The distinct novel demonstrates the harsh climate of xenophobia, cultural stereotypes and destructive racism that existed, as well as Corrigan's fictional, patriarchal town. Against the social unrest of the Vietnam War and the indigenous rights movement, Silvey explores themes of community, conformity and discrimination, which remain true throughout and are personified by the multifaceted characters of " Jasper Jones.” The introduction to 'The Australian Temperament' by Peter Goldsworthy, together with Tony Birch's summary of Jasper Jones, captures the fundamental ideas of the novel and of Australian society today and in the past. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on 'Why violent video games should not be banned'?Get an original essayThe cultural elements and ideas of Jasper Jones are heavily influenced by the views of the majority of Australians in the 1960s, which were widely discussed in Peter. Introduction by Goldsworthy. In Silvey's text, several accounts of racism are incorporated, such as Jeffery Lu and Jasper Jones. Jeffery Lu is an Australian-born Vietnamese boy and Charlie's only friend, who "enhances" his intellect, which, because of the Vietnam War, would have been extremely rare and controversial at the time. Jeffery is constantly bullied and harassed at school because he is Vietnamese, and no matter how much he perseveres to fit in with the other kids, the only time he is encouraged or admired is when he is covered in equipment and clothing to the point of remaining anonymous. – on the cricket field. When he plays sports, Jeffery feels like he belongs, but when he takes off his helmet, he is bombarded with insults, threats, and physical intimidation. Jasper shares this minority attribute with Jeffery, being an Australian Aboriginal. Jasper is the town's scapegoat - portrayed as "a thief, a thug, a liar and a truant", and is horribly mistreated by almost everyone due to his false reputation in Corrigan. His status in the town is so low that Jasper is actually used as an example to the children of how they would end up with poor attitude and skills, which Silvey uses wonderfully to demonstrate how extremely discriminatory some Australian communities were in the 1960s. Charlie is depicted physically as a typical Australian boy, although he is still an outcast due to his intellect. Abnormally, he does not like to play sports like his classmates do, he instead reads books for entertainment, which is despised by everyone because sport is the social capital, not the intellect. Major global events that occur in Jasper Jones, such as the Vietnam War, mostly correspond precisely to actual dates. Silvey uses these events to perpetuate the realism of Corrigan's fictional town, as it is based on the town of his childhood. They provide an additional "layer" to the story, for example, Silvey includes conscription: as the war rages, three men from Corrigan are drafted into the army. The 1960s were also the era of Aboriginal rights activities, notably the Aboriginal Rights Movement of 1965. The coincidence with the Vietnam War further explains why Jeffery Lu was so widely bullied, because a Vietnamese-Australian would have been extremely rare in this country. Australia, and he could have been considered a spy, or simply looked down upon for "supporting" the Australian opposition in the war, when in fact he is on no one's side. This theme is perpetuated by the White Australia Policy 2016