Note the reference to the setting of Darwin throughout the novel. What is the significance of the setting Goldsworthy has chosen?

Darwin is a place of escape. For Keller it also represents a place of punishment particularly through its contrast with Vienna. Darwin is uncultured, lacks the sophistication and elegance of Vienna and is on the opposite side of the world with the opposite climate. We can further understand that Keller has chosen Darwin for its absence of beauty and perfection. Beauty, which he sees as untrustworthy due to the treachery it covered up in Vienna and his guilt in playing a part in it.

“A town populated by men who had run as far as they could flee.” Pg. 17

“’Movie set architecture,’ he murmured. ‘Ornamental facades. Hiding the hypocrisy within...’” pg. 45

“’We must be on our guard against beauty always. Never trust the beautiful.’” Pg. 50

For Paul Darwin is a place of sensuality. This is very important as, at 15 years old, Paul is at a stage in his life where he is slowly entering the adult world and is developing feelings of sensuality. These feelings can be portrayed through the extreme and varying temperatures, which can be viewed as exotic and disordered. In this way, we can also see where Paul is as a character. As the exoticness of the climate relates to Paul’s sensual feelings, its sense of chaos can portray Paul’s confusion in being a teenager, his irresponsibility and his unconcern for the future. Through this and Darwin’s aspect of escape, Darwin can be seen as a world away from reality.

“I loved the town of booze and blow at first sight. And above all its smell” those hot, steamy perfumes that wrapped about me...moist, compost air. Sweat – and – sour air...” pg. 9

“Everything grew larger than life in the steamy hothouse of Darwin, and the people were no exception. Exotic, hothouse blooms.” Pg.11

“The reckless confidence of lust had taken hold of me.” Pg. 70

“Never again will time move as slowly as it did then, and never again would there be so much to be discovered, to be touched and tasted for the first time.” Pg. 149

“And thus, while I listened, the future became the present, unchallenged; and all too soon the regretted past.” Pg. 114

“Cartoon descriptions? How else to describe a cartoon world?” pg. 11

The climate and temperature variances of Darwin determine, and in this way, portray the moods and actions of its inhabitants. As well as providing an insight into the characters lives, this mechanism also establishes a realistic backdrop for the novel, making it believable and its themes stronger in relating to the audience.

“My parents had eased slowly into the town’s social life. With the coming of the Dry...this accelerated.” pg. 28

“The Dry had somehow made him more sociable, more democratic.”

“a month the locals like to speak of – with a kind of odd, perverse pride – as the Suicide month.” Pg. 48

Adelaide can be seen as a link to understanding the themes and issues expressed in Darwin, in much the same way as not being able to see what’s right in front of you or only being able to understand something from a distance.

To Paul, Adelaide represents another time in his life, and a time that doesn’t belong to him anymore. In fact, Adelaide portrays the time of Paul’s childhood and in this way contrasts against Darwin, in not only a cultural and social way, but through Darwin’s representing Paul’s stage of adolescence and his journey in growing up. This contrast between Darwin and Adelaide, and their connection to adolescence and childhood respectively, can also be seen through Darwin’s sort of oppressiveness in relation to its extreme weather patterns, and Adelaide’s reference to excitement and life. In this way these two towns can show the different interpretations and ideas of a child and adolescence.

“And then we were through the desert and into the temperate wheat country, passing through the mid-north towns in which I had once lived – centuries ago, in an earlier life, it now seemed.” Pg. 53

“The City meant Television, of course – but there were other joys that still remain in my mind in a sort of mental upper-case, and usually preceded by the definite article, as benefits magical things.”

Adelaide is the place where Paul finds out about the things related to Darwin. It is here where he is interested in finding out more about Keller and is also the place where he witnesses his first sensual scene, instead of just thinking about it as he does in Darwin. In this way, even though Paul is in Adelaide, Darwin can be seen to be his home where he belongs, as even though he is away, he is still connected to it. Paul has moved on from Adelaide and his childhood. Adelaide also provides the opportunities to see how Paul’s relationship with Keller has developed. Through this, displaying how Keller can only reveal his true self from a distance.

“’At a distance. Carelessly. As if it meant nothing.’” Pg. 56

“Bored – finally – with daytime Television…I began visiting libraries, searching for evidence of Keller’s earlier life.”

“The names of those books remain deeply branded in my memory, important not so much for what was in them as for what was behind them.” Pg. 57

Through Paul’s experience in playing with the band, he finally understands who he is in terms of music. It is also through the competition in Adelaide that this outlook is made concrete, as Paul moves away from the band. This shows that it is only through Adelaide that Paul is able to have more insight about Darwin and have a deeper understanding of himself and those around him. In so many ways, Adelaide acts as the bridge between Darwin (which Paul sees with irresponsibility and no concern for the future) and the reality of the world.

“But the artistic direction of the band had passed out of my hands somewhere between Darwin and Adelaide.” Pg. 106

“Even then I couldn’t help seeing it in those terms: music to Shit By.” Pg. 91

“It was only now that I realised he had not drunk at all in Adelaide.” Pg. 111