Themes from The Long Walk
“Isa’s father is working on the construction of the Great Ocean Road and has not been in contact with his family for some time. Isa’s mother works hard as a cleaner, struggling with ill health and providing for her four children. Even though only 12 years old, Isa is already an accomplished seamstress and takes in mending and sewing work to help support her family. Her 10-year-old brother Johnno has a paper run and collects and sells bottles and 5-year-old Rosie is in charge of collecting eggs from their chickens to sell at the local store. The whole family, but particularly Isa, take care of 3-year-old Billy. The Wyatts are a close family, obviously bound together by great affection for each other and also by their struggles to provide enough food and adequate shelter. Isa is close to her father and misses his presence at home. She is very aware of appearances and the difference between the classes as her family endures the deprivations of the time. The family struggles along until Isa’s mother becomes ill and must be hospitalised. She is discovered to have tuberculosis and must be sent to a hospital facility in the Blue Mountains for six months to aid her recovery. The authorities wish to separate the children and send them to orphanages, but Isa makes up a story about an Auntie Kate and convinces the child services official to allow her to take her younger siblings to her aunt’s house instead.”
http://australian-literature.suite101.com/article.cfm/review_of_the_long_walk
This gives a summary of the book but what do you think were the most important themes of this story?
The long walk it a book set in the times of the deppression.
Isa has to take on the roll of looking after her family and making sure there is shelter, food and water everyday.
Laura - May 25, 2009 at 4:56 am |
The long walk is a very sad but very true book and as heart breaking as it sounds it is actually what happend.
isabella - May 25, 2009 at 4:58 am |
I think the most important themes for this book were that they had a loving and caring family even though Isa’s dad was working on the Great Ocean road he still loved Isa and her brothers and sisters and even though her mum got sick she made a promise to Isa to keep the family together no matter what.
Catherine - May 25, 2009 at 4:59 am |
The long walk is a very sad book. Isla has to look after her family while her father is working on the Great Ocean Road and her mother is very ill. It is set in the time of the depression. I enjoyed the book because it was very interesting and i was keen to see what Isla would do.
lydia - May 25, 2009 at 5:02 am |
Yes, I agree because you always wanted to keep turning the pages and see what she would have to face next.
Amy - May 27, 2009 at 3:49 am |
Isa’s father is working on the great ocean road but what do you do when your mother falls ill. Isa has a plan to find her father and be happy forever but on the walk to her father Isa and family meet some big problems. And some very caring families.
alice - May 25, 2009 at 5:02 am |
I agree and there definetly were very caring families because if Isa didn’t meet those caring families her and her brothers and sisters would not have survived.
Catherine - May 27, 2009 at 8:47 am |
I think this was one of the best books i have read and it is really exciting and you are always wanting to read on. I also liked it because things that happen are really unexpected.
Amy - May 25, 2009 at 5:05 am |
To me the most important part of the story was the love and affection the family shared.
Caroline - May 25, 2009 at 5:40 am |
I think this book is a wonderful read. The long walk is a book that is set in the times of the depression. Isla is a very brave girl because she has the roll of keeping her family together while her father is working on the Great Ocean Road and her mother is very ill. Despite the obstacles Isla faces she manages to keep her familt together.
Lydia - May 27, 2009 at 3:45 am |
To me the most important part of the book was the way that Isa knew that she had to keep her family together, as she had promised her mum and she was willing to keep that promise, no matter what.
Georgia - May 27, 2009 at 3:46 am |
This is a great readbecause it gives you a feel of what it was like and how little money most people had and the comparison between people who had been in Australia for 100 years and also familys like their Aunty Kate who were Greek, it sends a message of how strong Isa would have to of been to take 4 younger siblings all the way from Colac to Appllo Bay. I really enjoyed the book and it shows how strong Isa’s love for her family was.
Brit - May 27, 2009 at 3:47 am |