In Fly Away Peter, David Malouf induces feelings of sorrow and grief to the reader by portraying the First World War in a negative light, thus underpinning the fact that it is an anti-war novel. However, themes such as companionship and nature are also present throughout the novel relieving it from the title of being simply and anti-war novel. Throughout the novel, David Malouf manipulates his language in the novel to communicate anti-war emotions to the reader, while also using graphic imagery to portray the further evoke the emotion. As well as communicating strong anti-war feelings, Malouf incorporates other minor themes in Fly Away Peter such as companionship and nature, thus alleviating the novel of being simply an anti-war novel. David Malouf effectively conveys his feelings towards war through well chosen and carefully manipulated language while also describing the effect that the war has on everyone.
Thorough the novel Malouf uses graphic language to portray imagery of pain and suffering, exemplified by the statement “Like a pink and yellow rose made of luminous dust, it bloomed above the skyline, and climbed and climbed, till the sky in that quarter was entirely choked” (p. 96).
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In this statement, Malouf effectively uses adjectives and verbs while also using repetition and personification. The careful choice of the words “luminous” and “bloomed” successfully create the desired effect of graphic imagery on the reader. The use of repetition in this passage enforces the action of the smoke while allowing for a momentary pause in the passage, thus slowing the pace of it and allowing more time for reflection.
In using the personifying word “choked” Malouf manages to complete the imagery of the passage while also using language that underscores the feelings of pain and suffering. Another successful manipulation of language my Malouf is the use of symbolism found in many of the passages throughout the novel. Malouf states that rats are familiars of death to further the theme of torment in the novel. In the passage “and rats in the same field-grey as the invisible enemy, that were as big as cats and utterly fearless, skittering over your face in the dark, leaping out of knapsacks, daring in to take the very crusts from under your nose” (p. 81) Malouf successfully portrays the rats as evil and fearless through the comparison of the rats with the enemy and the description of the rats’ actions. David Malouf also conveys his emotions towards war by describing the depressing scenery of the battlefield.
He graphically describes the atrociousness of the muddy scenery littered with random assortments of things such as shell fragments, sandbags, cards and cigarette packets in the following passage: “shell fragments and whole shells of every size, dangerously unexploded, old sandbags trodden into the mud… odd bits of humanity still adhering to metal or cloth or wood, or floating in the green scum of shell-holes or spewed up out of the mouths of rats” (p. 105).
It is obvious through these numerous examples that Malouf communicates his anti-war sentiments, however, these themes are not all that run through the novel. In contrast to the themes of pain and suffering, prominent throughout the novel, Malouf uses themes of nature and companionship and thus makes the novel more than simply an anti-war novel. In early passages of the novel, Malouf describes the wonderful landscapes of Australia and all of its natural wonders, mainly consisting of the birds.
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The main friendships explored by Malouf are the friendships between Imogen and Jim, Jim and Ashleigh, and Clancy and Jim. Through these friendships, Malouf manages to balance the novel, and slow down the fast pace of the war. Also, David Malouf shows the importance of friendship mainly through Ashley’s aid to Jim, taking him to the digging fields in the final passages, and also through Imogen’s reflection on Jim at the very end of the novel. The emotions expressed in these passages are intensified by their contrast to the prior war scenes, making them more effective and clear to the reader.
This intensification, helps the reader realise that the novel is not simply an anti-war novel. The theme of nature is particularly prominent in the opening chapters of the novel, helping exaggerate the anti-war feelings which are to follow. This theme, however, is referred to right through the entire novel and acts as a pivot point for many aspects of the story. Using the theme of nature, Malouf manages to compare the old world of Europe and the new world of Australia through descriptive and comparative writing. The new world of Australia represents freedom, which Malouf portrays through the glorification of the birds present in these lands as well as the absence of war. In contrast, the old world of Europe represents war and suffering which is portrayed through the graphic description of the horror of the war there.
Through the example of these dominant themes, it is obvious that Fly Away Peter is more than just an anti-war novel as it has themes such as companionship and nature which help the reader momentarily escape from the horror of the war. In conclusion, although it is clear the Fly Away Peter is an anti-war novel, it does however contain other themes which Malouf uses to escape from the war, and also to exaggerate the intensity of the war, making it more than simply a war novel.
