Kangaroo

Kangaroo, published in 1923, arose out of Lawrence’s brief sojourn in Australia and doesn’t seek to hide the immediate autobiographical elements. The basic plot concerns the involvement of Richard and Harriet Somers with an Australian political group called The Diggers Club and its charismatic leader Kangaroo, who’s real name is Benjamin Cooley. Some critics have gone so far as to assign real life characters to Cooley and to equate the club with a secret anti-communist group supposedly set up by the Australian Government, but whether this is the case or not, the novel does reflect current sentiments in the country following the War. It also gives clues about Lawrence’s own opinions of democracy and sees him tilting towards fascism as a solution.