“O Caledonia” Symbolism

“O Caledonia! stern and wild,

Meet nurse for a poetic child!”

By Kirsty, Olivia, Amanda, Rachel and Joanne

Birds

• Symbolism of birds runs through the whole novel

• Prologue: we first learn about the white cockatoo “Where a white cockatoo, his breast transfixed by an arrow, is swooning in death”(p1)which is significant in itself as the white represents innocence which is being destroyed

BirdsJackdaw

• Janet’s jackdaw, a black bird named Claws “she loved him more than she had loved anything, anything or anyone” (p134) . Claws is the opposite of the family crest and since she loves him more than anything it symbolises how she feels no love for her family

• When Janet dies Claws commits suicide “At last, in desolation….killed himself” (p2)

• Claws is black which symbolises death and since Claws comes into Janet's life near the end of the book it symbolises her impending death “So it was that the creature who loved her most brought about her destruction” (p147)

BirdsParrots

• Other mentions of birds are to do with her Grandpa who “came from a long line of parrot-keeping men” the first parrot being a white cockatoo

• Her reading obsession could be linked to receiving a china parrot for learning to read, maybe she feels that reading links her to her grandpa

Purple

• This is Janet's favourite colour. Purple symbolises royalty and is associated with both nobility and spirituality. It has a special place in nature with many flowers being purple. Too much purple can result in moodiness.

• Janet first came across purple as a baby in her cot. “ She loved purple with an intensity that remained always” (p5)

• Janet chose to wear a purple dress to the hunt ball, her official “coming out” ball. “ for she felt like the queen of the night in her purple dress” (p138)

Ice crystal“A splinter, a tiny shard of ice crystal, had entered her heart

and lodged there.” (p10)

• This occurs after Janet tries to bury her baby sister Rhona.

• This symbolises how hard her heart had become after her childhood spent unloved by her parents and the only people who did love her had passed away. (Ningning)