Distinctively Visual -Henry Lawson

Henry Lawson's prescribed stories are a popular choice for this Module Elective because they are so accessible. Problems exist however if they are not examined with sufficient focus on his distinctively visual use of language. Most students can readily identify his techniques and particular aspects of his prose style but they often do not build their thesis around how he visually prompts reader interpretation and response. Each story is built around a central experience be it a snake threat, bush courtship, a burning cartridge or a train trip.
This becomes the fulcrum for the author's exploration of character, place and situation. While similarities and contrasts exist across the four stories, Lawson's mastery of the 'show not tell' narrative rule is always evident. He sketches individuals, relationships and place, adding details through inference, commentary and dialogue in the same way that an artist adds brushstrokes. His incisive focus pinpoints traits and elements that prompt his readers to imagine who and what is being depicted.
He wrote about what he experienced first-hand and therefore there is strong feeling of authenticity of what we are shown. One of the other benefits of using Lawson is that studying his short stories can help prepare students for their Section II AOS response. By evaluating how Lawson uses language in a distinctively visual, cameramen like way, they can adopt some of his strategies in their own creative writing. He explores human experience and so this 'voice of the bush' also remains relevant to contemporary readers even though the world he conveys has long since disappeared.