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Chapter 19
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Yield, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Colonialism and Exploitation
The Power of Language and Cultural History
Family, Identity, and Belonging
Collective Trauma, Memory, and Guilt
Human Spirituality and the Natural World
Summary
Analysis
A heatwave hits Massacre Plains, whose residents continue to argue about the environmental and financial consequences of the mine. On Saturday, the crematorium delivers Albert’s ashes to Prosperous, where the family is setting up for the memorial. Upset, August walks along the dried-up Murrumby riverbed, peering at the mine’s pipes across the wheat fields. Finding a shard of quartz, August flashes back to hunting for crystals with Jedda. One day, August tricked Jedda, ran back to the house, locked her out, and ate most of her sister’s chocolate Easter egg (having already devoured her own), which Jedda had been saving. In a rage, Jedda threw a rock which broke the sliding glass door. Both girls were punished.
The citizens of Massacre Plains seem more divided on the subject of the mines than August has been led to believe. But August is unaware of such dissent, and the advancing construction piles more sorrow onto the trauma of losing Albert. Again, the land itself holds scars from August’s past, including the crystals that remind her of Jedda. In this flashback, August’s hunger gets the best of her and leads her to betray her sister. Though this memory is unrelated to Jedda’s disappearance, it does reignite August’s guilt in relation to her sister.
Active
Themes
August keeps walking along the barren river. She remembers exploring the wild bush with Jedda and finding their own personal “oasis.” Now, she sees people camping up on Kengal Rock, the cliff overlooking the property. When one camper calls out, August climbs the ridge. The woman—Mandy—offers her tea. She and the others are “water protectors” who plan to stop the construction of the mine. Mandy claims Kengal Rock contains a natural filtration system and the land itself is a sacred site. August appreciates the cause, but she asks Mandy to give Prosperous House (which she can see from the cliff) some privacy for the funeral. Mandy, who noticed August arriving days before, says she has beautiful eyes, exciting her.
The dry riverbed’s presence simultaneously represents the trauma the land has endured and August’s painful memories of Jedda. Despite this, August also feels affection for the land, which comforted her and her sister. Mandy interests August because she has no personal stake in protecting Prosperous but is more willing to fight the mines than August’s own family. The idea of “water protectors” suggests there are some Australian citizens working to undo past environmental trauma and prevent further exploitation. Mandy’s interest in August excites her, but it’s not clear whether she is romantically or intellectually intrigued.
Active
Themes
August returns to Prosperous House, which is full of relatives setting out food, catching up, and arguing. She changes into black for the funeral, avoiding her reflection. Since Jedda was never found, they never had a funeral for her. August goes outside to smoke, where Aunt Missy is telling Eddie about how Albert used to take her and her sisters—Jolene and Nicki—eel fishing. She remembers Jolene catching a gigantic eel which somehow got hold of Albert’s knife before he managed to behead it with a shovel. Everyone laughs and August wonders if she’ll ever see any of them after this.
Active
Themes
August sees her cousin Joey, Aunt Missy’s son. She hasn’t seen him since he was sent to juvenile detention for four years. The day of Joey’s trial, August left a note for Elsie and Albert and ran away, working odd jobs until she settled in England. Now, Joey shows August his new car, courtesy of the lucrative app he designed. He credits his success to the years spent in juvie, during which he read voraciously. He used to talk to Albert about claiming Native Title on the land. August is saddened that she never got to know the political version of Poppy. She tells Joey she feels like she has never really been herself her entire life.
Active
Themes
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Joey thinks many Aboriginal Australians feel like August, but he encourages her to take initiative and move forward. August reflects on how Joey always perceived the world and its dangers more clearly than other kids their age. Joey scorns both the mine and its protestors. He tells August that the Falstaffs invited the coal and gas company to survey their land, hoping for a financial windfall. Instead, the company discovered tin deposits and claimed both Southerly and Prosperous Houses were sitting on government land, which would now be repossessed. August asks if Joey talks to Eddie, recalling their childhood friendship. Joey reports they’re friendly but blames Eddie for getting him sent to detention, though he doesn’t elaborate.
Active
Themes
August and Joey’s Aunt Nicki—Elsie and Albert’s third and final daughter—arrives. August asks Nicki if it’s true that the Falstaffs invited the mining company onto their land. Nicki, who works for town council, claims the situation is complicated. Numerous farms have cooperated with the mining company in return for compensation, but neither the Falstaffs nor the Gondiwindis have any bargaining power on this land. Albert tried to argue the land had cultural significance, but there are no artifacts to prove that claim. August brings up Albert’s dictionary, but Nicki denies the claim that the language is connected to the land since the old Mission forbade it. August knows Poppy spoke Wiradjuri (an Aboriginal language) but doesn’t contradict her. They convene for the funeral.
