belonged in Boort as much as anyone, and deserved to have his name up there with the rest. After all, Bert Murchison had joined up in Melbourne, too, and no one said he should be left off.

Related Characters: Sadie Hazzard, Jimmy Raven, Clarry Hazzard, Sarah Louise “Sadie” Hazzard
Related Symbols: Boort
Page Number: 54
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 10 Quotes

“Life’s not fair.” Jules wrenched Sadie’s cue from her. “Go on, piss off with your abo boyfriend.”

A ripple of nervous laughter ran around the annex. Sadie heard someone mutter something-lover.

“Like her mother,” murmured someone else.

Related Characters: Sadie Hazzard, Walter
Related Symbols: Boort
Page Number: 76-77
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 12 Quotes

“Well, it is his land, Jimmy,” said Clarry. “Why shouldn’t he build a dam if he wants to?”

[…]

“No!” Jimmy broke away; Sadie could see the fierce light in his eyes. “No. He mustn’t do that.” […] “It’s like - it’d be like me settin’ that church on fire.” Jimmy flung out his arm in the direction of the little weatherboard church. “What would you say if I set the church on fire, hey?”

Related Characters: Jimmy Raven (speaker), Clarry Hazzard (speaker), Sadie Hazzard, Gerald Mortlock, Sarah Louise “Sadie” Hazzard
Related Symbols: The Stone Circle, Boort
Page Number: 90
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 13 Quotes

“Can’t take discipline, though, that’s the trouble,” said Craig. “Brains aren’t wired up that way. Brilliant, quick, amazing skills, but unreliable. Can’t turn up to training week in, week out. No commitment, no discipline.”

Related Characters: Craig Mortlock (speaker), Sadie Hazzard, Ellie Hazzard, David
Related Symbols: Boort
Page Number: 98
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 15 Quotes

“For our people, the land was created long ago, in the time of the Dreaming, when the ancestral spirits moved across the country. They made the hills and the rivers, the swamps and the waterholes. That’s why our spirit ancestors are so important. They make the land, and the land belongs to them, and they make us, too […] round this country, everything belongs to Bunjil the Eaglehawk, or Waa the Crow.”

Related Characters: Walter (speaker), Sadie Hazzard, Ellie Hazzard, David, The Crows
Related Symbols: The Stone Circle, Boort
Page Number: 116
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 17 Quotes

Mr Mortlock’s hand shot out and twisted into Dad’s shirt. “I’ve killed the bugger, Clarry. I’ve gone and killed him.”

Related Characters: Gerald Mortlock (speaker), Sadie Hazzard, Jimmy Raven, Clarry Hazzard, Sarah Louise “Sadie” Hazzard
Related Symbols: The Stone Circle, Boort
Page Number: 129
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 18 Quotes

“Why are you doing this, Dad? Why?” And then Sadie’s voice had risen to a scream, and Dad grabbed her arm and shook her.

“Be quiet, Sadie, for God’s sake!”

“It’s not right, Dad, you know it!”

“I have to help Gerald; I promised I’d look out for him.”

“And what about Jimmy? Didn’t you promise him, too?” Her voice rose, shrill, hysterical. “Jimmy was murdered! Gerald Mortlock should hang for this!”

Dad slapped her face.

Related Characters: Clarry Hazzard (speaker), Sarah Louise “Sadie” Hazzard (speaker), Sadie Hazzard, Jimmy Raven, Gerald Mortlock
Related Symbols: The Stone Circle, Boort
Page Number: 135
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 24 Quotes

“We can’t leave him here!” Sadie was weeping. “If we leave him here, he will die!” She tried to lift Lachie’s head. He moaned, his face drained of colour.

The story tells itself again...

The three of them were in the grip of Crow’s story, just as Gerald and Clarry and Jimmy had been. But Crow couldn’t see, Crow couldn’t help them. Sadie was the only one who knew; it was all up to her.

Related Characters: Sadie Hazzard (speaker), Walter, Lachie Mortlock, Jimmy Raven, Gerald Mortlock, Clarry Hazzard
Related Symbols: The Stone Circle, Boort
Page Number: 199
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 27 Quotes

Sadie edged closer to the bed. She pulled out the battered cigarette tin - heavy, so much heavier than it should be - and held it out. “I found it. His special things, the secret things. They’re in there.”

[…]

“Good girl.” [Auntie Lily] let out a deep sigh. “Go on, you go. I look after this now.”

Related Characters: Sadie Hazzard (speaker), Auntie Lily (speaker), Jimmy Raven
Related Symbols: The Stone Circle, Boort
Page Number: 223
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 28 Quotes

“Bethany reckons he killed himself. Our great-grandpa,” said Lachie. “Because of the war. Posttraumatic stress or whatever. It was years after he came back. The family made out it was an accident. But Bethany thinks it was because of what he’d seen. What he’d been through.”

What he’d done, thought Sadie.

Related Characters: Lachie Mortlock (speaker), Sadie Hazzard, Jimmy Raven, Gerald Mortlock, Bethany Mortlock
Related Symbols: The Stone Circle, Boort
Page Number: 231
Explanation and Analysis:

Together they planted [Jimmy Raven’s] marker in the ground at the place the crow had shown them.

“I should have brought some flowers or something,” said Sadie.

“Next time,” Walter said.

“Give us a hand?” Lachie called.

The three of them moved around the tiny graveyard, straightening the fallen crosses, digging them more firmly into the ground.

“That’s better,” said Lachie at last, and wiped his forehead on his sleeve. “Maybe we should build a fence round it or something.”

“We’d help you,” said Sadie.

“Make a real headstone for Jimmy, too,” said Walter.

“Yeah,” said Lachie.

Related Characters: Sadie Hazzard (speaker), Walter (speaker), Lachie Mortlock (speaker), Jimmy Raven, Gerald Mortlock, Clarry Hazzard
Related Symbols: The Stone Circle, Boort
Page Number: 232-233
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Crow Country LitChart as a printable PDF.
Crow Country PDF

Boort Symbol Timeline in Crow Country

The timeline below shows where the symbol Boort appears in Crow Country. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1
Heritage and Land Theme Icon
...looks up and says, “stupid bird.” She has just moved to the small town of Boort with her mother, on the shore of Little Lake Boort. However, today, Sadie is on... (full context)
Chapter 2
Heritage and Land Theme Icon
...encounter with the speaking crow, hurries across the lakebed and down the path back to Boort. On the way, she passes paddocks and the abandoned railway station. Not in a rush... (full context)
Heritage and Land Theme Icon
Sadie is disappointed by Boort, especially as it is not the paradise of trees and creeks that Ellie promised, but... (full context)
Chapter 3
Heritage and Land Theme Icon
...old, her mother should have consulted her about the important life decision of moving to Boort. Trying to make amends, Ellie hugs and kisses her daughter, and suggests they go and... (full context)
Chapter 4
Prejudice and Discrimination Theme Icon
...in trouble with the police in Mildura, the town he lived in before coming to Boort. (full context)
Prejudice and Discrimination Theme Icon
Violence and Integrity Theme Icon
...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,... (full context)
Chapter 8
Prejudice and Discrimination Theme Icon
Heritage and Land Theme Icon
Justice and Restitution Theme Icon
Violence and Integrity Theme Icon
...war. Jimmy and Dad served together in the war, and Dad fought the town of Boort to have Jimmy’s name engraved on the war monument. Clarry was eventually supported by Gerald... (full context)
Chapter 11
Prejudice and Discrimination Theme Icon
Heritage and Land Theme Icon
Justice and Restitution Theme Icon
Violence and Integrity Theme Icon
...David up and almost killed him. Ellie says that after that, she ran away from Boort. She feels guilty about letting David down. Sadie suggests that she should fix things with... (full context)
Chapter 12
Prejudice and Discrimination Theme Icon
Heritage and Land Theme Icon
Violence and Integrity Theme Icon
...that she thinks she understands what he’s saying. Jimmy tells her he’s not from the Boort, that he comes from way down south, but that he knows the valley is a... (full context)
Chapter 13
Prejudice and Discrimination Theme Icon
Heritage and Land Theme Icon
Justice and Restitution Theme Icon
...suggests David, who had been a coach down in Mildura before he moved back to Boort. Craig acknowledges the Mildura players were great, but then makes derogatory comments about how the... (full context)
Prejudice and Discrimination Theme Icon
...tells them that Craig says he’s sorry for offending David, and implores David to coach Boort’s footy team, the Magpies. David says he’ll think about it. Lachie then asks if Sadie... (full context)
Chapter 15
Prejudice and Discrimination Theme Icon
Heritage and Land Theme Icon
Justice and Restitution Theme Icon
...the land and created it and its inhabitants. Walter says that in the area of Boort, “everything belongs to Bunjil the Eaglehawk or Waa the Crow.” David mentions that one of... (full context)
Chapter 16
Prejudice and Discrimination Theme Icon
Heritage and Land Theme Icon
To everyone’s surprise, the Boort footy team wins the next game, thanks to David’s coaching. All the Boort supporters are... (full context)
Chapter 19
Heritage and Land Theme Icon
Justice and Restitution Theme Icon
Violence and Integrity Theme Icon
...stay home for the day. Ellie tells Sadie if she really does hate it in Boort, then they can move. But Sadie tells her that actually, she likes Boort and wants... (full context)