My Brilliant Career (Masterplots, Revised Second Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Miles Franklin
- First Published: 1901
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Psychological realism
- Time of Work: 1890’s
- Setting: The Australian Bush
- Principal Characters: Sybylla Melvyn, Richard Melvyn, Lucy Melvyn, Gertie, Aunt Helen, Grannie, Uncle Julius (Uncle Jay-Jay), Harold (Harry) Beecham, Everard Grey, Frank Hawden, The M’Swat Family
- Genres: Long fiction, Social realism, Bildungsroman, Autobiographical fiction
- Subjects: Maturation or coming of age, Freedom, Values, Philosophy or philosophers, Cattle, Politics, Socialism, Teenagers, Gender roles, Nineteenth century, Middle classes, Poverty or poor people, Feminism, Women’s issues, Farms, farmers, or farming, Nationalism, Ambition, Disasters, Natural disasters, Ranches, ranchers, or ranching, Sheep, Australia or Australians, Droughts, Agnosticism, Dairy industry or products, Wilderness
- Locales: New South Wales, Australia
The Story:
Sybylla was the daughter of wealthy cattle station owner Richard Melvyn. When the family fell on hard times, Richard Melvyn sold his three stations and bought Possum Gully, a small farm.
Richard Melvyn’s drinking habit undermined his livestock deals. He mortgaged Possum Gully and used the money to set up a dairy farm. The entire family slaved long hours for little return; the family dropped from swelldom to peasantry. Sybylla’s previously gentle and refined mother became angry, thin, and careworn, while her father became slovenly and withdrawn; he lost all...
[The entire page is 2350 words long]
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