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When Thornhill initially decides to purchase a gun, he sees it as an insurance policy that will guarantee his and his family's safety in the wild of New South Wales. When he learns how to fire a gun, however, he learns that although guns do have the potential to do damage and offer protection, they're little more than a symbol of power: in the early 19th century, guns took nearly two minutes to reload, making them ineffective against the Aborigines unless used en masse. This plays out particularly as Thornhill speaks to Sal about "showing the blacks the gun" to send a message: he knows full well that the spears of the Aborigines are far deadlier than his gun, but he plays to Sal's blind trust that the gun will do its job and strike fear in the natives.
Guns Quotes in The Secret River
The The Secret River quotes below all refer to the symbol of Guns. 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:
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Part 3: A Clearing in the Forest
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Thornhill could not believe he would be able to send a ball of red-hot metal into another body. But being allowed a gun was one of the privileges of a pardon. It was something he had earned, whether he wanted it or not.
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He had thought that having a gun would make him feel safe. Why did it not?
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Part 5: Drawing a Line
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He knew, as perhaps they did not, how pointless a thing it was. He could go through the rigmarole of loading it up and squinting along its barrel and firing. But after that, what?
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Guns Symbol Timeline in The Secret River
The timeline below shows where the symbol Guns appears in The Secret River. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part 3: A Clearing in the Forest
...eat them, and Thornhill assures him that he won't let them. He glances at the gun wrapped in canvas. He'd bought it from a man in Sydney and when the man...
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The family huddles close around the fire as night falls. Before sunset, Thornhill loads the gun. He wonders why it doesn't make him feel safe to have it. Thornhill studies the...
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Part 4: A Hundred Acres
...of a dog and a child crying, and Willie tells his father to get the gun. They go to the hut where Sal gives Thornhill a bag of food and tobacco....
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...like he's hosting these men and greets them loudly, though he wishes he had his gun. The men approach him, and the old man Thornhill once slapped comes right up, touches...
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...is proud of having struck a deal and tells Thornhill that there's no need for guns or whips to deal with the natives.
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Part 5: Drawing a Line
...him he's silly and cleans his face. Thornhill goes into the hut and checks the gun. Sal catches him, but he insists there was only a nest of spiders in the...
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...insists that the natives won't hurt them. Willie tells his father to show them the gun, but Dick gets up and says that the natives truly are just having a get-together....
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...Ned squeal that the natives will burn them, and Thornhill finally snaps. He takes the gun down and loads it, though he wonders if he's the only one who knows how...
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...and Thornhill are fearful. Sal stops engaging with the women, and Thornhill buys three more guns and teaches Ned, Dan, and Willie how to shoot. Ned is a natural with the...
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...what happened to Spider: when he returned, the natives were still stealing. He'd tried to shoot them, but at spear-point, the natives stole all their food and all their other belongings...
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Loveday angrily shouts that the natives are destitute, and Smasher continues the tirade. Smasher mimes shooting a gun and shouts that the natives understand that. Mrs. Herring silences Smasher, and Thornhill...
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Part 6: The Secret River
...natives are filling bags with their corn. Thornhill feels rage fill him and grabs the gun. He walks to the corn patch. The natives silently and deliberately continue picking corn. He...
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Thornhill lets go of the woman he'd held and points the gun at Long Jack. He yells that the corn belongs to him, and the natives, except...
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At dawn, Smasher whispers to everyone to shoot the men first, then the women. The men wade to shore with their guns, though...
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...the massacre around him. He watches Dan club Black Dick over the head, and Ned shoots a woman carrying a child. Thornhill points his gun at people, but doesn't shoot. He...
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Thornhill gets up with his gun and realizes that there are natives in the forest throwing rocks and spears. He realizes...
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Thornhill's gun finally goes off. Whisker Harry stands stern for a moment and then folds forward and...
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Part 6: Mr. Thornhill's Villa
...been waiting. He told her that they'd spoken to the natives and shown them the guns, and the natives left. He assured her that they were gone for good, and she...
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