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Chapter 3: A Lifeless Life
Explanation and Analysis—Australian English:
Australian English is an important feature of My Brilliant Career, contributing to its sense of realism and investing it with local color. For example, in Chapter 3 of the book, the author uses this dialect of English and several local idioms to depict Jane Haizelip's frustration with Possum Gully. Jane tells an amused Mr. Blackshaw that she doesn’t like Possum Gully more than the place she and the Melvyns have just left. In fact, it's quite the opposite:
"No, jolly fear. Out-of-the-way place! There was more life at Bruggabrong in a day than you crawlers ’ud see here all yer lives,” she retorted with vigor, energetically pommeling a batch of bread which she was mixing. [...] "A girl could have a fly round and a lark or two there, I tell you; but here,” and she emitted a snort of contempt, “there ain’t one bloomin’ feller to do a mash with. I’m full of the place. Only I promised to stick to the missus a while, I’d scoot tomorrer. It’s the dead-and-alivest hole I ever seen.”
This use of dialect enhances the reader's immersion in the characters and their environment. Jane’s regional diction here mimics how someone of that time might really have spoken. The distinctive speech patterns and idioms—unfamiliar to many non-Australian readers—paint a vivid picture of the working-class outback setting and the individuals who inhabit it. Moreover, through this use of regional dialect, Franklin also allows Jane’s energy, her disdain for her new rural life, and her longing for fun and companionship to shine through.
Contrasting Jane's speech with the narrator's polished tone is also a subtle indicator of their class differences. While the narrator “speaks” in standard English, Jane—who is working-class— employs more colloquial expressions, abbreviations, and conjunctions. For example, just in this passage she says “’ud” instead of “would,” and “ain’t” instead of “isn’t.” She also uses several period-specific idioms like "fly round and a lark," meaning "to have fun," and "do a mash," referring to "energetic dancing with a partner." Franklin’s use of Australian English throughout the novel, especially in emotional moments like this one, highlights the importance of language in shaping her characters. Their use of English reflects their social class, gives perspective on their way of life, and paints a realistic picture of the sounds of 19th century Australian conversation.
Related Themes:
