MEMORY, ISOLATION, AND CULTURAL MEMORY IN THE AUSTRALIAN BUSH: A MEMORY STUDIES ANALYSIS OF HENRY LAWSON’S SHORT STORIES

Abstract

Henry Lawson’s short fiction, particularly The Drover’s Wife, The Union Buries its Dead, and The Loaded Dog, captures the psychological isolation of bush life through characters shaped by memory, trauma, and existential struggle. His unembellished depiction of the Australian landscape reflects not only physical hardship but also the emotional and psychological burdens carried by individuals navigating solitude and social alienation. This study examines how memory—both personal and collective—structures the psychological depth of Lawson’s characters and contributes to their sense of isolation.