The Rainbow-Bird Analysis

Palmer’s sentimental short story The Rainbow Bird seeks to confront us by depicting the
tragic murder of a lustrous and opal coloured rainbow by a selfish beekeeper, Cafferty, the
“Honey Man”. Palmer engages the audience through the youthful perspective of the
protagonist, Maggie, who possesses an endearing curiosity and passionate fondness
towards the rainbow bird and the greater encompassing natural outdoors.

Unfortunately, her unique personality leads to her ostracised relationship with other girls
from her school, who “made fun of her because she carried beetles’ wings and cowries
about in her matchbox to stare at under the desk.” The plot follows Maggie racing towards
the sun bright paddock to observe the rainbow bird, which Palmer establishes to be a
symbol of benevolent beauty through seemingly interminable evocative visual imagery
describing the bird “flame-bright and radiant…maker of jewelled patterns, body light as
thistledown, every feather blazing with fire and colour.”

However, at the apotheosis of the narrative, Maggie finds the Cafferty possessed a gun, and
after reviling him, discovers the mutilated body of the bird. She then freezes in horror and
disgust at Cafferty’s profession-induced brutality and abominable insensitivity, to which she
indignantly shouts to him “Beast! That’s what you are… A b-beast.” Palmer further positions
the audience against Cafferty, when describing his “sheepish bewilderment in his eyes” after
noticing Maggie’s “small, sobbing figure”.

Towards the conclusion, we can see the enduring indignation and anger within her, through
Palmer’s exaggerated construction of infernal imagery within Maggie’s psychological
thoughts towards Cafferty. At night, “lying awake”, Maggie reflects on his “evil face, the
broken, tobacco-stained teeth revealed in a grin through the ragged growth of beard”, and
subsequently wishing “if only forked lightning would leap out of the sky and char him to
ashes”. When misfortune befell Cafferty leading to his injury, Maggie was thrilled, believing
that this was justice for him which helps the welfare of the biota. However, Maggie’s
pleasure derived by Cafferty’s pain and suffering makes the reader uncomfortable, at the
thought of Maggie’s newfound vindictiveness.

At the heart of this short story, Palmer demonstrates how a youthful and innocent mind can
be severely distorted simply through an obstinate and unaware man’s immoral act of
blindness towards the consequences of his actions. As such, Palmer’s allegory ultimately
confronts us to reflect upon our actions and the powerful implications it can have on others,
while simultaneously revealing a poignant yet didactic message about the truth of hardships
that one faces throughout life.