Topic > The Role of Foreshadowing in Remembering Babylon

The first chapter of Remembering Babylon contains the introduction of the young boy, Gemmy, and his first encounter with the white settlers of Australia. The exposition foreshadows the characters' actions and potential conflicts, establishing later events in the novel and Gemmy's eventual rejection by society. As Gemmy discovers, violence and conflict are conditions of life - or at least of her life - that prove almost inevitable. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In the exposition of Remembering Babylon, future conflicts are foreshadowed through the characters' initial reactions to Gemmy's entry into their society. Upon Gemmy's entry into society, Lachlan's first reaction is, "A black man! That was the boys' first thought. We are being raided by black men. After so many false alarms he has come" (2). This initial reaction characterizes the conventional social view of Aboriginal people in the eyes of white settlers. Revealing that the setters viewed the attack as inevitable characterizes a negative, distrustful, and violent relationship at the beginning of the text. Establishing the context for the subsequent conflict between the cultures and Gemmy's eventual rejection from society, which Gemmy then leaves to return to the Aboriginals. The way people view Gemmy as not fully assimilated into their culture in the subsequent town meeting as they "deal with the black white man" (10) also foreshadows the conflict and rejection of differences in society. The city cannot ignore the fact that the boy grew up in a different culture and therefore sees him as something completely different. This foreshadows Gemmy's later return to "black" society as he cannot return to white society and is openly rejected. All the conflict foreshadowed in the exposition, the hostility between the whites and the natives in Australia ultimately leads to the story's conclusion, in which Gemmy is massacred along with some Aborigines in "an affair too slight to be called a massacre" (189 ). The violence common in society, established in the exposition, foreshadows the inevitable violence and death of the Aboriginal characters and, by extension, Gemmy. The exposition also establishes Gemmy's character and role in society, with the introduction alluding to how he sees himself in society. and how it will be treated. Gemmy's first words are "Don't shoot. I'm a Bb-British thing!" (3) as he runs towards the McIvor house. While this can be seen as simply a matter of Gemmy's limited vocabulary having been separated from society for so long, it also establishes her eventual role within white society. He is treated as a bargaining chip by white people, with little regard to his opinion and status as a human being. He also sees himself as an object to be used as he continually tries to please everyone in the hope of gaining recognition of his worth and humanity. In the exposition, Gemmy is also described as having a look as if he were wondering "how he got there or where he was" (8). This establishes Gemmy's confusion with the new society and her attempts to assimilate despite her confusion, a situation that can only result in failure as the novel progresses. Gemmy's initial reaction to society in the exposition establishes him as a confused, eager-to-please boy. , rejected and ostracized by white society. The exposition also establishes that the cards are objects that have great meaning to Gemmy as she thinks they took her magic, creating subsequent events. The first thing the citizens make him do is write an account of who.