This is an analysis of the story Journey, by Patricia Grace, which may help you understand it better. The first time I read it, I found it very difficult to grasp the whole meaning of the plot, so these questions were very useful. I hope you find them handy too!
What is the purpose of the elderly man’s journey?
The purpose of the man’s journey is to negotiate with the businessman who owns some land that has been his by birth. He wants to build houses there where his nephews and nieces can live once he is gone. Even though he doesn’t fully agree with the industrialization and development of the area, he understands why it is necessary. The only thing he asks is for his land to be used to build houses for his family.
To what extent do the officials listen to the elderly man?
The officials don’t really listen to him, their only objective is to get him off his back so that they can continue the project without interference. The businessman doesn’t take the time to consider or even understand what the man is telling him. He argues that “[he] can’t always have exactly what [he] want[s]”, giving little importance to the elderly man’s concerns. He doesn’t even make an effort to learn why that land is so important to him and tries to convince the man by telling him that they “would all receive equivalent sites”. This shows how little concerned he was by the Maori customs and traditions.
Why do the authorities think there isn’t any benefit to the family living close together?
The authorities believe there is no benefit to the family living close together because it is something that they aren’t used to doing. It is not common in their culture, so they are convinced it cannot really affect the old man and his family. Besides, the value of their land would immediately go down once it is subdivided. Being businessmen themselves, they consider this to be much more relevant than a simple family tradition.
‘And anyway Sir there’s no advantage do you think in you people all living in the same area.’
The businessman. The Journey by Patricia Grace.
Why does the old man want to be cremated instead of buried?
He wants to be cremated rather than buried because he knows the land is not safe. He suspects that the businessmen may use it to build new infrastructure without hesitation since they don’t value it in the same was as the Maori. By being buried, he runs the risk of someone digging up his bones and transferring them to another place, something he cannot bear to picture.
How do the opening two paragraphs and the closing passage from ‘They were quiet wondering if he would say anything else,…’ reflect the Uncle’s changing mood?
In the first paragraphs, the Uncle seems to be confident and in a good mood. He appreciates going on a journey by himself without his family interfering. During the trip, he enjoys “the old taxi smells”, there is a “good wind” blowing, and he has a “warm coat”. He is feeling optimist and is not afraid of the discussion he is about to have.
However, in the last paragraph, he feels disappointed and resentful. He shouts at his family, not because he is angry with them, but because he feels powerless and defeated. There was nothing he could do to save the land that has always belonged to them. Because he feels so frustrated, “he turned into his bedroom and shut the door”.
Why do you think the story concludes with Uncle ‘looking at the palm of his hands’?
The story concludes with the uncle looking at the palms of his hands because, in this way, Patricia Grace is able to show the readers how powerless and frustrated he feels. The only land he has control over was his garden, which he tends affectionately.
Comment closely on the ending of the story.
At the end of the story, the Uncle returns home defeated and in a sour mood. His family tries to have a conversation with him about trivial matters such as the weather and the schedule of the train. They expect him to say something about the land, but after some time when he doesn’t mention anything, they know they have lost it. This creates an atmosphere of uneasiness and resentment.
After a while, when the elderly man starts shouting at them about being cremated and not buried, they don’t try to stop him even if he is hurting them. They understand that he is not really angry at them, he is mad about the situation because he could not do anything to stop the businessmen. Even though this affects the whole family, his nieces and nephews don’t blame him because they know he has done as much as he could. However, this doesn’t stop them from feeling defeated and miserable.
How does the man view the land and the way in which the Pakeha have developed it?
The elderly man views the land as a place where a family had “its ties”. Because of this, there was no “equal land”, it was irreplaceable. The Pakeha didn’t care about this. They saw the land as a resource which had to be profited from, so they “had to chop up everything” and “slice the hills away with big machines”. They had no respect whatsoever for the land that belonged to the Maoris from before birth.
What kind of person is the elderly man?
The elderly man is a very interesting character. He is a resilient person who wants the best for his family. This is shown when he tries to convince the businessman, even though he has little chance of succeeding.
He is also an independent person because he doesn’t like anyone “doing his talking for him” or “walk[ing] slow so they could keep up with him”. This shows he is also a bit proud since he believes he can do everything on his own. When he is defeated by the businessman, his pride is so hurt he kicks his desk and has to be taken out of the room.
However, throughout the story, we learn that he is understanding as well. He worries about getting to know the ways of the pakeha, and acknowledges that “people had to have houses”, and “men had to eat”. He tries to understand the reasons why these people did all those things to the land.
I hope this analysis of the short story journey was useful! Here you can read others I wrote. You can also find an analysis of the themes of the story in The Sitting Bee.
