Analysis

An analysis of Katharine Susannah Prichard’s short story “N’goola” tells us that the story follows a traditional plot structure with non-linear elements, including several flashbacks. The story focuses on Mary, a half-Aboriginal woman who meets an old Aboriginal man and realizes that she is N’goola, the lost daughter the man is searching for. 

The characters include Mary, whose birth name is N’goola, and Gwelnit, Mary’s step-father. The narrative focuses mainly on Mary’s internal conflict as she struggles with the realization that she is N’goola.

The main events take place in Australia, in an Aboriginal settlement. Several other locations are mentioned, particularly in Gwelnit’s story about N’goola. The social setting explores aspects related to the life of Aboriginals, such as the forced removal of half-Aboriginal children from their families, sexual abuse, and family relationships. 

The events are described by a limited third-person narrator, who generally has access to Mary’s and Gwelnit’s perspectives. The narrator is explicit both about the main events and about Mary’s struggle with her identity. 

The language used by the narrator is descriptive. The story is told mainly through narration, while the few lines of dialogue help readers understand more about the characters and their circumstances. 

You can read the full analysis in the following pages. 

Short story analysis

I denne vejledning får du Studienets hjælp til at analysere noveller (short stories) i engelsk.