Off the Map by David Malouf

"That is what life meant, a unique presence, and it was essential in every creature."
— David Malouf

Image Sourced: http://www.middlemiss.org/lit/authors/maloufd/maloufd.html

A Short Biography of David Malouf

Born:                      Brisbane, Queensland 1934
Education:             Brisbane Grammar School and University of Queensland
Life:                        Fathers family came from Lebanon in 1880’s and mother’s family came from London just before World War One. He taught 2 years after graduating university, and then lived in Britain from 1959-1968. He returned to Australia where he taught English at the University of New South Wales until 1977. He now works as a full-time writer spending half the year in Australia and the other half in Tuscany in Italy.

Off the Map by David Malouf

Where do we go from here?
Which direction is the right way?

If you reach the end of the map and you are heading to a destination which exceeds the map’s boarders you begin to ask yourself these questions. Undoubtedly, in David Malouf’s poem ‘Off the Map’ he has used a creative title which effectively lures the attention of the responder through the elements of mystery incorporated in it. The responder is fascinated and interested as to where the protagonist is headed and consequently, we as the audience delve into this world created by Malouf.

The landscape conveyed by in the first stanza is artificial and in no way is related to the natural elements of society. ‘All night headlamps dazzle the leaves’ this introductory line to the poem exemplifies this new society without a name, without a destination.....yet. The positioning of words placing the importance on the headlamps light in preference of the leaves demonstrates the priorities within society. We place the materialistic items over the natural factors of our surroundings.

Priorities. Humans through time have come to change priorities within their lifestyle. The traditional care for the land, to nourish and replenish it appears to be removed from contemporary society. Such judgements can be concurred from observing new trends in civilizations new attitudes, behaviour and approach to the physical attributes of our landscape. Mankind’s existence upon the world holds a much greater meaning than anything else which inhibits it. Doesn’t it? It must as our attitudes and approach towards the land would not suggest otherwise. ‘All night headlights dazzle the leaves’ is the opening line to the poem where Malouf in this context is illustrating these ideas through the artificial elements of society being shed over nature. Human life and existence plays a greater importance within the world than plants or animals and this idea can be seen through the symbolism of artificial lights. This clearly illustrates how the human population have transformed and followed the trend of ‘change’ just like their physical environment. They have become beings unrecognisable. We no longer turn to nature as a form of nourishment and survival rather we resort to ‘pills’ to give us the energy and provide us with the strength. ‘Truck-drivers throbbing on pills climb out of the sleep’- Stanza 1, Line 2-4 is a clear indicator which supports the concept that Malouf is attempting to present to the responder. This ‘being’ that we as society have become, dependant on human inventions and artificial elements of the environment to keep us going through day to day life.

This concept of the artificial and unnatural features of our landscape for the continuation of survival is represented as a war within the poem and this is created through the numerous connotations of war. ‘Hatched tyre-marks of country dust, the print of monster;’- Stanza7, Line 2-4 is simply one example of how Malouf is representing the land to be a war ground. We can extract from this that evidently there is a fight between the human existence and the environment and this is explored through the poem. Through the tone used in ‘monsters’ we can retract Malouf’s views upon the issue and consequently sense the resentment felt towards this change of environment. The reference to tyre-marks is a symbol of the imprint of society demonstrating our imprint, our impact and influence on our surroundings. As in whatever we do we struggle not to leave a mark, in our nature of being the destroyers; the monsters of society.

Stanza 8, Line 2-4 further analyses this concept of destruction ‘ranges of our skull in low gear shifting skyward they climb towards dawn.’ Skull as seen in ‘In the Forest’ by Thomas Shapcott again brings to mind the idea of death. The death that we are causing to our environment leaving it bare, dry with no life. The term ‘climb’ again has connotations of a ‘war-like’ atmosphere and as they climb to dawn this is a symbol as the long but evidently occurring dawn. The dawn of a new time- it is a new horizon and in understanding this concept we can see the subliminal meaning being conveyed, that this is not just a new sun brightening a new day rather it is a metaphor for the new landscape that is yet to surround us.

‘New streets that glow in the eyes of farmboys’- Stanza 9, Lines 3-4, again we see the juxtaposition used between the unreal and true factors of society. The comparison of ‘glow’ and ‘farmboys’ again relates to the rivalry between nature and the inhabitants. However, it we van see the powerful and determined nature of civilization, through the harsh imagery that is used in ‘glow in the eyes’ . This is almost is showing that this light is so sharp, so bold that it is indestructible and cannot be broken through replicating the will of humans. It’s almost blinding the farmboys and to a certain degree this can be perceived as literally blinding through the constant implementation of artificial lighting and industrial characters in our environment which are all concentrated in a particular area. This line however, can also be interpreted in a metaphorical and symbolic manner, representing humankind as the lights they are blocking out and restricting our sights of our environments our natural views and outlooks. Constantly throughout the poem Malouf is introducing to the responder the concept of this new lifestyle that is evolving within our surroundings. He is presenting to the audience the impact it will have on our lifestyles and our environment. This indirect approach is very effective in getting into the mind of the responder.

‘Nameless, not to be found by day on any map’- Stanza 10, Line 3-4 in this line the responder is revealed to this destination, although it’s not a place to be looking for. The destination has not been found as the persona does not want it to find it. It can only be revealed if society continue to follow this road but the composer is make aware and come to the realisation of the havoc and the chaos it can cause and that they can see this ‘place’ does not deserve a name. Rather that we should turn around and find our way back on to the map and begin to follow a road we know to find a destination far away from this harsh unnatural place and return to our roots.

Malouf’s method of writing has made a connection between the responder and the text and in doing so is getting them to question their participation in society.

Are they too evolving into this new life form that will leave tyre-marks wherever they go or will they be the farmboy, standing waiting for a war to come their way?
Or will they turn around and follow the road back to a safe place?

Below: My Annotations of the Poem Off the Map by David Malouf