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Colonial Violence
Themes and Colors
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Sister Heart, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
One of the primary ways that authorities like the policeman, Reverend Dale, Teacher, and Nurse attempt to assimilate the Aboriginal children of Australia is by placing vast distances between them and their families. The children in the school come from northwest and southwest Australia and none of them can say how far—or even in what direction—they’ve traveled to be there. When Annie arrives at the school, she misses her family (Mum, Annie’s grandparents, Aunty Adie, and Annie’s baby sister) terribly, and she initially distrusts Janey’s offer of friendship, wondering how someone who isn’t part of her kin group could possibly become her friend. Annie never stops missing her own family, but she eventually realizes that she, Janey, and Tim have formed a kind of family of their own. And although it can’t replace the connections they’ve lost, it does give them the strength and support they need to survive their traumatizing and abusive circumstances. Similarly, although Janey seems certain that Tim is her long-lost baby brother, the book holds open a space for doubt. Tim has no memories of his life before the school, so it’s possible that Janey imagines their connection. But it doesn’t matter when kinship is measured by how people behave rather than their shared genes; in all the ways that matter—loving and supporting each other, caring for each other, comforting each other in distress—Janey and Tim are siblings. And Annie becomes their sister in that way, too. By the time Janey dies, Annie has fully taken on the role of Tim’s older sister, and—even as she promises her own Mum in her heart that she will one day find her way home—they both take comfort in the fact that they don’t have to face their futures alone.
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The Bonds of Kinship ThemeTracker
The ThemeTracker below shows where, and to what degree, the theme of The Bonds of Kinship appears in each chapter of Sister Heart. Click or tap on any chapter to read its Summary & Analysis.
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The Bonds of Kinship Quotes in Sister Heart
Below you will find the important quotes in Sister Heart related to the theme of The Bonds of Kinship.
Chapter 1
Quotes
I watch the waves rise
heave
fall
Salty spray
clings to my skin
like a damp blanket
Slowly
slowly
slowly
the big saltwater
swallows the land
I spin round and round
crying for land
crying for home
How will Mum find me?
No tracks in the sea
How will I find her?
No signs to follow home
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I don’t want to stay on the ship
but
I don’t want to leave either
What’s wrong with me?
I hear Mum’s voice in my head
Be strong
When I am upset
Mum always says
Be strong
just like I know you are
I take a shuddery gulp
Tell myself – be strong
Reverend pulls me along
I breathe deeper
pretend I am bigger
taller
older
I walk like I’m not afraid
like I am brave
Chapter 2
Quotes
Nancy comes up
spins me around
Ay, new girl!
Meet Emmy and Dot
They nor’westers too
Emmy and Dot
are bigger girls like Nancy
Emmy has curly hair like mine
Dot has a round face like Nancy
They nod at me shyly
Nancy says
Nor’westers stick together
Sou’westers stick together
Got it?
Janey elbows past Nancy
Hey, I’m sou’wester
and I got sou’wester and nor’wester friends!
Nancy teases
Ooh – prickly little sou’wester
Emmy pokes Janey
Dot laughs
Nancy towers over Janey
Mind ya own business, sou’wester!
Janey puts her hands on her hips
If I minded my own business
you wouldn’t have any stuff…
You missin’ her bad, huh?
I cried when I came here
They sent my cousins someplace else
Thought I was alone
till I saw Tim
Knew he was my lost brother
just knew it!
Tim was a sick baby
Mum took him to the hospital
went back to get him
He was gone!
Where is he?
Mum kept cryin’
Where’s my boy?
She was still cryin’ for Tim
when they grabbed me
Reckon she’s cryin’
for both of us now
[…]
Tim was a fat baby
bein’ sick shrunk him
He looks like a little fella
but he’s only two years younger
Janey pokes out her tongue at Tim
Hey, you lucky to have me
watchin’ out for you!
Tim pulls a face
Janey’s fingers work fast
She twists the twigs
into a little person with arms
and legs and everything
Janey holds it up
See, Annie
a stick doll
I’ve seen a real doll
Visitors came to the station
with a girl who carried a doll
She carried it
like I used to carry little sister
when she was a new baby
Doll had clothes and shoes
and staring eyes
Janey’s bush doll has no eyes
but she feels smiley
My fingers stroke
the doll’s twiggy face
Crying tree is a big old tree
with branches stretching high
and a snug hollow
in the trunk
Janey says
Kids here got special place
to cry
This is me and Tim’s special place
but you can share it with us
At home I share
with my cousin brothers
and cousin sisters
and they share with me
Mum would like Janey sharing
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Janey whispers
Listen, Annie
I got to tell ya bad news
You hopin’ your mum will come
and get you, huh?
I sit still as stone
But she can’t come, Annie
How does Janey know?
She doesn’t know my mum
Your mum wants to come
Mums always miss kids
But she dunno where you are
and she dunno your new name
Will your mum ask for Annie?
My throat goes tight
Mum doesn’t know anyone
called Annie
Policeman won’t tell her where you are
Policeman won’t tell her your new name
Janey is right
[…]
Government people
got lotsa secrets, Annie
But I got me own secrets!
I know stuff from before
Know where me country is
Know some of me language
I don’t talk it here
Got too many
whacks round the earhole!
And guess what?
Me skull’s got freckles!
Come out, Annie
I’ll check your skull
for freckles
Who cares about freckles?
Nancy says
Leave her alone, Janey
You know what it’s like!
I hear Janey’s bed squeak
as she lies down
You be okay, Annie
Promise!
Chapter 3
Quotes
Janey told me
her most secret secret
Her real name
I told her
my most secret secret
My real name
We promised each other
to keep our secrets safe
Me and Janey are good
at keeping secret things safe
I wake to see Janey
standing by my bed
I rub my eyes
Is she really here?
Janey?
I smile at her
You come back?
Janey stares past me
past the other girls
past the walls
of the locked sleeping room
I jump out of bed
You cold?
Annie, I’m a good big sister, huh?
Yeah, Janey!
Janey smiles like the sun
Chapter 4
Quotes
A kookaburra calls
KOO – KOO – KAA – KAA
The bird skims the treetops
swoops low over me and Tim
soars away
Tim’s eyes go big
Janey loved kookaburras
They special to her
like mudlarks are special to me
What you think, Annie?
Is sister flyin’ home?
Tears stream down my cheeks
Yeah, Tim
she’s gone home
We gaze after the kookaburra
You know what, Annie?
Someday
I’ll grow me own feathers
Fly home to Mum and Dad
and Granny Alice
like Janey wanted
I give Tim a shaky smile
If birds have wings
so do songs
Tonight
when all the girls are sleeping
I will send a song
on the moonlight
to my mum
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