EDU 21ACL – Australian Children’s Literature
Australian Family Stories
Family stories and social issues
Dougy
NIPS XI
James Moloney Ruth Starke
© La Trobe University, David Beagley, 2006
References
Starke, R. (1995) What is a multicultural book? Viewpoint:
on books for young adults. 3(1) Autumn: 22-24
Foster, J (1995) The People: Family Life versus
Individualism. Chap.8 in Australian Children’s
Literature: an exploration of genre and theme. Ed.
Foster, Finnis & Nimon. Wagga, NSW: CIS
Ingram, L (1991) The Family Story: a context for care.
Chap. 11 in Give Them Wings: the experience of
children’s literature. Ed, Saxby & Winch. Melbourne:
Macmillan.
Foci
1.
2.
3.
Concepts of Family and Family Stories
Representing families in these texts
Social issues in Family Stories
Concepts of Family and Family Stories
 What elements of family stories do they have?
e.g. IN families, ABOUT families, or FOR families
 Are they ‘typical’ of traditional family stories?
 How do they meet or challenge aspects of your
criteria for family stories?
 e.g. characters, settings, plot development, themes,
voice, style
 What do the stories tell you about families?
Concepts of Family and Family Stories
 What do the stories tell you about families?
 What IS family?
 Contextual definitions: Sociology, Philosophy,
Religion, Biology, Ethics, Law
 Common aspects: Social unit, parents, children,
kinship, blood ties/social ties, multiple formats,
nuclear/extended, create/sustain, responsibility
 Contradiction or Diversity?
Concepts of Family and Family Stories
 What do the stories tell you about families?
 What elements of family stories do they have?
e.g. IN families, ABOUT families, or FOR families
 Are they ‘typical’ of traditional family stories?
 How do they meet or challenge aspects of your
criteria for families, and/or family stories?
 e.g. characters, settings, plot development, themes,
voice, style
 e.g. structure, relationships, responsibilities
 How do they meet or challenge aspects of your
criteria for families?
Background on James Moloney
 James Moloney born in Sydney in 1954, now lives in Brisbane
 After University he became a teacher, then a Teacher
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
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
Librarian.
In 1977-8 he taught in Cunnamulla, a little "outback" town
where many Aborigines live.
First novel published in 1992.
In 1997, A Bridge to Wiseman’s Cove won CBCA Book of the
Year Award.
1998 decided to leave teaching and become a full time
writer.
Books include: Crossfire, Dougy, Gracey, The House on River
Terrace, A Bridge to Wiseman's Cove, Angela, Touch Me,
Swashbuckler, Buzzard Breath and Brains, The Black taxi,
The Book of Lies
Representing families
 Dougy : Aboriginal culture of family – including
commitment to (and from) extended family
 But excluded from wider family of Eurodominated society
 Locational family of town community
 European concept of family - extension is
friendship (i.e. choice), not family (i.e. obligation)
Social issues in family stories
What aspects of family are:
 examined
 e.g. sibling rivalry, parent-child relations, parental
responsibility, mutual support, loyalty, identity, format
(nuclear, extended, lone parent … ), “social” family/ group,
cultural expectations, social pressures …
 emphasised
 The breakdown of the social family, and the resilience of
“blood” family
Representing families
Ruth Starke
 Originally worked in PR and marketing
 Started writing in 1992 and completed uni qualifications in
literature
 Now teaches at Flinders University and TAFE
NIPS XI
 Began as concept in multicultural analysis – Social definition of
“Multicultural” so often focuses on difference, not inclusion
 Sequel in NIPS go national
Social issues in family stories
 Representations of Family, and commentary on
possibilities
 Who is included in / excluded by the text?
 Representation of characters from a diversity of
backgrounds:
 gender
 cultural / ethnic
 socioeconomic
 family structure
Social issues in family stories
 Identity – who am I, in relation to others?
 Differentiation – what makes me different, how
do I belong?