There is much more to being a part of the Australian culture than vegemite, barbeques and celebrating Australia day. Australians can show racial Prejudice towards others but multiculturalism and the Indigenous culture are both fundamental parts that complete the true Australian Identity. As the school librarian, I will be exploring the multiculturalism and Indigenous culture in the novel Jasper Jones written by Craig Silvey, along with reinforcing the importance of different racial backgrounds and challenging the cultural assumptions, with supporting evidence from the novel Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington. The ideologies regarding multiculturalism in Australia are expressed through this semester’s text. The notion of multiculturalism and the Indigenous Culture are explored in the novel Jasper Jones, which is set in 1965. This time period was during the Vietnam War and marked the end of the White Australia Policy. This meant that the acceptance of different cultures was a notion that had never been brought into focus in Australia. Racial prejudice is shown to Jeffrey as his family migrated from Vietnam because of the war. This is shown when Charlie says: ‘Jeffrey’s parents are Vietnamese, so he’s ruthlessly bullied and belted about by the boys at school. He…show more content… The importance of multiculturalism is reinforced when Jeffrey wins the cricket game for Corrigan. The team who originally showed prejudice towards Jeffrey praises him after he won. The multicultural side of Australia is reinforced as the novel says: ‘Corrigan erupts. Jeffrey Lu is a hero’ (Chapter 6, Page 242). The aspects of multiculturalism are being reinforced as the bullies were looking past Jeffrey’s race and culture. The novel reinforces and challenges Australians views on the acceptance of other
