The Lieutenant (novel): Difference between revisions

| caption = First edition

'''''The Lieutenant''''' is a historical novel by [[Kate Grenville]], published in 2008. The novel loosely follows historical facts based on the experiences of [[William Dawes (RoyalBritish Marines officer)|William Dawes]], an officer of the [[Royal Marines]] who was on the 1788 [[First Fleet]] from [[England]] to the [[New South Wales#1788 British settlement|New South Wales colony]]. His position was [[astronomer]], though he took an opportunity to observe and record the language of the [[Australian Aboriginals|Australian Aboriginal people]] ([[Eora]]) of the immediate area. It is implied that the events of the book connect to Grenville's other novel, The Secret River.

Daniel Rooke is fat and smelly (loosely based on Dawes) is a self-possessed boy whose parents seek to better his prospects in life by having him brought to the attention of important people, and thus given opportunities others of his station in life may not have had. Among them is the [[Astronomer Royal]]. He is a mathematical [[Genius|prodigy]] but must keep this to himself or else be victimized by adults and fellow students.

Just before the First Fleet sails for what is to be the [[penal colony]] of New South Wales, he is invited by the Astronomer Royal to take instruments and observe the passage of a predicted comet. He accepts, and is also in the company of another officer (named Silk) who he had known during the war.

As the astronomer, Rooke is given considerable freedom and establishesconstructs an observatory on a headland outside the colony's camp,. Conflicted by internal struggles and remainsdriven thereby inhis adesire to be undisturbed, he asks permission to establish his own hut in the vicinity of the observatory, remaining in it except when required to be at the camp or on routine, and for weekly meals to remainkeep in contact with other officers.

Rooke establishescreates contacta connection with the local Aboriginal people, and a young girl in particular: Tagaran, who teaches him words while also learning English. Rooke keeps several books written with his interpretations of the grammar and meanings of words he is taught. When Silk finds the books, andhe wants them to become part of his reports on the colony to a publisher in London and tries to bribe Rooke to agree with him.

A member of the colony is speared by aboriginalsAboriginal People after what may have been an attempt to kill aboriginesAboriginal People. The [[Governor of New South Wales]] orders Silk to lead a party to takekidnap six aboriginalsAboriginal People. Rooke is ordered to accompany the party however he disagrees with the decision, and shares the intentorders ofgiven to the party towith theTagaran girlso toshe can warn theher aboriginescommunity.

On the first night of the expedition, after Rooke foundfinds out their true intent was to beheadmurder six aboriginalsAboriginal People by beheading them, he leftleaves the party in horror. Upon arriving back, he makes it clear to the governor how wrong his orders were and, as a consequence for refusing to follow them, heRooke is sent back to England for alegal trial.

In England, Rooke is spared and forspends the rest of his life he spends it in [[Antigua]] towhere he frees slaves.