This essay elaborates on various reasons why Henry Lawson is so fascinated with the Australian bush. The reason why Lawson is so fascinated is because of the conditions in which he grew up and his life as a writer. There are many stories that prove this, but one of his stories shows his dislike as clear as crystal: "In a Dry Season." As with any writer, Lawson's work reflects his attitude and experiences. To say the least, Lawson's experiences with the bush haven't been exactly ideal.
             Henry Lawson's fascination with the bush can easily be understood given his life and experiences in the bush. Henry Lawson was born in a tent in Grenfell, NSW. Henry Lawson was a child, whose parents continuously fought. As a result of the distance of marriage, they had no energy or the time to teach Lawson about self-confidence, as a consequence Lawson grew up to be a self-conscious and anxious writer. Lawson's childhood was spent in Mudgee and on the goldfields at Gulgong. Henry went to school at Mudgee but during the few years he was there, other children often picked on him. At the age of nine, he developed an ear infection and became partially deaf. By the time he was fourteen, he was totally deaf. He had a very difficult childhood as the family was very poor. It was also here that Lawson gained his appreciation of bush characters and the hardships of making a living. Even as Lawson grew up he had a hard life. In 1896, Lawson married Bertha, and only two years later his problem of alcohol peaked. In 1900, Lawson and his family moved to England where he wrote some of his best work. But in 1902 Lawson was forced to return to Australia due to illness and financial problems. In 1903, Lawson and his wife formally separated. Between 1905 and 1910, Lawson was regularly in prison for non-payment of maintenance and inebriation. He was also in mental and rehabilitation sanatoriums and gradually progressed into a pathetic, dissolute, alcoholic, and wande...