In any relationship, there is always a power play between the different parties involved and this determines the influence they have on each other as well as those around them. In "Remembering Babylon", David Malouf uses characterization in the early chapters to develop the relationships between the characters which in turn develop the storyline. In developing this relationship, he assigns different characters to different positions of power. “Remembering Babylon” is a work of fiction (a book) by David Malouf set in Australia in the mid-19th century. It centers on an English boy, Gemmy Fairley, abandoned in a foreign land and raised by a group of Aborigines. When white settlers arrive in the region, he attempts to reintegrate into the world of Europeans. Gemmy struggles with his own identity as the settler community struggles to cope with their fear of the unknown he represents. David Malouf made power a theme of “Remembering Babylon” using characters and characterizations. It explores this power through identity/culture, which includes language, behavior, and race. In this essay, I will explore David Malouf's use of characterization to explore the power dynamics of characters in his book "Remembering Babylon." Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get an original essayThe relationship between Gemmy Fairley and the McIvor family, including Lachlan Beattie, Gemmy Fairley, then the white settler community and George Abbot, will be analyzed to demonstrate the influence of such power. When Lachlan Beattie is first introduced in the book, his lust for power is immediately apparent. He imagined a game (wolf hunting) in which he entertains two bored girls using “all his gift of fantasy, and also his will which was stubborn” (Malouf, 1994, p.1). A stubborn will indicates a desire to see your choice followed by others. We see a much clearer display of his power when he meets Gemmy. Using his staff as a weapon, after Gemmy falls helplessly at his feet, Lachlan "captures" Gemmy and brings her back to the town site. Malouf makes it clear, based on Gemmy's ability to speak English, and shows no intent to attack, that Gemmy is perfectly harmless. “Don’t shoot… I am a Bb-British object” (Malouf, 1994, p.3). This raises the question of why Lachlan found it necessary to capture Gemmy, rather than just letting him run or better leading him to the city. From Malouf's vivid description, we see that Lachlan expresses his belief in white domination of this seemingly black and white person. For Lachlan, “His power was that you recognized what he had” (Malouf, 1994, p. 33). Thus, the only way for Lachlan to gain recognition and a sense of power in white settler society is through Gemmy. After Gemmy is introduced to the settlers, Malouf shows that Gemmy has a fairly poor understanding of the English language and, as such, is not considered an Englishman but a white native, calling him "... the black and white man” (Malouf, 1994, p. 63). This leads the McIvors to take Gemmy in, where a power relationship is established between him and the McIvor family. This is first seen when the McIvor children believe they have a claim on Gemmy. “They felt they had a right over him…” (Malouf, 1994, p. 31). Which therefore allows children to “…drive it like a dog” (Malouf, 1994,.