Picnic at Hanging Rock

The Hanging Rock mystery is undoubtedly tragic and horrific. In what ways can it also be considered a joyful release from societal rules? Consider the women’s shedding of clothing, as well as Marion throwing her notebook away, and Irma dancing. You could also consider Mrs. Appleyard’s suicide.

The novel begins with an author’s note that the readers will have to decide whether the events are fictional, and then ends with a newspaper article discussing the events in a manner that makes them seem factual. There are also numerous police reports in the novel. How do these features influence your reading of the novel? How might the novel read differently without these features?

Does the novel suggest that creating neat and strict civilized spaces in the Australian bush in 1900 is unrealistic? Justify your answer using textual evidence.