Vintage Classics: True History of the Kelly Gang

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"What is it about we Australians, eh?" a schoolteacher asks, reflecting on the complex legacy of Ned Kelly, a figure who elicits both admiration and disdain. To some, he is a psychopathic killer; to others, a folk hero. Kelly, a sharpshooting outlaw, evaded a brutal police manhunt for nearly two years, becoming a part of Australian national myth. The Sydney Olympics even featured performers dressed as Kelly, placing him alongside iconic symbols of Australia. Carey’s narrative voice, rich in vernacular poetry, captures the essence of a young Kelly in a land where English landowners exploit the territory while settlers struggle to survive. Cheated and persecuted by authorities, Kelly loses faith in colonial powers but finds solace in the power of words. His reflections reveal a deep understanding of unfairness that resonates with many Australians. In Carey's portrayal, Kelly emerges as a literary hero, yearning to be heard through letters addressed to the nation. His story speaks to the enduring legacy of colonialism and the silenced voices of the past. The novel's epigraph from Faulkner emphasizes that the past is ever-present, echoing the tragedies of history that continue to shape the Australian identity.