Login

Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

March 29, 2024, 12:11:47 pm

Author Topic: English - 'The Lieutenant' conflict of conscience essay...thoughts??  (Read 2811 times)  Share 

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

kayzee

  • Fresh Poster
  • *
  • Posts: 4
  • I have so many questions...
  • Respect: 0
Hello, here is a practice essay I wrote on the Lieutenant.

Would be glad of thoughts...I struggled to express myself concisely and it also turned out quite long.
Any tips on how to keep it short and choose which things to write about or refer to in each para??

Thanks to Lisa's Study Guides for the Topic  :D

Spoiler
“But a man could not travel down two different paths.” How is Rooke’s conflict of conscience explored in The Lieutenant?

Kate Grenville explores the central theme of conflict of conscience throughout her historically based novel, The Lieutenant which she based on 18th Century British astronomer, mathematician and linguist William Dawes (the inspiration for protagonist Daniel Rooke), who came out to colonial Australia with the first fleet during a time of turbulence and conflict for the British Empire. Grenville traces the moral and mental development of Rooke from a young boy(aged 5 at the novel’s beginning), right through to a frail elderly man by the epilogue. The catalyst for his development is the realisation that “a man could not travel down two different paths”; which spurs him to consciously examine himself and recognise the gap between his moral values and his actions. Ultimately, Rooke realises that in order to be at peace with his decisions and arrive at self-acceptance, he must unite the two despite the cost, and resolve his conflict of conscience. Grenville makes several authorial choices and utilises a range of literary devices, such as perspective, contrast and juxtaposition, parallel themes, setting and complex characterisation, to explore conflict of conscience. Rooke’s character transformation steers him to the path he eventually travels down and sets the course for the rest of his life.

The narrative perspective of The Lieutenant provides the reader with direct insight into the thought processes, observations and feelings of Rooke which subsequently reveal the aspects of his character that contribute to his conflict of conscience. Grenville establishes Rooke as a man of “measuring” and “pattern” from the novel’s very beginning when the reader is introduced to his genius as a 5-year-old boy, prone to think mathematically and scientifically about all aspects of his life. This appreciation for order and seeing the world through a series of logical systems helps Rooke to rationalise violence and he attempts to distance himself from it even during the American Civil way. He returns to “his old friends the primes” for a mental distraction during brutal warfare, and “blindly…went through the motions” of performing his duty. This approach to conflict early on foreshadows how he will approach the natives and the violence that is inflicted upon them later in the novel. Whilst Governor Gilbert and his men are struggling in tense and violent relations with the Cadigal people since the very first meeting of the two on the shores of Botany Bay, Rooke is accepting and peaceful in his attitude towards them, and attempts to distance himself from the problems of the rest of the colony. At the beginning of Rooke’s time in Australia, he avoids the duties of his position, and immerses himself in his astronomy and efforts to befriend the natives and learn their language. As conflict arises between the “Berewalgal” (colonials) and the indigenous, Grenville suggests that there is a conflict of interest developing for Rooke who is increasingly needed to perform the duties of a lieutenant, to which he has sworn his loyalty. The use of 3rd person limited perspective is vital to the reader’s understanding of and emotional investment in Rooke as a character, as it reveal’s the duality of his mental conflict. Rooke naively endeavours to maintain peaceful relations with Tagaran and the other native, despite the fact that new conflict is unfolding every day between the Colonists and the Aboriginals. This consequently causes his cognitive dissonance, as he struggles to bridge the gap between his promise to “serve and obey” and doing the right thing by his moral compass. His loyalty is tested when Tagaran brings two other native girls to his hut and explains that one of them has been beaten by another sailor. Grenville uses to point of view to give the reader passage into Rooke’s thoughts; “he could no longer avoid a glum awareness of failure”, and the consequent revelation; “But a man could not travel along two different paths.” Having access to Rooke’s internal conflict through his thoughts is an authorial choice which helps the reader sympathise with Rooke’s dilemma, and understand the fragility of his position in the world of the text. Rooke’s naivete and cognitive dissonance are elements of his character that he struggles to overcome, which accordingly heightens his conflict of conscience.

Grenville underscores the stakes of Rooke’s position by juxtaposing Rooke’s approach to conflict with that of other characters in The Lieutenant (such as Lieutenant Gardener and Talbot Silk), whilst also drawing connections between internal and external conflicts. Lieutenant Silk is presented early on as a man of fluency who has a tendency to “polish” and “embellish” a story until “the telling almost became more real than the thing itself”. He sees conflict as “theatre”, another opportunity for a good story, just waiting to be “exploited”. Lieutenant Gardiner however, follows orders of violence and subsequently creates conflict when he captures the two aboriginal men for the Governor, yet he regrets it afterwards, and is later exiled to another island. His response differs from both Silk and Rooke, acting as a foil for both characters, as neither Silk, nor Rooke, ever follow through on an order of violent interaction with the natives, and Gardiner’s experience acts as a preventative warning for Rooke. A vivid understanding of the punishment for disloyalty is another factor that causes Rooke to hesitate from standing up for what he believes in. Having seen the gruesome hanging of the mutineer in Antigua (and the dispatch of his associates into the “void” “oblivion”),  then the brutal thrashing of a rebellious marine from the colony, Rooke is well aware of the horrific consequences of insubordination.  Rooke struggles to overcome this fear, yet he is plagued by the reality that “to remain with the expedition was to turn his back on the man he had become”. Grenville further contrasts Rooke’s attitude towards the natives with that of others by openly describing his dissent towards the views of other colonials (such as Lieutenants Willstead and Lennox). Lennox advocates for increased violence and brutality as a method of controlling the natives, and similarly, Willstead believes that the Governor should “make a grander display of force”. Grenville uses the stark contrast between these approaches to highlight and critique the error in their approach to the natives and conflict, and conversely, the appropriateness of Rooke’s approach to and acceptance of the foreign people. The themes of internal and external conflicts are inextricably linked throughout The Lieutenant. Events of external conflict cause Rooke to question the “imperial machine” of the British Empire, and the morality of its operations. As a younger boy, Rooke was once excited by the possibility of being part of something larger, “another cog in the grand machine”, working for the good of something much bigger than a single man could achieve alone. However, the empire’s tendency to use violence as a tool for control and readily enter into conflict eventually brings Rooke to the realisation despite being part of something much larger, the actions of the empire were not contributing to the greater good of the world. The cognitive dissonance Rooke feels when confronted with external conflicts, ultimately causes the internal conflicts of conscience that arise.

Towards the end of the novel, Rooke realises that conflict avoidance has devastating implications which ultimately lead to his sub-conscious self-examination and a determination to unite his morals with his actions in order to resolve his conflicts of conscience and prevent further harm to the indigenous population. Grenville explores Rooke’s internal conflicts throughout his struggles by developing the complexities of his character and utilising setting to accentuate his mental struggles and the difficulty of choosing what he values most. Rooke chooses to take a passive stance on multiple occasions, staying quiet and disagreeing silently, rather than speaking up and risking both his rank and his life. For example, when Tagaran insists, Rooke “thought to go halfway”, choosing to teach her how to load the gun, but not how to fire it. Similarly, Rooke agrees to going on the Rose Hill expedition as a navigator, but attempts to distance himself from the rest of the group, and pacify his conscience by assuring himself that is it only “a piece of theatre”. Rooke’s earlier naivete in assuming the possibility of occupying a peaceful middle ground between both the natives and the empire, has detrimental impacts on his relatipnships (especially with the natives), and causes significant emotional and moral conflict for him. He comes to the realisation that “the service of humanity and the service of His Majesty were not congruent”. It is on this expedition that Rooke comes to terms with his position and begins to understand that despite never being part of the conflict, his inability to stand up for what he believes in makes him as guilty as the Governor himself, for the mistreatment of the aboriginal people. After standing up to Silk and insisting “Out with it!”, in response to Silk’s suspicious behaviour around the campfire, Rooke leaves the camp and goes down to the beach in order to contemplate his situation and examine himself. The beach setting emphasises the climatic nature of Rooke’s conflict of conscience, and portrays him as more like the natives – not imposing, but in harmony with the world – and less like the other Berewalgal. Rooke eventually resigns himself to the fact that in a world of injustice under the power of a mechanical empire, non-criminal actions also have the power to incriminate him. “You did not have to take up the hatchet”, “if you were part of that machine, you were part of it’s evil”. The revelation that follows Rooke’s tumultuous night on the beach sees Rooke finally stand up to the Governor when he tells him that he regrets “beyond words [his] part in this business”. By not carrying out orders he feels are morally and ethically wrong, Rooke has essentially defined disloyalty to the King and is punished by exile from the colony. Despite the personal ramifications of Rooke’s choice to follow his moral compass, he has essentially resolved his moral dilemma.
Grenville’s inclusion of the epilogue at the end of the novel serves to reinforce the transformation of character that occurred in Rooke as a young man, and how the choices of his younger self shaped his future and the man he becomes. He feels that he “knew why he had been spared”, and “marvelled at the symmetry” of his return to Antigua where he dedicates his life to righting some of the wrongs of the world. The distinct routine and predictability of his life as an older man in striking in contrast to the instability of his younger self. Through the noble dedication of his life to freeing slaves, Grenville demonstrates that despite being a solitary individual in the whole system of the world, by standing true to his moral values, he has a far reaching impact on those he helps that sends “a steady light out”. The use of flashback to detail his departure from Australia underlines his changed world view as a result of his internal conflicts.
The Lieutenant demonstrates that challenging situations (such as conflict) can be the catalyst for self-development, and cause people like Rooke to examine how well their actions really align with the beliefs they hold. Grenville invites the reader to survey Rooke’s internal conflicts, which she provides insight into through the raw and intimate expression of his inner thoughts and consciousness in the 3rd person limited omniscient perspective.  Moreover, contrasts between Rooke’s world view and approaches to life and that of other characters not only highlights Rooke’s tendency rationalise and distance himself from conflict, but also provides Grenville with a platform to critique past injustices to Aboriginal peoples and shame the violent and patronizing attitudes of the British. Rooke’s eventual resignation to and recognition of the impossibility of travelling “along two different paths” symbolises the transformation of character he has undergone. Grenville’s message about self-development under pressure is one of hope and possibility, relevant even today.

THANKS!
« Last Edit: February 22, 2021, 06:31:24 am by kayzee »
Thanks,

K 😀