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Malouf makes an accurate representation of the sort of atmosphere surrounding 1914-1918, and through historical sources it can be confirmed that the nation was indeed proud, patriotic, and perhaps even too patriotic. Looking at the extract taken from the Museum of Victoria of a letter written by the Senior Mistress of Ballarat High School in 1915, "Every Australian woman's heart this week is filling with pride, with exultation, Boys, you have honoured our land -, it is seen that the nation were so proud and joyous for those who went to represent Australia in the war. When Fly Away Peter' was published, 1982, the world was in the middle of seeing the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) being played out over border disputes and religious and political differences. Not only this but Australia and the world had just been through the Second World War (1937-1945). Through his book, Malouf is able to show how patriotism of a nation could have so much influence over a person's life, as to go to war and see the horrors and deaths caused by war. He is able to show a different perspective, a negative one, of the results of patriotism through the vivid imagery in his book, which intends to deter the people from entering another war at the time of the book publication. .
Leading on from patriotism, the book revolves around the theme of war. It takes the Anzac culture of battles, young boys, and diseases in trenches, and weaves it into a different perspective of Australian Anzac culture. Malouf makes a graphic retelling of the war scenes through the eyes of two young men, Jim Sadler and Ashley Crowther, creating his own Anzac myth'. .
Malouf's recreation of new Anzac images reflects this aspect of Australian culture in a negative way. In the opening of chapter 13, the author already starts painting graphical images through his descriptive use of words. "The air, even at knee height, was deadly.