Ned Kelly: Victim Or Villain?

Many had called Ned Kelly a murderous thug, but what people say doesn’t necessarily mean it’s right. Ned was born in 1854, died at the age of 26 in 1880 and an Irish immigrant. Many have recognised Ned’s infamousness due to his action and his disgraceful family who had said to do many wrongs. Yes, Ned’s action clearly show a villain., but If you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, then you shouldn’t judge a person by his action. Ned’s mother was taken to jail for self-defence, his father died when Ned was 12-year-old further more every now and then police would accuse Ned and his family for horse thief or cattle stealing. These reason can clearly state that Ned’s a victim who played the role of villain.

Ned’s mother was sent to jail because she was PROTECTING her own daughter! Constable Fitzpatrick is a police officer who harmed Kate Kelly (Ned sister). Only due to the fact that Kate Kelly gave Constable

Therefore, Ned had to learn from the ones that taught Ned to become a cattle thief and bush ranger. “As role models he had his uncle and cousin. If they taught anything, it wasn’t how to be an honest law abiding citizen. A dozen of his relative had criminal records.” (Wilkinson, 2002, p. 10). Just like what is expected Ned became a horse and cattle thief, but that didn’t last long. He was sent to prison for receiving a stolen horse that he didn’t know. After two years of hard life in prison, Ned decided to never go there again. Therefore Ned decided to get a job at a timber mill. Ned spent the last three years of hard work at his job, he was a trusted worker and overseer. Even so every time a horse or cattle went missing, the police would always blame it on Ned or his family. Some might’ve been true, but most of them were fake, yet regardless of true or false Ned still had to take the consequence. Nothing will change if he lived his life being harass. For this reason, he became a