On The Edge Of A Plain
Encyclopedia
"On The Edge Of A Plain" is a sketch story
by Australia
n writer Henry Lawson
, featuring his recurring character Jack Mitchell
. The story was originally published in The Bulletin
on 6 May 1893, and was collected in While the Billy Boils in 1896. It is considered among Lawson's best Mitchell stories.
drop their swags, and sit down in the mulga shade on the edge of a plain. Mitchell reflects about the last time he saw his family, after having been away for eight years. While he speaks, he holds a young cattle-pup, and intercuts his tale with the occasional observation about the pup's feet, or a request for a knife. With the tale complete, Mitchell and his mate take up their swags, "[turn] their unshaven faces to the wide, hazy distance, and [leave] the timber behind them."
," a style of short story
of which Lawson was particularly fond. The story itself contains very little plot, and simply describes one particular moment in Mitchell's
life.
, the art of this little story is quickly recognised, but the originality of what Lawson was doing on his own went unremarked when While the Billy Boils was published in 1896."
Sketch story
A sketch story, or sketch, is a piece of writing that is generally shorter than a short story, and contains very little, if any, plot. The term was most popularly-used in the late nineteenth century. As a literary work, it is also often referred to simply as the sketch.-Style:A sketch is mainly...
by Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n writer Henry Lawson
Henry Lawson
Henry Lawson was an Australian writer and poet. Along with his contemporary Banjo Paterson, Lawson is among the best-known Australian poets and fiction writers of the colonial period and is often called Australia's "greatest writer"...
, featuring his recurring character Jack Mitchell
Jack Mitchell (fictional character)
John "Jack" Mitchell, often referred to only as Mitchell, is a recurring fictional character in the short stories and sketches by Australian writer Henry Lawson...
. The story was originally published in The Bulletin
The Bulletin
The Bulletin was an Australian weekly magazine that was published in Sydney from 1880 until January 2008. It was influential in Australian culture and politics from about 1890 until World War I, the period when it was identified with the "Bulletin school" of Australian literature. Its influence...
on 6 May 1893, and was collected in While the Billy Boils in 1896. It is considered among Lawson's best Mitchell stories.
Plot summary
Mitchell and his mateMate (colloquialism)
Mate is a colloquialism used to refer to a friend and is commonly used in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. It is or has been used interchangeably with many equivalent terms, such as buddy , pal or bro . It is sometimes abbreviated to M8..-Origin:Mate is a colloquialism...
drop their swags, and sit down in the mulga shade on the edge of a plain. Mitchell reflects about the last time he saw his family, after having been away for eight years. While he speaks, he holds a young cattle-pup, and intercuts his tale with the occasional observation about the pup's feet, or a request for a knife. With the tale complete, Mitchell and his mate take up their swags, "[turn] their unshaven faces to the wide, hazy distance, and [leave] the timber behind them."
Writing Style
"On The Edge Of A Plain" is an example of the "sketch storySketch story
A sketch story, or sketch, is a piece of writing that is generally shorter than a short story, and contains very little, if any, plot. The term was most popularly-used in the late nineteenth century. As a literary work, it is also often referred to simply as the sketch.-Style:A sketch is mainly...
," a style of short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
of which Lawson was particularly fond. The story itself contains very little plot, and simply describes one particular moment in Mitchell's
Jack Mitchell (fictional character)
John "Jack" Mitchell, often referred to only as Mitchell, is a recurring fictional character in the short stories and sketches by Australian writer Henry Lawson...
life.
Reception
"On The Edge Of The Plain" has been cited as the "perfect" example of an effective sketch story. Critic John Barnes believes that the story was ahead of its time, writing that "to a modern reader of ChekhovAnton Chekhov
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics...
, the art of this little story is quickly recognised, but the originality of what Lawson was doing on his own went unremarked when While the Billy Boils was published in 1896."
Publication Details
- First Published: Bulletin, 6 May 1893.
- Source: While The Billy Boils, Sydney, Angus and Robertson, 1896