What does the main character learn as the book progresses?.
In Phillip Gwynne's novel, Deadly Unna? the main character, Blacky learns many things as well as gaining an understanding of many important issues such as courage, belonging, tolerance of Black people (especially Aborigines) and the importance of relationships and friendships. .
Throughout the progression of the book, Gary Black learns many things and changes in many ways. One of these is Gary beginning to develop a tolerance of the Aboriginal people and their culture, and then further attempting to apply it to the intolerant town in which he lives. Gary's first step towards accepting understanding the Aboriginal people and culture was when Dumby saved him from being beaten up by Mad Dog, giving Gary Black a reason to stop "hating Dumby Red's guts". The only reason why Blacky hated Dumby in the first place was because he was better than him, not because the colour of his skin. From the point when Dumby rescues Blacky, Gary Black remains friends with Dumby, a friendship which later develops into Gary becoming accepted and befriending Dumby's family and relatives. Despite Pickles" and Dazza's comments, Gary stays proud of his "different" friends. The kids from the Point only dislike Aborigines because they suffer from a bigoted view of the world, they learn from the stories about "Wild Nungas" told in the front bar. After Dumby's death in the front bar, Gary feels the need to go to his friend's funeral, but is scared of being rejected, and realises how the Aborigines feel when they see the "BOONGS PISS OFF" sign. Once Gary discovers that Slogs wrote the sign, Gary has a dream which is an indication of his guilt, guilty of his own rejection of the Aboriginal people like the time when he sees Clarence at the jetty, whilst showing Gary has become extremely protective of the Aboriginal culture and people. "BOONGS PISS OFF had been there for months" shows that prior to Dumby's entrance into Blacky's world, he had no initiative of removing the sign, but now through his changes it has become and urgent priority.
