Rites Of Passage In Phillip Gwynne's Jetty Rats
Jetty Rats
Rites of Passage
Jetty Rats is a novel written by Phillip Gwynne that all young teenage boys should read. It deals with the rites of passage and issues that all boys are confronted with at some point in their adolescent lives. It is presented in an entertaining yet realistic manor which makes it easy for younger readers to understand. The issues and rites of passage discussed in this essay include family, friends, experiencing a first kiss and obtaining a first ‘real’ job. The story is told from the first person prospective of Hunter Vettori, a thirteen year old boy with a dream of catching a record breaking Mulloway.
The first issue presented in Jetty Rats is family. When Hunter was eight years old his father was swept out to sea while fishing on the rocks. He had broken the golden rule of rock hopping: “Thou Shalt Not Fish On Your Own”. Hunter was so certain his father would return that after the accident he would “...wait for him. Sit underneath the ‘VACENCY’ sign until mum tells me to come inside. The next day and the next day and the next day, I wait for him.” He didn’t accept the fact that his father was gone forever until the end of …show more content…
This is an important and exciting moment in a teenage boy’s life as it is his first real opportunity to physically express his feelings towards someone. Hunter’s first kiss was with Jasmine (one of The Photocopies). It occurred during Hunter’s mother’s birthday party in Jasmine’s caravan. The two of them were talking when Jasmine suggested they “...pash.” The author could have described this rite of passage differently and in less detail to show young teenage boys that not all first kisses are the same. Also, this scene could have been presented a lot more realistically. For example, the line “Hey, wait a minute. My lips are tired. I’ve gotta take a rest” isn’t the most appropriate line as it is not realistic in relation to the rest of the
Rites of Passage
Jetty Rats is a novel written by Phillip Gwynne that all young teenage boys should read. It deals with the rites of passage and issues that all boys are confronted with at some point in their adolescent lives. It is presented in an entertaining yet realistic manor which makes it easy for younger readers to understand. The issues and rites of passage discussed in this essay include family, friends, experiencing a first kiss and obtaining a first ‘real’ job. The story is told from the first person prospective of Hunter Vettori, a thirteen year old boy with a dream of catching a record breaking Mulloway.
The first issue presented in Jetty Rats is family. When Hunter was eight years old his father was swept out to sea while fishing on the rocks. He had broken the golden rule of rock hopping: “Thou Shalt Not Fish On Your Own”. Hunter was so certain his father would return that after the accident he would “...wait for him. Sit underneath the ‘VACENCY’ sign until mum tells me to come inside. The next day and the next day and the next day, I wait for him.” He didn’t accept the fact that his father was gone forever until the end of …show more content…
This is an important and exciting moment in a teenage boy’s life as it is his first real opportunity to physically express his feelings towards someone. Hunter’s first kiss was with Jasmine (one of The Photocopies). It occurred during Hunter’s mother’s birthday party in Jasmine’s caravan. The two of them were talking when Jasmine suggested they “...pash.” The author could have described this rite of passage differently and in less detail to show young teenage boys that not all first kisses are the same. Also, this scene could have been presented a lot more realistically. For example, the line “Hey, wait a minute. My lips are tired. I’ve gotta take a rest” isn’t the most appropriate line as it is not realistic in relation to the rest of the