Four Approaches to Patrick White: An Essay

In 1973, after thirty-five years of writing literary fiction, Patrick White was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, an acknowledgment of the international importance of his work. In spite of this recognition, the attitude towards him is still predominantly negative in Australia, where conversations about him tend to focus on his personality rather than his work. In 2012, the centenary of his birth, there were signs that the negativity may be abating; however, it is too early to tell whether Australians will adopt a more positive view of their Nobel laureate. This essay describes four academic approaches which trace the trajectory of White studies in Australia: from Metaphysical Author, to Failed Visionary, to Psychosexual Problem, to Literary Scam.