A Little Bush Maid: Difference between revisions
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The stories present an idealistic view of life on a station (that’s the equivalent of a ranch, for American tropers) in rural Australia in the early twentieth century. Norah is twelve years old when the first book begins, is in her late twenties at the close of the fifteenth, and remains convinced throughout that there is nowhere in the world like her father’s station Billabong, which continues to be her true home, even after she is married. (She moves no further away than next door.)
The series is
The series was also notable for its strong, sensible, competent young heroine, and her close relationship with her father and brother, who never treat her “just like a girl” but rather as a mate with an opinion to be valued. It is also very unfortunately notable for its distinctly racist views of indigenous Australians, and Chinese immigrants. Recent editions have altered offensive content or removed it entirely.
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* [[Abusive Parents]]: In ''Back to Billabong'' Tommy's step-mother is emotionally and financially abusive towards Tommy, while her father is indifferent. In ''Billabong Riders'' Rob Flynn's guardian, Sid Flynn, is physically abusive.
* Aesop: Averted for most part. This is lampshaded in ''Bill of Billabong'' when a surly-tempered Bill is given a book to read about a very good little child, which he throws out of the window of the train he is
* [[Anger Born of Worry]]: Used a few times, such as when Wally sees Norah riding in the stampede in ''Billabong Riders'', and when Jim confronts Tommy about selling her car in ''Billabong's Luck''.
* [[Beta Couple]]: Arguably Jim and Tommy, although the relationship did take
* [[Break the Cutie]]: Tommy's two years in her father's home prior to finding the courage to walk out and go to Australia. The more time that passes after going to Australia, [[Character Development|the more assertive and self-assured Tommy becomes.]]
* [[Broken Bird]]: Kate Benton in ''Son of Billabong''.
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* [[Dreaming of Things to Come]]: Wally's dream of his brother Edward in ''Billabong's Daughter'', and Norah's dreams in ''Norah of Billabong'' and ''Bill of Billabong''.
* [[Driven by Envy]]: Cecil Linton in ''Mates at Billabong''.
* [[Embarrassing First Name]]: Bill's first name is Percival, which he hates. Similarly, Cecilia Rainham goes by her
* [[Everybody Smokes]]
* [[Fair for Its Day]]: Even though some of the views towards women are out-dated nowadays, at the time Norah was considered notable for being a competent worker on the station, as well as an accepted part of her brother's social circle.
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* [[One of the Boys]]: Within the context of the time period Norah fits into this trope, particularly in ''A Little Bush Maid'' and ''Mates at Billabong''.
* [[One Steve Limit]]: Averted. Jim Linton and Jim the Hermit. David Linton, Dave Boone, and Davie Meadows. Bob Rainham and Rob Flynn. Bill Blake and Billy. This last is commented on by Dick Yorke in ''Billabong's Gold''.
* [[Parental Abandonment]]: Bill Blake's parents spend more time
** Wally's parents both died when he was very young, and his older brothers (not to mention other relatives) seem to have little desire to parent him. Although his family all live in Queensland, he's sent to Melbourne to school and his relatives don't seem to care much that he spends all of his holidays with his friend Jim Linton.
** Tommy and Bob's mother died when Tommy was born, and their father was only too glad to surrender the responsibility of their care to an aunt.
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* [[Tomboyish Name]]: Cecilia Rainham is known by her nickname "Tommy" but this trope is subverted here as Tommy is actually a very feminine character.
* Utopia: Billabong
* [[Values Dissonance]]: By today's standards, the books are considered racist, classist, and sexist. When the books were
** The books upheld the common view of the time that Anglo-Australians were racially superior to Aboriginal Australians (and other races and cultures). This was particularly evident in the earlier books, but began to be increasingly subverted in later novels. Lee Wing, the Linton’s Chinese gardener, is shown increasing respect, demonstrated particularly in ''Billabong Riders'' where Rob Flynn, who is initially distrustful of Lee Wing because of his race, comes to enjoy his company and listen to his advice. The writer’s treatment of indigenous characters also becomes kinder by the fifteenth book, although the views expressed would still be considered far from acceptable by today’s standards.
** In ''Billabong Riders'' Jim doesn't want to take Norah and Tommy droving because they are women.
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