Creation of a Sense of Place in 12 Edmondstone Street

Creation of a Sense of Place in 12 Edmondstone Street

Malouf is very skilled in creating a sense of place in 12 Edmondstone Street. This essay examines the different techniques he uses in describing 12 Edmondstone Street and Tuscany.

The section set in Brisbane is seen through the eyes of a young boy, giving the reader a very clear impression of his views about and feelings towards the house. Malouf has conveyed this by basing 12 Edmondstone Street on the idea of

coming back into ordinary daily life and living out what it is that you’ve

seen in that moment of epiphany

Malouf does this through the boy’s views, thoughts and feelings by conveying them through images and detailed recollections of rooms and the atmosphere of these rooms.

The Fernery scares me. Being taken out of the house each night and

set to sleep beside it is like being put down at the edge of a rainforest.

Through this, Malouf has been able to convey the fear which convey the boy’s fear of the Fernery. This makes the reader also feel the same sense of being put at the edge of a rainforest promoting a frightened feeling and a sense of sharing the same feelings with the boy

However, the setting is not always described from the perspective of the young boy. Malouf also describes it from the perspective of an adult.

Each house has its own topography, its own lore; negotiable borders...the

salient features.

By making the house have a topography and changing the perspective of the description, Malouf has created a sense of mystery and adventure in discovering the rooms for the first time from a child’s point of view. This sense is conveyed through describing the boy’s detailed observations and feelings when e...

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...e. Ugo is shown to be a strong character who seems to be happy to be his ‘own man’. The strength of Agatina’s character is conveyed through words such as ‘rules’ which imply power. This insight is needed for the reader to understand both the characters and the way of life to which they belong, therefore giving the reader the sense of belonging to the lives of Agatina and Ugo.

When presenting ‘A Place in Tuscany’ the perspective changes to that of a young man. Compared to the house in Brisbane, more use is made of the conversation and there is a more sophisticated and advanced vocabulary and knowledge of the area. This gives the reader a more adult insight into the area.

Malouf is a very ‘powerful writer’. By using a variety of techniques, Malouf has been able to show the reader his skill in evoking a sense of place and in creating memorable settings.