The People Before by Maurice Shadbolt

1. "It wasn't the first farm my father had taken on and it certainly wouldn't be the last"

1. "It wasn't the first farm my father had taken on and it certainly wouldn't be the last"

This part of the exposition reveals the narrator's past in which he was frequently moving which can suggest a stable education was unlikely. This also reveals the hard working nature of the father and his determination to get a good harvest from every farm. however this also introduces the subtext of failure as the family has to keep moving.

2. "Yes, Tom said. "It's your land."

This reveals a sense of culture into the story. In particular how the Maori people were invaded by the Pakeha (white community) who introduced the concept of land ownership to the country.

3. "I don't think I'll ever forgive him"

When the narrator and his brother Jim are talking to each other in the second world war, a large sense of disappointment, anger and even betrayal is felt. The narrator feels this way because Jim did not learn his lesson about the culture and how he still calls their childhood home 'ours' when in fact the land had always owned to the Maoris.

4. "It seemed the land itself had heaped some final indignity upon him, made a fool of him"

The ignorance of the Pakeha is highlighted and the theme of revenge is suggested with this quote. Revenge was given through the meanings of thought and words rather than violence which makes the Pakeha seem more foolish than the Maoris.

5. "You find, you keep"

This is an ironic reference towards the past between the Pakehas and the Maori. The Maori's originally had no concept of land ownership and so when the travellers came to New Zealand they took over the land that rightfully belonged to the Maoris.

6. "But Jim didn't seem to hear or understand, his eyes were still bright"

When Jim first sees the greenstones he found, he becomes obsessed. This reveals an idealistic side to Jim who in fact represents the Pakeha due to the fact that he cares more about the value of the items rather than their meaning.