The Pages Symbol Analysis

The pages that Mr. Frazer and George Abbott write about Gemmy’s life represent his connection to white society. When Mr. Frazer interviews Gemmy in his first days in the settlement, he pieces together as complete an account of Gemmy’s entire life as he can, having George transcribe the interview in ink on paper. Gemmy feels grateful to be known in this way, to be accounted for, since it makes him feel grounded in the community. However, Gemmy, who cannot read, also secretly attributes a magical quality to the sheets of paper that contain his story, believing the pages hold some secret part of him as well that has yet to be restored. Although Gemmy would like to sit with the pages, Mr. Frazer stores them away. After Gemmy leaves Mrs. Hutchence’s house, having finally remembered all the traumatic details of his early life and the abuse he suffered with Willett—memories which he believes have been forming the mental demons that plague him and make him sick—Gemmy resolves that he must retrieve the pages himself. He thinks that his spirit has been bound up in them and is slowing dying, trapped in ink. This is true, in a sense, since Gemmy’s memory of his trauma and suffering in England are what torture him so. When Gemmy requests the pages from George, George realizes that they are 600 miles away with Mr. Frazer. However, seeing that this moment is important to Gemmy, George gives him seven pages of student homework, which Gemmy believes are the real pages. As Gemmy walks out of the settlement, intending to live with the Aboriginal people and never return, rain begins to fall and dissolves the pages in his hands, symbolizing Gemmy’s complete and total severance from white society, both from the settlement and from all of the suffering he experienced in England.