The Thorn Birds

The character of Justine demonstrates to the reader the loosening of societal values and social mores in western post-World War II society. Justine is frank in her discussions of sex and sexuality, which stands in great contrast to her mother Meggie’s girlhood naivete. Meggie’s provincial and isolated adolescence means that she does not understand reproduction until she is in her twenties. Meggie rarely speaks openly about sex, deeming it a deeply private and personal interaction. Justine, however, is very different from her mother in this respect. When she is propositioned by Arthur Lestrange, a fellow actor who is in his forties, Justine is matter-of-fact and unfazed by his suggestions. When Lestrange asks how he might woo her, Justine tells him that they “should get the deed over with” (539) that very night. After sex with Arthur, Justine erupts with laughter, clearly amused by the encounter. Her bland report to Dane regarding the loss of her virginity confirms her unsentimental and forthright attitude towards the experience. Because contemporary characters like Justine and Rainer are much less reluctant to say what they think, McCullough depends less on internal monologue to reveal their inner workings.

These last sections of the novel span more than 20 years, and all three women characters undergo their own processes of growth and maturity throughout this time. Meggie and Fee enjoy a much closer relationship now that they are both mature women, and they discuss matters of aging, pride, and introspection openly with each other. Fee imparts to Meggie the wisdom of her old age, finally appreciating the value of her daughter, a value she did not understand when Meggie was a child. Meggie’s unselfish decision to encourage Justine to live her own life reflects Meggie’s acceptance that Justine must make her own way and find her own happiness. As well, Meggie wants to spare Justine a lifetime on Drogheda, a place that seems to cause its women, from Mary Carson to Fee to Meggie, great suffering. Justine matures emotionally as she grows up, and her reckless eagerness to live according to her own terms mellows when she admits that she is just as vulnerable to love as anyone else. Justine finally accepts Rainer’s love, and she proves that she is capable of a loving relationship when they marry.

Dane’s tragic death by drowning is a sad turn of events, but not an entirely surprising one. Throughout much of the novel, the reader must suspend his or her disbelief in order to enjoy the many twists and turns of the plot. Various aspects of the novel are implausible, like Meggie’s extraordinary innocence, Ralph’s sex appeal, and the coincidence of Luke’s resemblance to Ralph, but the existence of dubious extremes in a narrative often serve to enhance the reading experience. The successful suspension of disbelief enables the reader to appreciate the dramatic emotional ups and downs that make this novel highly readable. From this point of view, Dane’s death, and the ensuing drama, is almost inevitable, especially when he prays to God to end his suffering on earth before going to Rome to become a priest. Because Dane is the pure and holy being that Ralph can never be, he cannot live in the world that Ralph and other members of Dane’s family inhabit; God listens to his request and honors it. As well, the dramatic nature of Ralph’s punishment for his sins may prove satisfying to some readers who feel he has toyed with Meggie. Ralph learns of Dane’s true identity only when it is too late; then, Ralph dies suddenly during Dane’s funeral. Meggie may be left to mourn on her own, but she is supported by Drogheda, her mother, and her daughter, all of whom prove to be more reliable and steadier than Ralph’s wrathful God.