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Indyk attempts to show how "the recognition of complexity and diversity is at the same time an assertion of the principles of social equality". Because Tom Collins attributes value to the smallest objects in the novel, refusing to implement a hierarchy, he becomes the person most able to interpret the diversity of the bush. The diversity of his social "parts" allows no escape from the claims of social equality and moral responsibility.
McDonald attempts to show how Clarke's narrative technique reconciles naturalistic and melodramatic elements. The use of a shifting narrative perspective enables Rufus Dawes to be seen as degraded while retaining a certain amount of heroism. The interweaving of melodrama with realistic accounts amplifies the effect of the narrative and demands the reader's participation to reveal the nuances hidden in the text.