“The past is never over; it is never lost. It circles, as the stones circle, as the stars circle, as the sky circles.”
The aspect of time traveling in the narrative is somewhat symbolic of the theme in the novel which is the impact and significance of the past. Sadie travels back in time in 1930s Victoria, Australia where she learns disturbing truths about her ancestry. The novel handles the societal issues that arise when the interests of the local natives differ from those of the settlers. Her forefathers committed heinous acts against the Aboriginals in the name of business development. Therefore the assertion highlights how the history of many has been obliterated by greedy inclinations but the past will always haunt the present despite this.
“The secret magic of this country lay hidden, buried under buildings and blood; but it had never gone away, and it would never disappear. It lay waiting, lost in its own endless dream.”
The statement further accentuates that the essence of the past will always be present in what is now. Sadie learns about her family scandal and how her great grandfather is involved in the murder of an Aboriginal man, Jimmy, who is trying to defend the land. While he buries and floods the valley to cover up the truth of what happened, the past is later revealed through his own lineage. The statement emphasizes the acts of humans that have seen the destruction of cultures and heritage in the name of development. However, the past whether atrocious or noble will always resonate in the present and future too.
