McLaren, John (1978) Introduction : dream and reality. In: The dream and the reality. UNSPECIFIED, pp. 1-10. (Unpublished)

Abstract

Contains an introduction to The Dream and the Reality, an unpublished literary work by John McLaren on the study of the realist tradition in Australian fiction. The purpose of McLaren’s study is to explore the attitude of Australians to their country which has always been ambiguous and show how some Australian fiction writers reacted to this particular experience and environment, how they have treated the dream and how they have dealt with reality. McLaren further endeavours to present how in certain respects the dream has been no more than a defence against the worst elements of the reality, and how certain elements of Australia's history, particularly the convict system and the failure of land settlement schemes, have been reflected in fiction in a peculiarly negative attitude. Despite the efforts of social realists to create a romantic myth of equality among common men and a land responding to human care, the most significant element of Australian fiction has been the feeling of defeat and imprisonment.

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