Distinctively visual texts affect how we see the world and our relationship with

others.
A distinctively visual text influences our view of the world, an object or a person by
the composer presenting us with new ideas and emotions that let us see it from
another point of view.
Henry Lawson is an Australian writer that has the ability to twist his readers into his
stories so they understand the true feelings and emotions of the characters.
He presents us with the idea that the bush is a negative place to live, but all
Australians have a connection with it.
Both his stories The drovers wife and The loaded dog show this connection with
the land and convey the hard times experienced by the people living on it.
Henry Lawsons short story The drovers wife is about a woman and her four
children that must cope with the dangers and natural elements of the Australian bush.
By Lawson not using a description of the women he makes the story symbolic to all
women in her position through out the bush.
Lawson establishes the bleakness of their environment in the first paragraph when he
presents us with the image of The stunted, rotten apple trees and thealmost
waterless creek. He then reflects this harshness with the characterisation of The
gaunt sun-brown women and her Four ragged, dried-up looking children, This
shapes our understanding of the unique Australian traits of toughness and courage
towards a hostile environment like the bush.
Through the use of flash backs Lawson presents us with the different situations the
women been confronted with and the way she has had to over come them while her
husband has been a way. She fought a bush fireShe fought a floodShe also
foughta made bullock and now a snake. This reinforces the harshness of the bush
and the ability of the women to protect her family. She was a determined looking
women.
Lawson also uses the dog Alligator a Big, black, yellow eyed dog of all breeds as
another protector of the family. The woman relies on the dog to protect her children
when she is not around and drive of any intruders that may arise. Only last week a
swagman threw his swag down on the veranda, and demanded tucker. She gave him
some thing to eat loosened the dog and confronted him. He looked at the dog then
her and left
Another short story written by Henry Lawson that displays this connection with the
land is The loaded dog". It tells a story of three men that are working on a gold field
and leave a explosive lying around. This explosive is then picked up by their dog,
who chases them with it lit in its mouth.
Unlike The drovers wife Lawson ability to balance the harshness of the bush with
the larrikin characters, allows him to make the story entertaining but also lifethreatening.

The visual image of the men following each other being chased by the dog with an
explosive in its mouth is an example of this humour Lawson uses through out the
story to conceal the bush during the story.
Lawson uses the almost dried up creek as an example of the ruthlessness the bush has
on its occupants. The men usually use the fish as their main source of food but
because it has turned into a chain of muddy waterholes six to seven feet deep.
They are fearing they will starve, so the come up with a plan to catch the fish using an
explosive.
A dog is also present in The loaded dog but it does not have a protector role like the
one in The drovers wife rather Lawson mainly conveys Tommy a big, black
retriever dog as their four legged mate. This mate ship is the only thing that is
positive in the story, although Lawson uses him as the main cause of all the trouble
and excitement.

Henry Lawson short stories are both visual texts that have contributed to the
Australian myth and have become a voice for the individuals of the 1890s. His stories
still have a meaning of heritage and belonging for todays society.

Bryce Attwood