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Bush Studies

Barbara Bayntons Bush Studies focuses strongly on “the harsh lives of pioneer women in the Australian bush”.   Bayntons stories present a sense of cruel reality through the alienation, isolation and loneliness of which these women are faced. “The Chosen Vessel” in particular presents a strong sense of terror for the reader through these cruel realistic elements of isolation, loneliness and alienation. These ideas are enhanced further through Bayntons use of interpersonal and descriptive language throughout the text. It’s then important to realize that such realistic ideas require a sense of pattern and structure for the reader to follow in order for the story to have a solid effect. “The Chosen Vessel” succeeds in creating a pattern for these realistic ideas through the literal genre of gothic.
The gothic genre has a series of conventions in which lead to its meaning “for all that is other”.   In relation to “The Chosen Vessel” the gothic genre has two main conventions which support the cruel realistic ideas within the text. The first convention comes from the idea of characters. “A hero or villain usually male seeks to exercise control and power over others, causing them to flee and experience a range of extreme emotions”.   This is seen in “The Chosen Vessel” in two effective ways, physically and psychologically. Both demonstrate the isolation and alienation of women again creating a strong atmosphere of terror. These ideas are supported further through Bayntons use of interpersonal and descriptive language.
It’s first seen early in the story in a physical sense as the reader witnesses a forceful and controlling nature from the husband towards the wife. “It was he who forced her to run and meet the advancing cow, brandishing a stick and uttering threatening words till the enemy turned and ran”(P.132).   This suggests to the reader that the husband treats his wife on the same level of the cow, using physical violence as an attempt the gain control and power in...