The Drover’s Wife

by

Henry Lawson

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At 11, Tommy is eldest of the bushwoman’s children, and he shows a great deal of bravery throughout the story. When the snake first appears, for instance, he grabs a stick and goes after the creature despite his mother’s protests (accidentally whacking Alligator’s nose in the process). Tommy also swears a great deal, eliciting further scolds from the bushwoman, and bickers with his little brother, Jacky. In many ways, it appears he is attempting to fulfill the role of “man of the house” in his father’s absence. This is complicated at the end of the story, however: once the snake has been killed and its remains thrown into the fire, Tommy embraces his mother and tells her that he will never go droving like his father. This suggests that Tommy represents a better future for the next generation. He hopes to earn a living without leaving his family for long stretches, but notably will have an easier time surviving in the bush thanks to the foundation laid by people like his parents.

Tommy Quotes in The Drover’s Wife

The The Drover’s Wife quotes below are all either spoken by Tommy or refer to Tommy. 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:
Humankind vs. Nature Theme Icon
).
The Drover’s Wife Quotes

The sight of his mother in trousers greatly amused Tommy, who worked like a little hero by her side, but the terrified baby howled lustily for his ‘mummy.’

Related Characters: The Bushwoman, Tommy, The Drover
Page Number: 48-49
Explanation and Analysis:

Presently he looks up at her, sees the tears in her eyes, and, throwing his arms around her neck exclaims:

“Mother, I won’t never go drovin’; blarst me if I do!”

Related Characters: Tommy (speaker), The Bushwoman
Page Number: 57
Explanation and Analysis:
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The Drover’s Wife PDF

Tommy Quotes in The Drover’s Wife

The The Drover’s Wife quotes below are all either spoken by Tommy or refer to Tommy. 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:
Humankind vs. Nature Theme Icon
).
The Drover’s Wife Quotes

The sight of his mother in trousers greatly amused Tommy, who worked like a little hero by her side, but the terrified baby howled lustily for his ‘mummy.’

Related Characters: The Bushwoman, Tommy, The Drover
Page Number: 48-49
Explanation and Analysis:

Presently he looks up at her, sees the tears in her eyes, and, throwing his arms around her neck exclaims:

“Mother, I won’t never go drovin’; blarst me if I do!”

Related Characters: Tommy (speaker), The Bushwoman
Page Number: 57
Explanation and Analysis: