The Union Buries Its Dead Literary Elements

Short story; "bush yarn"

Bourke, New South Wales, Australia; late 19th century

The narrator is unnamed but most likely a bushman like the other characters. He speaks in the first person.

The narrator's tone is observant and wry, with a touch of sardonic humor. The mood of the story is at times somber and reflective, at times darkly comic.

Protagonist: narrator | Antagonist: none

Although there is no obvious conflict in the story, the backdrop of the story is the bushmen's struggle against the Australian landscape. This landscape lurks threateningly behind the actions of the characters: the death of the horseman is caused by drowning in a wide, inhospitable river, for example, and the heat of the day of the funeral beats down menacingly on the procession.

As a very brief short story, there is no obvious climax. The pinnacle of Lawson's sardonic narration, however—more a punch line than a climax—comes when the narrator realizes the dead man's name wasn't Jim: they got it wrong on the coffin.

In the opening scene of the story, the men come across a young man bringing horses across the billabong. Jovial quips are made about the water, deep enough to drown in, foreshadowing the death by drowning of the young man soon after.

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The narrator alludes to an English poet, Lord Byron, by labeling his friend's comments, "Bryonic verses." This is meant to signify that the verses were overly melodramatic, like Lord Bryon's writing.

The narrator describes the heat and sun's rays, bringing the dusty Australian town to life.
He also paints a vivid picture of the events of the funeral, describing the dusty coffin, the pretenses of the publican, and the lack of sentimentality present.

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The sun's rays are personified by the narrator, who says that they "rushed" in across the town at midday.