Raw

Brett holds a rebellious attitude and has certain negativity towards authority; this is expressed in his attitude towards the police at the start of the novel and the use of the dialogue "pigs". They capture Brett after a bungled robbery and he is taken from Sydney to a juvenile detention centre in Mungindi run by Sam and Mary Fraser. Brett Dalton is the individual we see the institution have major effects on, it changes his life, attitudes and morals.

Brett's attitudes towards authority are made very clear, the book is written in 3rd person, but through Brett's perspective this allows us to understand his individual opinions and also allows us too see his change in perspectives due to his institutionalization

"To Brett, Sam was everything he resented here, the more he tried to change him, the more Brett would resist, Brett wasn't going to follow any rules or become the mans buddy like any of the other losers, he was happy with who he was and how he lived. He would beat the system before it beat him. In the end Brett would win."

The irony of this attitude is that so long as Brett retains it, he will be the loser

Conversations between Brett and other characters are much more emotionally charged in dialogue form than they would be if Monk had merely described them.

'Get out'

'Why should I?'

'I said get out!'

'Make me!'

At the beginning of the novel Brett has trouble taking responsibility for his actions, we see this when Brett gets a loving letter from his mother, and he bins it and we hear his thoughts "he was in trouble now so why didn't she help him.

Sam is a very influential person in Brett's few months in the institution; he is a prime example of a positive aspect of the institution. The Simple philosophy utilized by Sam early in the text, and reaffirmed in the conclusion "that only you can change your life" shows us he believes that rehabilitation of young offenders is much more likely to occur through the stressing of personal responsibility for ones choices rather than enforcement and punishment. Sam's farm provides a balance between authority and independence which allows Brett the opportunity to learn compliance towards authority, as well as independence at the same time.

Dehumanization can be an effect of institutions, we see an example of this when the police call him "the boy" rather than his first name, Sam on the other hand calls all the boys, by their first names. Sam gives the boys respect and responsibility, and gradually, the boys learn to give respect back to him, and learn responsibility themselves.

When Brett's bag an wallet are taken by James the Mustang driver, Brett begins to empathize with the experience of being a victim of crime. This is a starting point to the change in Brett's attitudes, he returns to the farm, and whether he knows it or not his rehabilitation begins.

Brett's change in attitudes is seen in the incident when the inmates are allowed to go to the rodeo. Three inmates, including frog were unable to handle the freedom they were given, and frog gets into trouble with a drug dealer, for the first time in the novel we see Brett look after someone else other than himself, he protects frog, taking responsibility not only for himself but for someone else, this illustrates a positive effect the farm has had.

The characters Rebecca, Brett's previous girlfriend, is sinking further into crime and alcoholism and Caitlyn - hopes to "go to uni and study veterinary science or maybe biology", represent Brett's past and future, Brett leaving Rebecca and appreciating Caitlyn's qualities is an important sign for his readiness for rehabilitation.

Brett improves and recognizes this improvement, and it is evident at the end of the novel that Brett has been taught to conform, and wants to stay out of trouble "a lot of people would say he had failed when he did get back to Sydney, that he was a loser, but they would be wrong. He was