What can we learn about conflict from 'The Secret River'

One of the most useful activities that I have used in class is to ask students what they think that Kate Grenville is trying to say about the nature of conflict and the factors that contribute to it.

For example: Conflict occurs betweent the powerful and the powerless: This is shown in several examples throughout the novel. At the start of the novel we have the Thornhills struggling to survive and resorting to theft in order to have enough food to eat, this of course brings them into conflict with the people that they are stealing from, as well as the law.

We also see this later on in the novel when we have the clash between the Aboriginals and the white settlers. The white settlers appear to have the power over the indigenous population in terms of pushing them off the land, this of course brings them into direct conflict which eventually ends in violence.

What other examples of conflict can you draw from 'The Secret River'. Perhaps Conflict is caused by fear, or Conflict arises from a lack of understanding. When you have come up with these examples try and support them with evidence from the text.

You will see that the statements you have created will be remarkably similar to the prompts that are used during SACs. It would then be useful to take these statements and write an essay based on them.

Good Luck