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* Contents derived from the Sydney,New South Wales,:Angus and Robertson,1970 version. Please note that other versions/publications may contain different contents. See the Publication Details.
'Why, White Man, Why?' : White Australia as the Addressee of Apostrophe in Contemporary Aboriginal WritingRussell West-Pavlov,
2002single work criticism — Appears in:
Zeitschrift fur Anglistik und Amerikanistik,vol.
50no.
22002;(p. 166-178) — Appears in:
Imaginary Antipodes : Essays on Contemporary Australian Literature and Culture2011;(p. 23-36)'Contemporary Australian indigenous literature is characterised by a remarkably prevalent use of apostrophic address directed at the white reader. This mode of direct address in black literary texts draws attention to the political dynamics moulding reader-writer relations in contemporary Australia. The article examines numerous examples of this direct mode of address in prose, poetry and drama, and argues that this direct mode of address is a central element in the message of black writers. The use of apostrophe implies the active 'positioning' of the white reader on the part of the indigenous speaker; only by virtue of this positioning is the reading process made possible. The direct mode of address in these texts thus demands that the reader take up a stance characterised by a readiness to listen attentively to black literary voices.' (Author's abstract)
The Poetry of Politics : Australian Aboriginal VerseAdam Shoemaker,
1989single work criticism — Appears in:
Black Words, White Page : Aboriginal Literature 1929-19881989;(p. 179-229)In this chapter the broad range of Aboriginal verse is examined to illustrate the diversity and talent of contemporary Black Australian poets. Shoemaker argues that any dismissal of Aboriginal poetry as simply propaganda is inaccurate and unfair. Aboriginal poetry ranges from the overtly political to celebrations of nature. The political stance of the writers is considered as well as the particular social conditions in which the writers live - and which they often address in their work. The works of Aboriginal poets Jack Davis, Kevin Gilbert, Colin Johnson, Lionel Fogarty and Aileen Corpus are examined. To emphasise the distinctive elements of writing produced by Aboriginal poets, Shoemaker provides a brief comparison to the work of selected white poets, Les Murray and Bruce Dawe. He also demonstrates the Fourth World dimension and increasingly oral predisposition of Australian Aboriginal verse by contrasting it with the poetry of contemporary Canadian Indian writers.
'Why, White Man, Why?' : White Australia as the Addressee of Apostrophe in Contemporary Aboriginal WritingRussell West-Pavlov,
2002single work criticism — Appears in:
Zeitschrift fur Anglistik und Amerikanistik,vol.
50no.
22002;(p. 166-178) — Appears in:
Imaginary Antipodes : Essays on Contemporary Australian Literature and Culture2011;(p. 23-36)'Contemporary Australian indigenous literature is characterised by a remarkably prevalent use of apostrophic address directed at the white reader. This mode of direct address in black literary texts draws attention to the political dynamics moulding reader-writer relations in contemporary Australia. The article examines numerous examples of this direct mode of address in prose, poetry and drama, and argues that this direct mode of address is a central element in the message of black writers. The use of apostrophe implies the active 'positioning' of the white reader on the part of the indigenous speaker; only by virtue of this positioning is the reading process made possible. The direct mode of address in these texts thus demands that the reader take up a stance characterised by a readiness to listen attentively to black literary voices.' (Author's abstract)
The Poetry of Politics : Australian Aboriginal VerseAdam Shoemaker,
1989single work criticism — Appears in:
Black Words, White Page : Aboriginal Literature 1929-19881989;(p. 179-229)In this chapter the broad range of Aboriginal verse is examined to illustrate the diversity and talent of contemporary Black Australian poets. Shoemaker argues that any dismissal of Aboriginal poetry as simply propaganda is inaccurate and unfair. Aboriginal poetry ranges from the overtly political to celebrations of nature. The political stance of the writers is considered as well as the particular social conditions in which the writers live - and which they often address in their work. The works of Aboriginal poets Jack Davis, Kevin Gilbert, Colin Johnson, Lionel Fogarty and Aileen Corpus are examined. To emphasise the distinctive elements of writing produced by Aboriginal poets, Shoemaker provides a brief comparison to the work of selected white poets, Les Murray and Bruce Dawe. He also demonstrates the Fourth World dimension and increasingly oral predisposition of Australian Aboriginal verse by contrasting it with the poetry of contemporary Canadian Indian writers.
