Devices that Kate Grenville uses to express conflict

Devices that Kate Grenville uses to express conflict
Language
This is an interesting device that Kate Grenville uses to express how conflict can be represented.
Consider the fact that throughout the novel the Aboriginals do not have any dialogue as such, the only reports that we have of them talking is described by the white settlers as something unintelligible and alien. Whilst with the white settlers we get to hear their conversations, thoughts and inner monologues which allow us to understand how they interpret their environment. We also get to see their views on the Aboriginals and can see that conflict appears to be inevitable.
Conversely we do not get to understand what the Aboriginals are thinking and only have their interactions with the white settlers to see how they behave and react.
I can be suggested that the lack of dialogue is representative of the actual lack of voice of the Aboriginals, perhaps this is Grenville making a statement that Aboriginals have no voice in Australian society. This also represents a lack of power, and perhaps suggests that Kate Grenville believes that conflict does tend to occur between the powerful and the powerless.
As you progress through the novel try and find examples where Grenville uses language to represent the conflict.
Names
It is also worth considering Grenville’s use of names in ‘The Secret River’, in so much that most of the white settlers have full names. This is as opposed to the Aboriginals who are only described by their appearance rather than their own names. For example, ‘Scabby Bill’, ‘Long Jack’ etc. This would suggest once again that these are names imposed on them by the white settlers and really does not give any credit to them. It is almost as if the white settlers have summed up the Aboriginals in a few words and have no interest in knowing any more about them than being able to describe them and use the names as a point of reference.
Once again it would be advantageous for you to start thinking what Kate Grenville is trying to say about the nature of conflict by doing this, is it that she is once again saying that it is this struggle between the powerful and the powerless as well as being a cultural conflict, this is something that you will have to think about throughout the novel.