Kangaroo: Analysis of Major Characters
"Kangaroo: Analysis of Major Characters" delves into the dynamics of personal and political relationships set against the backdrop of post-World War I Australia. At the center of the narrative is Richard Lovat Somers, a British essayist and poet who, along with his German wife Harriet, seeks a new life after facing persecution in England. Richard's interactions with local Australians, particularly his neighbors Jack and Victoria Callcott, introduce him to a fringe political movement led by the enigmatic figure Benjamin Cooley, known as Kangaroo. Cooley's aspirations for a national brotherhood clash with Richard's reluctance to fully commit to the movement, highlighting a tension between personal beliefs and political ideologies.
The character of Harriet emerges as a formidable presence, skeptical of Kangaroo's intentions and serving as a counterbalance to Richard's intellectual curiosity. Various other characters, such as the socialist leader Willie Struthers and the discerning Cornishman William James Trewhella, further enrich the narrative by offering contrasting views on politics and community. This exploration of complex relationships and ideological struggles allows readers to engage with themes of loyalty, power, and the search for identity in a tumultuous era. Overall, "Kangaroo" presents a nuanced examination of how personal convictions intersect with broader social movements.
Kangaroo: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: D. H. Lawrence
First published: 1923
Genre: Novel
Locale: Sydney, Australia, and environs
Plot: Psychological realism
Time: 1915–1922
Richard Lovat Somers, a small, bearded, extremely independent British essayist and poet who has left England after having been detained there during World War I. He was harassed for his political opinions and under suspicion because of his German wife. He visits Australia with his wife, Harriet, looking for a place to settle. Through his neighbor, Jack Callcott, Richard becomes involved in a fringe political movement led by an eccentric Fascist whose code name in the secret society is Kangaroo. Aloof and distant at first and very European, Richard considers himself to be intellectually superior to the Australians whom he encounters, but he becomes friends with the Callcotts and their cousin, the taciturn Cornishman William James Trewhella, who then introduce him to Kangaroo and his national movement. Richard (auto-biographically based on and drawn from a trip to Australia that the author made in 1922) is interested in Kangaroo's passion for a national brotherhood, but when asked to serve as the movement's propagandist, Richard refuses to pledge his total allegiance. As the central character, Richard observes and mediates the action.
Harriet Somers, Richard's German wife (based on Frieda Lawrence), more outgoing than her husband. She is described as fierce, handsome, and well-bred. Harriet is the first to make contact with the Callcotts, their next-door neighbors in the suburbs of Sydney. She is skeptical of Kangaroo and becomes a major obstacle in his attempt to win her husband over to the cause.
Benjamin Cooley, called Kangaroo because he resembles one, the forty-year-old leader of the so-called Kangaroo clubs. He aspires to become prime minister of Australia and ultimately an absolute dictator. Cooley wants to base his national movement on the notion of a “new aristocracy” and is interested in the articles that Richard has written on democracy. He wants Richard to join his cause and serve as his political theoretician. Richard interprets his movement as one based on a “benevolent tyranny.” Cooley sees the tyrant as a patriarch who inspires religious loyalty among his followers. When Cooley leads his paramilitary “Diggers” to disrupt a Labour meeting in Sydney, the violence that erupts, leaving Cooley mortally wounded, demonstrates that his motives certainly were not benevolent.
Willie Struthers, the Australian-born leader of the Socialists and Labour movement, centered in Canberra House, Sydney. He debates with Richard the socialistic and communal ideal and believes in revolution. He appeals to Richard's working-class sympathies and argues for solidarity among people. Like Cooley, Struthers attempts to recruit Richard to his cause, but Richard distrusts him.
Jack Callcott, the Somerses' neighbor, a mechanic by trade and an emblem of manly virtue. Callcott befriends Richard through their shared passion for chess. After introducing Richard to Kangaroo and the movement, Jack later suspects Richard of being a turncoat.
Victoria Callcott, Jack's wife, an attractive, friendly young woman, generous and hospitable. She invites the Somerses to visit Mullumbimby with them. She is fascinated by Harriet's worldliness and Richard's sophistication.
William James “Jaz” Trewhella, a short, stocky Cornishman who is related to the Callcotts and has settled in Australia. He possesses a quiet, discerning intelligence, and Richard befriends him as an equal. He is secretary for the coal and timber merchants union. He demonstrates more political sense than Cooley and is more individualistic than Jack Callcott.
James Sharpe, a young man from Edinburgh and “half an artist, not more,” interested in music. He visits Richard in Cornwall in 1916 and takes a house on the Cornish coast. He avoids military service and, like Richard, is closely watched by the police.
John Thomas Buryan, a young Cornish farmer befriended by Richard in 1915 and 1916, before Richard is at liberty to leave England. Richard helps John Thomas with the farm work. John Thomas is the English equivalent of Jack Callcott.