Jasper Jones
In this coming of age story, Charlie must question his conventional notions of what is right and wrong as he navigates small town morality, racism and hypocrisy. Discuss with close reference to the novel.
In Silvey’s novel, Jasper Jones, Charlie moves from innocence to experience. He has to rethink his thoughts of right and wrong as he discovers the Corrigan has small town morality, racism and hypocrisy. During the novel, Charlie rethinks and changes his thoughts of right and wrong completely. He discovers that Corrigan has small town morality and relies solely on rumour, Corrigan is also a very racist town and are quick to judge the Lu family, who are Vietnamese, and Jasper Jones, who is half indigenous. He later discovers that Corrigan is hypocrisy and award the prestigious jobs to the most undeserving people.
From the moment Jasper Jones knocked on Charlies’ window, Charlie discovers everything he thought was right and wrong, was no longer as black and white as he thought. The first time Jasper knocks on Charlies’ window, after Charlie is shown Laura’s body, Charlie is shocked to find Jasper all bruised and beaten up. But what shocked him most, was that it wasn’t just a regular beating, it was the local Sharif and the mayor, Laura’s father, who had physically abused Jasper. This would be the first time Charlie questions his thoughts of right and wrong. Charlies’ indecision and confusion is shown through the metaphor of a snowdome : “How strange and abandoned and unsettled I am. Like a snowdome paperweight that’s been shaken… Everything in my world that was steady and sure and sturdy has been shaken out of place, and now its drifting and swirling back down in a confetti of debris.” Even though Charlie is confused, he has a gut feeling that helps lead the way, “They asked me if I’d been with Jasper Jones/I was terrified, nut something kicked in me. I discovered a gift for lies.”
As Charlie moves from innocence to experience, he recognises Corrigan for what it
In Silvey’s novel, Jasper Jones, Charlie moves from innocence to experience. He has to rethink his thoughts of right and wrong as he discovers the Corrigan has small town morality, racism and hypocrisy. During the novel, Charlie rethinks and changes his thoughts of right and wrong completely. He discovers that Corrigan has small town morality and relies solely on rumour, Corrigan is also a very racist town and are quick to judge the Lu family, who are Vietnamese, and Jasper Jones, who is half indigenous. He later discovers that Corrigan is hypocrisy and award the prestigious jobs to the most undeserving people.
From the moment Jasper Jones knocked on Charlies’ window, Charlie discovers everything he thought was right and wrong, was no longer as black and white as he thought. The first time Jasper knocks on Charlies’ window, after Charlie is shown Laura’s body, Charlie is shocked to find Jasper all bruised and beaten up. But what shocked him most, was that it wasn’t just a regular beating, it was the local Sharif and the mayor, Laura’s father, who had physically abused Jasper. This would be the first time Charlie questions his thoughts of right and wrong. Charlies’ indecision and confusion is shown through the metaphor of a snowdome : “How strange and abandoned and unsettled I am. Like a snowdome paperweight that’s been shaken… Everything in my world that was steady and sure and sturdy has been shaken out of place, and now its drifting and swirling back down in a confetti of debris.” Even though Charlie is confused, he has a gut feeling that helps lead the way, “They asked me if I’d been with Jasper Jones/I was terrified, nut something kicked in me. I discovered a gift for lies.”
As Charlie moves from innocence to experience, he recognises Corrigan for what it