Email from author Kim Scott

Dear The Reader

I recently email Kim Scott about his book That Deadman Dance to help with my major essay on the book. It's always good to get an author's thoughts on their work, just so you get the context of the story and a guide on how to interpret it.

I asked two questions:

1. What would you say the differences and confluences are of the Black and White Australian cultures in the novel?

2. What happens at the end of the story? Who is shooting and why?

This was his reply...

Hi Jared,

Sorry, but I'm not helping you with the resolution. I believe there's something called the 'intentional fallacy' - that is, it's irrelevant, really, what the author intended since it's you and the text that make the meaning! But maybe the end is something about colonial violence and
certain imperatives about control/power suddenly rushing into Bobby's (and our) consciousness. It's been lurking the whole time, I think, there in the background, or just 'out of frame'.

Equally, I'm not sure I can quickly explain my take on "the main
differences and confluences between the two cultures in the book", however I do think there's something there about 'strategic,
goal-orientated thinking' versu something more like 'improvisation, and trust in spirit' (one's own, and that of one's place'). I suppose 'creativity' might be another word for that.

But sometimes the difference between cultures gets obscured by similarities and an 'affinity' between individuals that allows them to have 'human contact' despite their differences. A perhaps one culture has a greater propensity to allow for, and even facilitate, this?

Once again, sorry, but I think the real business of reading ficiton has to be you coming to your own opinions as a reader, and thinking about the relationship between you and various 'triggers' in the text. Kind
of different to the way you read more didactic work.

Thanks for your interest, Jared. Hope you can forgive my reluctance to give you answers.

Yrs, kimS

This was actually more helpful to me than a straight "didactic" answer would have been.

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