Ransom-Malouf Vce Practice Paper

In a revisit to Homer's eighth century epic poem "Illiad", David Malouf's "Ransom"

> explores the worlds of royalty, war and the common man. Although Malouf explores

> the original themes of revenge, redemption and fate, he

> predominately

> focuses on the human connections, relationships and inner thoughts of his

> characters. Malouf contends that Somax is the true hero of the novel,

> "Ransom", through the events he participates in,

> his disposition and the characteristics he displays,

>

>

>

> Somax, a mere

> commoner that Malouf has added into his novel, gives Priam an insight into

> the

> world he was missing out on. His chatter, whether about '[the] little cakes'

> or

> his 'pretty daughter-in-law', is always intriguing to Priam. After Somax

> successfully

> persuades Priam to do a number of things, such as getting him to waddle in

> the

> stream and nibble on some griddlecakes, he describes Priam as 'like a

> child'. Throughout their journey, Somax attempts to '...fill out the picture'

> of

> the ordinary life Priam has overlooked 'reveal[ing] these things to him"

> which

> help Priam learn more about the "interesting" world around him, the

> "prattling

> world" full of "interest", suggesting that Priam's world of royal customs

> and

> kingship is dull and boring. He rarely makes decisions for himself as he believes 'I've

> played my part.' While Somax can be funny at times, that is not his sole

> purpose in the novel; Somax is more of a teacher to Priam, he teaches Priam

> many more things, for example, affection,