This study guide addresses both the context and the content of Patrick White’s classic Australian novel Voss. Under “context” it summarises the novel’s reception,its place in the author’s life, and its inspiration in the expeditions of the lost explorer Ludwig Leichhardt. Under “content” the guide deals with five layers of meaning that are evident both in individual passages and in the novel’s overall design. These are: the physical or plot layer; characterisation; the emotional layer; the moral layer; and the metaphysical or spiritual layer. (more…)