The Dressmaker Analysis

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Rosalie Ham, the author of ‘The Dressmaker’ highlights the negative attributes of the superficial townspeople of Dungatar and how status and reputation is considered important above all else. It is through their judgement and bitterness towards Tilly when she arrives back in the town after a 20 year absence, that Ham explores the viciousness within the townspeople and how they continue to gossip and exclude Tilly, even after she proves to be valuable and talented with her dressmaking skills. It is evident that the town are willing to bow down to people they view as ‘high status’ and ignore wrongdoings to hide controversy. This is demonstrated through people such as Evan Pettyman, who repeatedly assaults his unknowing wife Marigold, and Elsbeth …show more content…
Ham conveys the strict social values within Dungatar during the 1950’s, where having a child before marriage was unacceptable. As a result, Tilly and Molly were ostracised and condemned to ‘the hill’ on the outskirts of Dungatar. This separation from the rest of the town highlights the towns disassociation and unrelenting unacceptance of the Dunnage’s. The negative connotations associated with Tilly being a ‘bastard child’ remain to fuel vicious gossip that circulates about her ‘being cheap’ and ‘illegitimate’, which emphasises the towns need to put down those they view as ‘weak’ to boost their own status and feelings of power. Tilly’s talent for making women look beautiful is valued amongst the women purely to fuel competitiveness and boost ego’s, while Tilly’s craftsmanship is overlooked, disrespected and not acknowledged. Rather than gain respect, Tilly is continuously viewed as being ‘up to no good’ and labelled ‘worse than her mother’, which signifies the driving hate and unrelenting bitterness of the townspeople who only see harm and wrong in her …show more content…
Evan Pettyman, the town councillor, is a predator that makes women feel uncomfortable. This is bought to attention when women of Dungatar ‘turn their backs when they see him coming’, demonstrating their unwillingness to interact with him. In the privacy of his home, Evan takes advantage of his ‘highly strung’, unstable wife, by giving her a ‘sleeping tonic’ and assaulting her while she’s unconscious. This appalling behaviour is never disputed or questioned by the townspeople, because he uses his status of being ‘shire president’, to manipulate people into trusting and respecting him. Ham condemns Dungatar for accepting someone as monstrous as Evan Pettyman, but never forgiving or respecting Tilly who caused no harm. Elsbeth Beaumont was considered a ‘regal’ women who ‘had airs’ in Dungatar, that prided herself in being the most ‘refined’ woman of the town. Women of Dungatar view Elsbeth as their main competitor, but fail to see that Elsbeth is clueless of her bad situation with money. The Pratt family remain putting Elsbeth’s supplies on the ‘tab’ that amasses to ‘347’ pounds, ultimately left for William to pay when he begins working. The Pratt’s are aware that Elsbeth is unable to pay, but they provide her with what she needs because she is ‘Elsbeth Beaumont of Windswept Crescent’. This good treatment of Elsbeth represents
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