Walter Character Analysis in Crow Country

An Aboriginal teenager who moves to Boort to live with his uncle David after he falls into trouble in Mildura, the town where he was living before. Walter is very interested in and knowledgeable about his Aboriginal heritage, and he is close with his Auntie Lily, an old Aboriginal woman who is well-versed in Aboriginal culture and religion. Like Auntie Lily, he is a descendant of Jimmy Raven. In Boort, Walter is ostracized by his schoolmates, partly because of his Aboriginal identity and partly because of rumors about his criminal past. However, he becomes Sadie Hazzard’s good friend, becoming involved in her quest to discover where Jimmy Raven’s “special things” are hidden, and helping her at crucial moments along the way. He is especially invested in the search because Jimmy is his own ancestor. Walter is independent-minded, wise and unafraid, as evidenced in his act of breaking into Craig Mortlock’s house to search for Jimmy Raven’s things. When that action later result in Lachie Mortlock getting hurt, Walter also demonstrates his integrity by telling the truth about the incident.

Walter Quotes in Crow Country

The Crow Country quotes below are all either spoken by Walter or refer to Walter. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

“Life’s not fair.” Jules wrenched Sadie’s cue from her. “Go on, piss off with your abo boyfriend.”

A ripple of nervous laughter ran around the annex. Sadie heard someone mutter something-lover.

“Like her mother,” murmured someone else.

Related Characters: Walter, Sadie Hazzard

Related Symbols: Boort

Page Number and Citation: 76-77

Explanation and Analysis:

“For our people, the land was created long ago, in the time of the Dreaming, when the ancestral spirits moved across the country. They made the hills and the rivers, the swamps and the waterholes. That’s why our spirit ancestors are so important. They make the land, and the land belongs to them, and they make us, too […] round this country, everything belongs to Bunjil the Eaglehawk, or Waa the Crow.”

Related Characters: Walter (speaker), David, Ellie Hazzard, Sadie Hazzard, The Crows

Related Symbols: The Stone Circle, Boort

Page Number and Citation: 116

Explanation and Analysis:

“You should be pleased! Look at all these people, experiencing a bit of Aboriginal culture!” He waved his arm at the men sprawled against the rocks, their boots resting on the carvings, their cans tossed into the centre of the circle.

Related Characters: Craig Mortlock (speaker), Sadie Hazzard, Lachie Mortlock, Walter

Related Symbols: The Stone Circle

Page Number and Citation: 157

Explanation and Analysis:

“The story goes on, as it always goes on. The Law is broken and there is punishment. The dead cannot live again, but what was taken from the clever man must be returned. When the Law is broken the world is broken. The circle must be joined again.”

Related Characters: The Crows (speaker), Sadie Hazzard, Walter, Jimmy Raven, Craig Mortlock, Lachie Mortlock

Related Symbols: The Stone Circle

Page Number and Citation: 165

Explanation and Analysis:

“We can’t leave him here!” Sadie was weeping. “If we leave him here, he will die!” She tried to lift Lachie’s head. He moaned, his face drained of colour.

The story tells itself again...

The three of them were in the grip of Crow’s story, just as Gerald and Clarry and Jimmy had been. But Crow couldn’t see, Crow couldn’t help them. Sadie was the only one who knew; it was all up to her.

Related Characters: Sadie Hazzard (speaker), Lachie Mortlock, Walter, Gerald Mortlock, Clarry Hazzard, Jimmy Raven

Related Symbols: The Stone Circle, Boort

Page Number and Citation: 199

Explanation and Analysis:

Together they planted [Jimmy Raven’s] marker in the ground at the place the crow had shown them.

“I should have brought some flowers or something,” said Sadie.

“Next time,” Walter said.

“Give us a hand?” Lachie called.

The three of them moved around the tiny graveyard, straightening the fallen crosses, digging them more firmly into the ground.

“That’s better,” said Lachie at last, and wiped his forehead on his sleeve. “Maybe we should build a fence round it or something.”

“We’d help you,” said Sadie.

“Make a real headstone for Jimmy, too,” said Walter.

“Yeah,” said Lachie.

Related Characters: Sadie Hazzard (speaker), Walter (speaker), Lachie Mortlock (speaker), Jimmy Raven, Gerald Mortlock, Clarry Hazzard

Related Symbols: The Stone Circle, Boort

Page Number and Citation: 232-233

Explanation and Analysis:

Walter Character Timeline in Crow Country

The timeline below shows where the character Walter appears in Crow Country. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...where her mother works. As she waits for her, she sees an Aboriginal boy named Walter, who goes to her school. Like her, he is new to the town. There have... (full context)

...ages ago. He is a social worker in the district. Impulsively, Ellie invites him and Walter to the house for dinner. On the way to the supermarket, Ellie discloses to Sadie... (full context)

As Ellie hectically prepares dinner at home, Sadie goes into the backyard. Soon, Walter joins her. She finds out that Walter is David’s nephew, and that Walter’s mother sent... (full context)

...pub. Later that evening, both Sadie and Ellie are surprised when David brings his nephew Walter along. When they all arrive at the pub, there is an uncomfortable silence as the... (full context)

In the pool room, Sadie begins to play pool with Walter. Just as they’re beginning the game, Lachie Mortlock and a group of other teenagers come... (full context)

Walter confronts Lachie, telling him to watch his tone. As Walter and Sadie are leaving, she... (full context)

Sadie, Ellie, David, and Walter leave the pub after the meal and return to Ellie and Sadie’s place. As Walter... (full context)

...“take discipline.” Tension escalates between David and Craig, especially when Craig suggests that David’s nephew Walter isn’t doing so well in Boort. (full context)

Ellie comes to Walter’s defense, pointing out that people in the town always say that “black boys make trouble,... (full context)

...feels uncomfortable when she hears this word—she notes that while it’s fine when David and Walter use it about themselves, it doesn’t sound right when a white boy like Lachie uses... (full context)

...mother that she wants to go to the school’s art show that night. David and Walter will be there, as Walter has a piece in the show. Ellie tells her that... (full context)

At the art show, Ellie, Sadie, and David look at Walter’s painting. Ellie and Sadie are very impressed—the painting is of Auntie Lily, Walter’s relative. As... (full context)

Sadie and Ellie end up in David and Walter’s kitchen for dinner. The conversation turns to the totems that Walter mentioned earlier, and Ellie... (full context)

Walter says that his people have lived “in this country for forty thousand years, maybe more.”... (full context)

...supporters are ecstatic. After the game, Craig Mortlock comes up to Ellie, David, Sadie, and Walter, who are all in attendance. He tells David that he found some Aboriginal artifacts on... (full context)

...him. She tells him that he had promised the stone circle would be their secret. Walter follows her. Lachie tells her the stone circle isn’t hers, it’s on his family’s land—the... (full context)

The next day, on Saturday, David and Walter come over. Ellie and David stay behind to paint Sadie’s room, while Sadie and Walter... (full context)

Walter tells Sadie that he had dreamed of her before he met her—he had dreamed that... (full context)

When they’re almost at the lakebed, Sadie and Walter hear trail bikes. When they arrive at the stone circle, they find Craig Mortlock, Lachie,... (full context)

Walter tells Craig and the others that they have no respect. Sadie points out that this... (full context)

Things escalate, and Walter and Lachie get into a physical fight. Sadie silently appeals to the crows for help.... (full context)

...called the crows, who only ended up being shot at by the men. Sadie and Walter arrive back at the house. Just as they are about to enter, a crow appears.... (full context)

Sadie turns to Walter and asks him if he heard the crow speak. He says yes, but when she... (full context)

...about Jimmy Raven’s death; the story of his murder was hidden, but it still existed. Walter comes into the room and tells her that he will go see his Auntie Lily... (full context)

...a way of covering up the real reason they want to speak to Auntie Lily, Walter tells David that he and Sadie are doing an oral history school project. David and... (full context)

Walter finds Sadie and tells her to come back into the room. Inside, Auntie Lily asks... (full context)

...were stolen, perhaps used by someone who wasn’t supposed to use them. Auntie Lily tells Walter and Sadie to find Jimmy’s special things, as well as his body, and to give... (full context)

Outside, Sadie tells Walter she must go back to 1933, to the night of the murder, to find out... (full context)

...the Mortlocks as well as Ellie and David will be at the game, Sadie and Walter break into the Mortlocks’ house. Sadie grows terribly nervous as they move through the numerous... (full context)

...which he had forgotten. He calls them thieves and says he will call the police. Walter stands his ground, even though Sadie is terrified. Still, she asks him where the bones... (full context)

As Sadie and Walter run, they can hear the sound of Lachie’s trail bike—he will catch up with them.... (full context)

Lachie appears on the edge of the lakebed on his bike. As Sadie and Walter watch in horror, Lachie begins to drive his bike into one of the stones, again... (full context)

Sadie yells at Lachie to stop, but he refuses. Walter picks up a clod of dried earth and throws it at Lachie. It hits him,... (full context)

Sadie wakes up to Walter calling her name. He is peering over her anxiously. She sees Lachie still on the... (full context)

David stands with Sadie and Walter in the lakebed, watching as Lachie’s parents drive away with Lachie and Ellie, who is... (full context)

David asks Walter what he wants to do, and Walter says he has to speak to Amanda and... (full context)

As Walter and David are leaving, Sadie says she must stay behind, and that she knows where... (full context)

Sadie and Walter walk along the lake bed, looking for Jimmy’s grave. Walter is skeptical that they will... (full context)

As they work, Lachie shows up. His head is bandaged, but he tells Sadie and Walter that he had a head scan and he will be fine. Sadie apologizes for breaking... (full context)

...and begins tidying up the graveyard. Together, the three also put up Jimmy’s marker, which Walter has decorated with a black feather. Walter and Sadie help Lachie as he tidies up... (full context)

Sadie and Walter go to have a look at the stone circle. From a distance, a crow watches... (full context)

Crow Country

Walter Character Analysis

Walter Quotes in Crow Country

Chapter 10 Quotes

Chapter 15 Quotes

Chapter 20 Quotes

Chapter 21 Quotes

Chapter 24 Quotes

Chapter 28 Quotes

Walter Character Timeline in Crow Country