A Bridge To Wiseman's Cove Analysis

A Bridge to Wiseman's Cove Essay
The novel A Bridge to Wiseman’s cove by James Moloney is about two young brothers, Carl and Harley Matt. Both brothers also have a sister who abandoned them after their mother had left and never returned. The brothers didn't have any other option but to move in with their nasty Aunt Beryl. When Carl first moved to Wattle Beach he lacked a lot of self-confidence but as the book progresses he becomes more and more confident with himself and realises his full potential and self worth, it didn’t help that all of Wattle beach had a strong distaste towards the Matts because of something that Carl and Harley did not know about nor have anything to do with, Carl referred to this hatred as ‘The Curse of the Matts’. This hatred was overcome once Carl started working on the barge for Skip Duncan the one with the most hatred towards the family and the towns people realised that Carl and Harley had nothing to do with what happened 20 years ago.
He worked at the timber company owned by Skip Duncan, but was fired because of his irresponsible behaviour. Des didn't take being fired well and decided to mess around on the beach in his Ute and try to give Skip Duncan a scare when his car skidded more than he anticipated. The car crashed Skip and his son Graham into the water, killing Graham and badly breaking Skips leg leaving permanent damage. Des was accused of manslaughter and put into gaol for 6 years never to be seen again. Slowly all the living Matt’s in Wattle beach left because they were ridiculed and blamed for Des Matt’s ‘mistake’ the whole of Wattle beach didn’t hate the Matts because of permanently damaging Skips leg they hated the Matts because of little Graham and how Des Matt killed him, thus creating the ‘Curse of the Matts’ that even now 20 years later is still believed that all Matt’s do is bring pain and ruin