Ambition and Discontent

Where it surfaces

• My Brilliant Career

  Sybylla's dissatisfaction with her rural life and her desire for something greater are central to her character.

• An Introduction to Possum Gully

  Richard Melvyn's dissatisfaction with his life at Bruggabrong and his ambitious plans for dealing in stock drive the family's move, but lead to reduced circumstances and Sybylla's unhappiness.

• IV: A Career Which Soon Careered to an End

  Richard Melvyn's failed ambition in stock dealing and Sybylla's growing discontent with her father's weakness and her own grim fate highlight the theme of thwarted ambition.

• Disjointed Sketches and Grumbles

  Sybylla's longing for art, music, and a different life contrasts sharply with her daily drudgery, fueling her discontent and dreams of escape.

• A Drought Idyll

  Sybylla's bitter reflection on her 'brilliant career' contrasts her youthful dreams with the grim reality of her present existence.

• VI: Revolt

  Sybylla's frustration with her limited prospects and her unspoken ambitions clash with her mother's practical demands.

• VII: Was E’er a Rose Without Its Thorn?

  Sybylla's restless longing for a life beyond Possum Gully, her desire for action and the 'stream of life,' and her frustration with the narrowness of her existence.

• Self Analysis

  Sybylla's boundless ambition clashes with the narrow confines of Possum Gully, leading to restless yearning and a sense of being out of her sphere.

• VIII: Possum Gully Left Behind. Hurrah! Hurrah!

  Sybylla's longing for books, music, and beauty at Caddagat reveals her intellectual and emotional starvation, fueling her discontent with her former life.

• XI: Yah!

  Sybylla's desire for a brilliant career clashes with societal expectations, fueling her discontent and rebellious spirit.

• XVI: When Fortune Smiles

  Sybylla enjoys the luxuries of Five-Bob but remains aware of her own lack of fortune, hinting at underlying dissatisfaction despite the merriment.

• XIX: The 9th of November 1896

  Sybylla feels discontented and jealous when Harold pays attention to the beautiful Miss Derrick, reflecting her own insecurities about her appearance and social standing.

• Sweet Seventeen

  Sybylla's enjoyment of her birthday and her interactions with drovers and guests reflect her desire for freedom and a life beyond domestic constraints, hinting at her discontent with societal expectations.

• XXIII: “Ah, for One Hour of Burning Love, ’Tis Worth an Age of Cold Respect!”

  Sybylla's dissatisfaction with conventional romance and her desire for genuine emotion drive her to provoke Harold, reflecting her broader discontent with societal constraints.

• XXV: Because?

  Sybylla feels torn between her desire for independence and her promise to Harold, reflecting her inner discontent with conventional expectations.

• XXVI: Boast Not Thyself of Tomorrow

  Sybylla dreams of a musical career in Sydney and chafes against being sent to M'Swat's, reflecting her restless ambition.

• XXIX: To Life (Continued)

  Sybylla's desperate longing for escape and her vivid memories of Caddagat highlight her discontent with her current situation and her yearning for a more fulfilling life.

• XXX: Where Ignorance Is Bliss, ’Tis Folly to Be Wise

  Sybylla's longing for music, culture, and a better life contrasts with the M'Swats' ignorance and contentment, emphasizing her deep dissatisfaction and thwarted aspirations.

• Mr. M’Swat and I Have a Bust-Up

  Sybylla's desperate longing for change and action, and her regret at refusing Harold's proposal, underscore her deep discontent with her current circumstances.

• Ta-Ta to Barney’s Gap

  Sybylla’s desperate desire to escape Barney’s Gap and her inability to bear the oppressive routine highlight her discontent and thwarted ambitions.

• Back at Possum Gully

  Sybylla's inner turmoil: her longing for a nobler life clashes with the peasant existence she is forced to endure.

• XXXIV: But Absent Friends Are Soon Forgot

  Sybylla feels relief at Harold's fortune freeing her from obligation, yet experiences loss and discontent with her own life's emptiness.

• XXXV: The 3rd of December 1898

  Sybylla's internal monologue about the drudgery of her life and her 'ideas above one’s position' underscores her restless ambition and dissatisfaction.

• XXXVI: Once Upon a Time, When the Days Were Long and Hot

  Sybylla reveals her ambition to be an authoress, which Harold accepts, but she remains discontented and unable to commit to a conventional marriage.

• XXXVII: He That Despiseth Little Things, Shall Fall Little by Little

  Sybylla rails against her 'barren and monotonous' existence, longing for the ocean, music, and the human stream, personifying her desire as a 'cruel fiend—Ambition! Desire!'

• I

  Sybylla's yearning for a life beyond domestic drudgery and her frustration with her circumstances.

• Chapter II

  Harold's sudden urge to travel the world and his disregard for his property suggest a restless discontent and a search for something beyond his current life.

• A Tale That Is Told and a Day That Is Done

  Sybylla questions the value of ambition and feels a 'slow dead ache' of defeat, contrasting her earlier dreams with her current weary resignation.