Miles Franklin
Miles Franklin
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Stella Maria Sarah Miles Franklin was born as Stella Maria Sarah Miles on October 14, 1879, in Talbragar, New South Wales. She is commonly known by her pen name, Miles Franklin.
Birth and Death Dates
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Born: October 14, 1879
Died: September 29, 1954
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Miles Franklin was an Australian novelist and journalist of Irish descent. Throughout her life, she identified as a nationalist and championed the rights of Indigenous Australians.
Early Life and Background
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Franklin grew up in a family of modest means, with her parents managing a small farm at Talbragar. Her mother played a significant role in shaping Franklin's love for literature and music. At the age of 15, Franklin left home to work as a governess but soon found herself drawn back to writing.
Major Accomplishments
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In 1901, Miles Franklin published her debut novel My Brilliant Career under the pseudonym Brent of Bin Bin. The book was initially met with criticism due to its frank portrayal of women's lives in rural Australia. However, it has since become a classic of Australian literature and a pioneering work in feminist fiction.
Notable Works or Actions
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Some notable works by Miles Franklin include:
My Brilliant Career (1901)
My Career Goes Bung (1915)
* Old Capes (1929)
Franklin's writing often explored themes of feminism, nationalism, and social justice. Her commitment to these causes was evident in her support for the Australian Labor Party.
Impact and Legacy
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Miles Franklin's impact on Australian literature cannot be overstated. Her work has inspired generations of writers and continues to resonate with readers today. The Miles Franklin Literary Award, established in 1957, honors her legacy by recognizing excellence in Australian writing.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Miles Franklin is widely quoted and remembered for her trailblazing contributions to feminist literature and her advocacy for social justice. Her writing continues to be celebrated for its insight into the experiences of women in rural Australia during the early 20th century.
Quotes by Miles Franklin
My mother is a good woman – a very good woman – and I am, I think, not quite all criminality, but we do not pull together. I am a piece of machinery which, not understanding, my mother winds up the wrong way, setting all the wheels of my composition going in creaking discord.
Every now and again it would be considered wholesome for me to be more with people of my own age. Demotion to such company was a sapless exile. Their inanity was insufferable...
I don’t believe there is a God”, I said fiercely, “and if there is, He’s not the merciful being He’s always depicted, or He wouldn’t be always torturing me for His own amusement.
To grow up in intimate association with nature – animal and vegetable – is an irreplaceable form of wealth and culture.
Our greatest heart-treasure is a knowledge that there is in creation an individual to whom our existence is necessary – some one who is part of our life as we are part of theirs, some one in whose life we feel assured our death would leave a gap for a day or two.
Cowards always drag in the Bible to back theirselves up far more than proper people does...
It is the highest form of culture and craftmanship in art to use local materials. That way you stand a chance of adding to culture. The other way you are in danger of merely imitating it...