Down at the Dump challenges what kind of love is “acceptable” through the relationship of Meg and Lum. Lum, being a poor Aboriginal boy, means that his relationship with Meg, an upper-middle-class white girl, is frowned upon.
Meg’s mother finds her kissing Lum: “The accusations were falling fast”. At this point, I’d like to mention the fact that White was gay and lived with his. His relationship, and existence as a gay man was the subject of much hatred. This, no doubt, influenced the way in which he wrote.
Meg’s bliss slowly fades to reveal that she “recognised the hate which, for a while, she had forgotten existed”. Her relationship was something that people were ashamed of. Love has a way of making you feel like only you and the other person are the only ones that exist; she felt that with Lum.
Meg feels conflicted because she knows what people think, but she knows:
Love should be the greatest explosion it is reasonable to expect. Which sends us whirling, spinning, creating millions of other worlds. Never destroying.
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