Rayson investigates the theme of loyalty, truth and betrayal through the characters' need to face the reality of the past. Each character voices an opinion on which they see to be more important, truth or loyalty. For example Marge believes that loyalty can be followed like a religion. "Once you've signed up you don't have to ask so many questions." By this she is suggesting that loyalty can be followed blindly without questioning the people or events that are being protected. Edwin agrees with Marge's thoughts on this subject. "I think that people hold on to these things, like the notion of loyalty, or truth, as if they were unassailable."

As the play develops the sisters become aware that they must put aside loyalties

As he begins to realise that Australia and Sorrento are an important part of Meg's life, his views on Australian culture begin to soften.

The refusal by Pippa and Hilary to recognise Meg's book as an attempt to examine and better understand the truth about their family and themselves shows that literature does not always have the desired effect of the author. Meg's need for reconciliation and her honesty about their problems did change the sisters, but it also destroyed their relationship. As Meg says to Troy "That's the thing you have to be careful about with fiction. It leads us to believe that reconciliations are possible."

Through Meg's expatriate eyes Rayson looks at the changes that Australian culture and identity has undergone over a ten-year period. Meg sees Australia as a country that "honours ordinariness" and is "rife with xenophobia and anti-intellectualism." This is a very limited view of Australian life and relies heavily on her family influences of drinking, fishing, mateship and the role of the mother.

"Australia can't be contained in this sort of broad brushstroke you're asking for. Great big vision makes very empty pictures if you don't attend to the details"

"This town feels like everyone in it was born into middle age. D'you know, the only conversations I've had since we arrived, have been about children and compost."

TROY: He said that people only travelled when they needed to run away.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Hotel Sorrento, Marge Australia, Brit Australia, Australian Australian, Troy That's, Sorrento Meg's, I'm I'm, Dick Edwin, Meg Australia, Pippa Hilary, australian identity, australian culture, cultural identity, hotel sorrento, relationship cultural identity, art transform, power art, literature power, identity literature, identity relationship, rayson looks, cultural identity literature, themes loyalty versus, identity relationship cultural, australian australian culture,
Approximate Word count = 1379
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)