WellRead's September 2023 selection was The Visitors by Jane Harrison. The Visitors tells the story of what happened that fateful day, January 26, 1788, when seven men stood on the shore, watching as the tall ships sail into Sydney Cove. Those seven senior Aboriginal men, Elders from the tribes around Sydney, have come together to discuss the arrival of these Visitors. All day, the men talk, argue, debate. Where are these Visitors from? What do they want? Might the Visitors just warra warra wai back to where they come from? Should they be welcomed?
Use these discussion questions to engage with the book further, whether in a book club with friends, or just on your own as you digest the story.
Reading questions for The Visitors by Jane Harrison:
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Originally, The Visitors was a play. Did you see it performed before you read it? If not, how did you think the adaptation of the story into the form of a novel impacted your reading experience?
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In an interview with BMA Mag, Jane Harrison says “It’s not past. Time is different for Aboriginal people. We have the past, present, and future existing together. The stories are alive; they live in bodies. They are living in bodies in the present.” How did you see this approach to time coming through in the story?
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Why do you think Harrison chose to give the Elders contemporary names and have them dressed in suits and ties?
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In what ways did you feel The Visitors turned the ‘mythology’ of the First Fleet’s landing on its head?
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What did you think about the women’s involvement in the story through the roles they played and the ways in which they were spoken about?
- While the story primarily revolves around the Elders, there is always another character present in Country. In what ways did you feel Harrison brought County to life in the story?
- The Visitors is quite funny at times, even though there is an undercurrent of dread. Why do you think Harrison included the humour in the retelling of such a sad day?
Please note, these questions were written and distributed in September 2023.