King Jimmy Character Analysis

An Aboriginal man who gets his wife, Black Mary, to help the bushwoman give birth in the bush. He is one of just two named indigenous characters in the story; the third indigenous character remains unnamed and is deemed untrustworthy by the bushwoman. Jimmy is described with direct reference to his “black face,” underscoring his perceived otherness from the story’s white characters. Though very likely not the author’s intention, these details reflect the racism and prejudice that were common at the time of Lawson’s writing.