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Nine Days presents the personal perspective of nine different narrators but overall, it tells the story of a community rather than any single individual. Discuss Set throughout the course of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, Toni Jordan’s Nine Days is a series of vignettes that explore the story of the Westaway family within the progressively gentrified suburb of Richmond. Toni Jordan’s series of vignettes presents the characters that act as a microcosm of Australia, using their different and unique personal point of views of the society that were bound to as a means of condemning the actions of Australians for allowing religious sectarianism to dominate their individuality. Jordan gives reader a personal insight through the different characters, into the wat Australia moved towards a more unconsecrated ideology, no longer bound to the British Classism. By using the individuals experiences of the characters, Jordan scours into how global events became a stimulant for societal change and expectations of individuality. Jordan shows this through the different accounts of vignettes and historical timeline outlining the societal changes, religious sectarianism and classist mindsets that evolved post WW2 =, showing that the narrative is about the collective account of a group of people rather than that of a sole person. Toni Jordan displays the religious sectarianism prevalent in society in order to convey how relationships and groups of families can be torn apart as a result. It is represented through the separation of Tom Westaway’s side of the family after getting married to Jean, for the particular reason that she was a Irish-Catholic and he was a Protestant, whom were regarded of high class due to the Royal Family being Protestants, due to British classism which the Australians accepted during the time. This is seen through them as Toni Jordan represents them as victims of the classist and religious mindsets separating a whole side of a family seen through Francis who refers to his dad’s side as a “were of a different persuasion”, due to their conflicting mindsets. Furthermore, this is seen through the relationship between Jack and Connie, who kept their relationship a secret due to religious beliefs and would meet at night to not draw attention to themselves, to make sure “there’s no one but him and [her]”. Jordan uses this to relate to Tom and Jean, and that any relationship between them would have been strictly prohibited as the Westaway’s and the Husting’s were of different religions. Toni Jordan embodies the characters as microcosms of society as the story is based around them, giving the readers a portrayal of religious sectarianism through each different character. Despite Australia still a part of the Commonwealth, after WW2 and the gap in the timeline of the text it is seen that Australia discovering a new national Identity no longer subjugated by British mindsets and social expectations. Jordan emphasises this through familiar historical events which even though were not stated, become obvious to readers, from the sexual revolution to women’s working and voting rights. Readers see this through post WW2, when women were working while the men were off fighting in the war and when they returned the women were forced back into their homes. Toni Jordan shows the drastic change through individual experiences and insights of the characters. Jordan portrays this through Annabel, who worked in a munition’s factory, describing the “freedom” that came along with working. Annabel is seen reading Women’s Weekly, emphasising the social expectations of women in during that time, reading women’s magazines and cooking for your family, “The Women’s Weekly says mock sausages are delicious”, Annabel cooking for her father who is stuck at home because of WW2, suffering from shellshock, a post-traumatic stress disorder which soldiers were diagnosed with due to the horrific outcomes of war. Compared to Stanzi, Jordan highlights the drastic change, the particular reason for this is that Stanzi has a job, career and is an independent woman. Jordan shows Stanzi having the choice to work and change careers, “I can’t do this job anymore”, indicating Stanzi’s woman autonomy, ability to make their own choices. The societal

expectations of women shift between the timeline seen through Annabel and Stanzi to portray the difference in societal expectations of women. Events like the 9/11 attacks shaped individuals and influenced societal change. Toni Jordan sheds light on this through the characters experience through the timeline of the text. Stanzi a counsellor who’s recount is through the timeline of the 9/11 attacks is in a counselling session with her patient, Violet. Jordan highlights the ignorance and societal change thorough out the world of the text embodied through Violet, in Stanzi’s perspective. Stanzi recounts her being “innocent”, by acting child-like sitting on the chair with her shoes off. Compared to earlier times where a lady would be seemed indecent with this behaviour. Stanzi questions her about “prized possessions” but instead tells her about a “new nail bar”, trying to sway away form the questions indicating the ignorance of modern society becoming open. It is seen through her reactions of a “new war” in the “middle East”, when asked about her opinion on the 9/11 attacks that unfolded, to highlight the ignorance she replies while doing a “plie” whilst moving around the room. Stanzi shows the fear and change in society through Violet’s concerns of getting “SARS”, sending “anthrax through mail”. Being one of the main attacks during the 9/11 incidents. Jordan shows the fear placed into society as it changed after events like the 9/11....