The Drover's Wife

  The story which I have chosen to discuss is "The Drover's Wife" written by Henry Lawson,Australia's most famous short-story writer and poet. "The Drover's Wife" is probably Lawson's best-known work, and was first published in the collection entitled "While the Billy Boils" in 1892. There are several reasons why I love the ending.
  The main conflict in "The Drover's Wife" is perhaps not so evident as we may think. At first it is quite easy to imagine that there is a conflict between the bush woman and the snake. The reason for that is that the snake is a threat to the woman. If she does not kill it, the snake can bite one of the children, which will be a disaster since it is nineteen miles to the nearest neighbor. The child would be dead before they could get help.
  However, this conflict is only a consequence of the main conflict, which is mentioned in a sentence early in the text, "The drover, an ex-squatter, is away with sheep. His wife and children are left here alone." The main problem is that the wife is left alone to deal with the hardships of life in the Australian bush.
    I liked the ending of the story because the snake died after hit by the drover’s wife with a club. The drover’s wife was finally relieved because no need to worry about her children’s safety. From that day on, she could lead a happy and contented life with her children.
  Furthermore, the gaunt woman had physical and emotional strength to survive in the absence of his husband, and that her life in the bush started when she married a squatter at the age of 18. As a girl-wife she had hated the lonely life in the outback, but as time passed by, she grew used to it. When the drought forced her husband to go droving, she had been left alone with the children and the problems a life in the bush would bring. Her struggles have been many. Once she had to fight a bush fire threatening to burn down her house. Another time a mad bullock had besieged the house for a day. Then there was a flood which had ruined a very important dam. In addition to this she regularly must defend herself against dishonest sundowners and swagmen passing by her house.
  Moreover, I like the ending of this story because the woman was caring and independent in the face of adversity. Every time her husband returns, the woman is very happy. However, she does not gush or make a fuss about it. She usually gets him something good to eat, and tidies up the children. The bushwoman loves her children above all, but has no time to show it. The children have a very harsh impression of her.
  In conclusion, I think this is a wonderful story, portraying the hardship of life in the Australian outback from a woman's point of view.

Teo Xialer
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