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Symbolism Of Birds

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Through the use of symbolism, Malouf explores the different character’s journeys of life. The birds, “…water birds… lorikeets, rosellas and the different families of pigeons,” symbolically shadow Jim and Ashley’s journey’s to war. When Ashley and Jim are interrogated towards their enlistment into the first World War, “well if I was a man I would want to be in it,” they conformingly register, “waving scraps of paper around.” Throughout wars deaths, Malouf uses the birds as a positive symbolism of life. Optimistically highlighting life’s continuity, the birds being creatures “of life and the air,” are used symbolise life’s reoccurring cycle. On the contrary, Malouf uses the rats to highlight the brutalities of war the character’s experience. …show more content…

The author illustrates the unwanted species as being “the familiars of death [and] creatures of the underworld.” Contrastingly to the birds, the rats symbolise the demise and ending of life. The migration of the birds is also revealed as symbolic, for they shadow Jim and Ashley’s journey to the battlefield. Echoing the men’s journey across the globe to war, the birds likewise migrate, “[from where they came from [to] live in the other part of the year.” However, because the birds are all returning, the contrast is made apparent as the soldiers may never return home. The migration of birds displays a symbolic link to the soldiers. For the characters, their journey’s of life are figuratively followed through the use of birds and

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