Orlando, a person meant to epitomise the English through
history, has a deep dislike of tea (Mandarin for Camellia sinensis).
Mischievous Virginia Woolf draws our attention to the absurdities nationalism
appropriates for its own purposes. Orlando himself becomes herself half way
through the novel. Patrick White was drawn to this subject, not tea, gender
identity, and I wish he’d written an ‘Orlando’ of his own who has a decided
dislike of the BBQ (Arawak via Spanish). Each January Australia (Latin via
Matthew Flinders) Day (Anglo-Saxon), Australians of every description show
their patriotism by drunkenly cooking meat in the blazing heat.
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