Remembering Babylon

by

David Malouf

Mr. Frazer is the settlement’s minister, though in the story he operates primarily in his role as a botanist. When Gemmy first arrives, Mr. Frazer interviews him as well as he can, producing the seven pages of writing that contain an account of Gemmy’s life. Although Mr. Frazer is not taken altogether seriously by the other settlers and is often oblivious to what is happening in the settlement, he proves a true friend to Gemmy, patiently but eagerly learning from Gemmy’s knowledge of Australian plants. While other settlers try to pry information out of Gemmy, Mr. Frazer proves his good intentions by respecting whatever information Gemmy chooses to withhold. After Gemmy gives Mr. Frazer a thorough understanding of Australian plants and foraging, Mr. Frazer develops an alternative concept for colonialism in which the Commonwealth settlers would grow crops that are naturally found in Australia’s wilderness, rather than trying to dominate and force the land to grow crops cultivated in England. He sees Gemmy, a European man who understands the ways of the Aboriginal Australians, as a forerunner of this new theory of colonialism, a new and better model of humanity. However, when Mr. Frazer pitches his idea, first to a fellow settler and then to the government of Queensland, he discovers that everyone else is too intent on trying to force Australia to look like England to listen to his ideas.

Mr. Frazer Quotes in Remembering Babylon

The Remembering Babylon quotes below are all either spoken by Mr. Frazer or refer to Mr. Frazer. 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:
Racism and Xenophobia Theme Icon
).
Chapter 14 Quotes

I think of our early settlers, starving on these shores, in the midst of plenty they did not recognize, in a blessed nature of flesh, fowl, fruit that was all around them and which they could not, with their English eyes, perceive, since the very habit and faculty that makes apprehensible to us what is known and expected dulls our sensitivity to other forms, even the most obvious.

Related Characters: Mr. Frazer (speaker)
Page Number: 129-130
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 15 Quotes

[Janet] loved the way, while you were dealing with [the bees], you had to submit yourself to their side of things.

Related Characters: Janet McIvor, Mr. Frazer, Mrs. Hutchence
Page Number: 139
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 18 Quotes

Sir George, [Mr. Frazer] decides, exudes a magnificent air of unreality that includes everything he looks upon. He has got close enough to feel its disintegrating effect in every part of him.

Related Characters: Lachlan Beattie, Mr. Frazer, Sir George
Page Number: 169
Explanation and Analysis:
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Mr. Frazer Quotes in Remembering Babylon

The Remembering Babylon quotes below are all either spoken by Mr. Frazer or refer to Mr. Frazer. 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:
Racism and Xenophobia Theme Icon
).
Chapter 14 Quotes

I think of our early settlers, starving on these shores, in the midst of plenty they did not recognize, in a blessed nature of flesh, fowl, fruit that was all around them and which they could not, with their English eyes, perceive, since the very habit and faculty that makes apprehensible to us what is known and expected dulls our sensitivity to other forms, even the most obvious.

Related Characters: Mr. Frazer (speaker)
Page Number: 129-130
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 15 Quotes

[Janet] loved the way, while you were dealing with [the bees], you had to submit yourself to their side of things.

Related Characters: Janet McIvor, Mr. Frazer, Mrs. Hutchence
Page Number: 139
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 18 Quotes

Sir George, [Mr. Frazer] decides, exudes a magnificent air of unreality that includes everything he looks upon. He has got close enough to feel its disintegrating effect in every part of him.

Related Characters: Lachlan Beattie, Mr. Frazer, Sir George
Page Number: 169
Explanation and Analysis: