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Sharon Marchingo's Reviews > The Harp in the South
The Harp in the South
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Harp in the South
By Ruth Park
The Harp in the South is a classic Australian novel that was the latest discussion book for the Crusoe Community Book Club. It was also nominated by The Tuesday Book Club on the ABC as one of the top 10 Australian reads of all time. The setting of the novel is Surry Hills in Sydney just after World War 2 (although this is never quite stated). The Darcy family are close knit but live a life of poverty amidst the brothels, grog shops and run down housing of the area. Money is tight and what little there is, Hughie spends at the local hotel to help him forget his life of misery through the lens of a bottle.
Yet amidst this life of deprivation there is real love in this family consisting of Hughie and Mumma and their two children Roie and Dolour. In addition to the immediate family there are borders, boyfriends, local shop owners and Grandma who comes to stay. The characters are beautifully and respectfully drawn who each has their own obstacles to deal with.
The family are of Irish heritage hence the title ‘Harp’ which is a symbol for all things Irish (according to the findings of Natalie who ran the book club discussion). At this time many Irish and recent immigrants lived in Surry Hills as this was the only area that they could afford. The family suffers much grief including the abduction of their son Thady, who is never found; joblessness, the beatings dished out by the border Miss Sheily to her only son and his subsequent death; Roie’s unfortunate pregnancy and miscarriage; her assault and the death of Grandma. Ruth Park captures the sorrow of these events with great empathy and the reader marvels at the ability of the family to stoically move on regardless of their depressing circumstances.
I was reminded very much of Angela’s Ashes and The Grapes of Wrath, written by John Steinbeck. It deals with a period of history when life was less complex yet tougher, with no government support for struggling families. Yet through all these travails there is always hope that there will be a better life and that love will find a way. The ending of the novel was particularly powerful when Hughie asks his wife what she was thinking about and she turned to him and said, ‘I was thinking of how lucky we are.’ In a time when we have so much materially it is important to remember that it is the simple things in life that give the most pleasure.
By Ruth Park
The Harp in the South is a classic Australian novel that was the latest discussion book for the Crusoe Community Book Club. It was also nominated by The Tuesday Book Club on the ABC as one of the top 10 Australian reads of all time. The setting of the novel is Surry Hills in Sydney just after World War 2 (although this is never quite stated). The Darcy family are close knit but live a life of poverty amidst the brothels, grog shops and run down housing of the area. Money is tight and what little there is, Hughie spends at the local hotel to help him forget his life of misery through the lens of a bottle.
Yet amidst this life of deprivation there is real love in this family consisting of Hughie and Mumma and their two children Roie and Dolour. In addition to the immediate family there are borders, boyfriends, local shop owners and Grandma who comes to stay. The characters are beautifully and respectfully drawn who each has their own obstacles to deal with.
The family are of Irish heritage hence the title ‘Harp’ which is a symbol for all things Irish (according to the findings of Natalie who ran the book club discussion). At this time many Irish and recent immigrants lived in Surry Hills as this was the only area that they could afford. The family suffers much grief including the abduction of their son Thady, who is never found; joblessness, the beatings dished out by the border Miss Sheily to her only son and his subsequent death; Roie’s unfortunate pregnancy and miscarriage; her assault and the death of Grandma. Ruth Park captures the sorrow of these events with great empathy and the reader marvels at the ability of the family to stoically move on regardless of their depressing circumstances.
I was reminded very much of Angela’s Ashes and The Grapes of Wrath, written by John Steinbeck. It deals with a period of history when life was less complex yet tougher, with no government support for struggling families. Yet through all these travails there is always hope that there will be a better life and that love will find a way. The ending of the novel was particularly powerful when Hughie asks his wife what she was thinking about and she turned to him and said, ‘I was thinking of how lucky we are.’ In a time when we have so much materially it is important to remember that it is the simple things in life that give the most pleasure.
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Reading Progress
April 13, 2013
– Shelved
Started Reading
May 20, 2013
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Finished Reading
