Away: A Commentary on 1960s Australia Calista Ngu 12th Grade

Oftentimes, the best representation of a nation can be found within literature. Such is through for Michael Gow’s 1986 play Away, which offers a distinct depiction of Australian society in 1968, a time when crises such as the Great Depression and World War II were decades in the past but still fresh in mind. Through Gow’s expert characterisation of Gwen and Roy, this didactic text reveals the preoccupation with social status, materialism and ignorance of mental illness that define this period of Australian culture.

Gow is able to make a strong comment on the excessive concern with social status possessed by Australian citizens of this time. This ideology is exemplified by the characters of Gwen and Ron, who represent the typical attitudes of Australian society, as seen when Gwen mentions she “got a new caravan. Everything in it you could want.” Here, the bragging within Gwen’s dialogue and the symbolism of the expensive vehicle is used to demonstrate that her family holiday revolves around status and is an opportunity to display their social position, rather than to bond with loved ones. It is through these devices that Gow is able to illustrate the intense value placed on societal standing by Australian society, an idea that...