Culture in Outback Reconing
Written by R. P. Bonasso
Author Bio
R. P. Bonasso was born in Frankfurt, Germany to an Army Major and his wife. He was appointed to the US Military Academy at West Point, NY because his father delivered flowers to an Senator. After tours in Germany and Vietnam, he graduated school at Stanford University and had several automatic data processing posts in the Army, once he got out, he started taking computer jobs, finally landing at a job for NASA at Johnson Space Center, programming space robots. R.P Bonasso is connected with Australia's culture because he read a bunch of books and did research on Australia. Bonasso learned Australian culture, and pretty much knew how it would be like to live there. He also learned aboriginals symbols and languages.
Language
English is the national language and is taught in all schools. Colloquialisms and idioms make Australian English distinct from English spoken elsewhere. Australia is increasingly becoming a multicultural society, and it is quite common to see immigrants from a vast number of countries, particularly from Asia. As a result, there are many first-generation Australians who are conversant in two languages—Australian English and the tongue of their parents. Aboriginal peoples once had more than 250 languages, but only about 20 are currently being taught to children. There is now an effort to place more emphasis on Aboriginal languages.
Language in outback reckoning
The main character in Outback Reckoning says the phrase "okay wank"( Bonasso 21). This is example of Australian English. We in the U.S.A would not say that phrase. In Australia it means somebody that thinks their cool but their really not.
Values
The commonly held standards of what is acceptable or unacceptable, important or unimportant, right or wrong, workable or unworkable, etc., in a community or society
Example of values in Outback Reckoning
An example of values in The book is "Rachel recognized the kidnapper"(Bonasso 35). This is an example of values because kidnapping is wrong in the Australian Culture. You go to jail and get punished for kidnapping.
Symbols
What are symbols
Symbols are things that mean or represent other things than they really are. For Example The US flag, the US flag represents freedom and everything great about America.
Example of Symbols in Outback Reckoning
" The spirit of Suralu, lives in you Rachel"(Bonasso 42). I think this is a symbol because Suralu is supposed to be the great one, the savior. Hence her being called that after she saves kids. In the book Suralu is also used to represent how great she is.
Norms
What do norms mean
Norms are the normal way of life. For example most Americans go to church. It is pretty much being just like everyone else.
Examples of norms in outback Reckoning
An example of norm in my book is "he took another drab and sat back down" (Bonasso 115). I think this an example because a bunch of people smoke in Africa and it's a norm to smoke a lot of people do it and most people don't judge.