Robbery Under Arms · Theme
Colonial Australia and the Gold Rush
How Robbery Under Arms develops Colonial Australia and the Gold Rush.
The setting of the gold rush and expanding frontier shapes the narrative, providing opportunities for crime (e.g., gold robbery) and escape, while also symbolizing the lawlessness and rapid change of colonial society.
Where it surfaces
- I
The description of the farm, bush life, and the family's convict origins grounds the story in the colonial Australian experience.
- XXIII
The gold rush dominates the chapter, transforming society and creating opportunities for outlaws.
- XXIV
Detailed depiction of the Turon diggings, the licence system, and the diverse population of miners.
- XXIX
The chapter vividly portrays the multicultural, bustling goldfields society and the opportunities it offered for reinvention and escape.
- XLVI
Vivid depiction of Turon's gold rush society: diggers, speculators, races, and the Mechanics' Institute ball.
- XLIX
The raid on Knightley's house for gold and the references to Turon races and goldfields situate the story in the gold rush era.