SAC1 - Views, Values and Context Friday, 17 February 2012 4:44 PM What you need to be able to do: Discuss how our own beliefs affect our understanding of texts Discuss how a text examines, endorses or critiques the behaviour of individuals or the underlying structures of society Explain how a writer uses characterisation, setting, form, narrative, style and tone to convey attitudes and explore ideas. Analyse how a text endorses, challenges or leaves unquestioned various ideas and issues . The Penguin Book of the Beach Monday, 21 November 2011 3:42 PM 'The Water Was Dark and it went Forever Down' by Tim Winton pp. 221-227 Class discussion notes: From pg. 223 - *personification - sand dunes "threatening" the town Alliteration - "blind, busting" Metaphor - being an engine Unusual verb - person to 'spear' into water Imagery - "ludicrous smile", crayboat, etc. Summary: a young girl is on a beach holiday with her mum, goes swimming and ends up letting herself drown. (most students had not realised that the implication was that she had drowned…) Context: young girl, lives with mum but doesn't get along; negative relationship with male figures; swimming as an emotional outlet - shut off from others; beach holiday; 'modern' time period Views and Values: *that being lonely can result in death That problems can seem bigger/more important than they are if that's all you focus on
Transcript
SAC1 - Views, Values and ContextFriday, 17 February 20124:44 PM
What you need to be able to do:
Discuss how our own beliefs affect our understanding of texts Discuss how a text examines, endorses or critiques the behaviour of individuals or the
underlying structures of society
Explain how a writer uses characterisation, setting, form, narrative, style and tone to convey attitudes and explore ideas.
Analyse how a text endorses, challenges or leaves unquestioned various ideas and issues . The Penguin Book of the BeachMonday, 21 November 20113:42 PM 'The Water Was Dark and it went Forever Down' by Tim Winton
pp. 221-227Class discussion notes:From pg. 223 - *personification - sand dunes "threatening" the town
Alliteration - "blind, busting" Metaphor - being an engine Unusual verb - person to 'spear' into water Imagery - "ludicrous smile", crayboat, etc.
Summary: a young girl is on a beach holiday with her mum, goes swimming and ends up letting herself drown.(most students had not realised that the implication was that she had drowned…)Context: young girl, lives with mum but doesn't get along; negative relationship with male figures; swimming as an emotional outlet - shut off from others; beach holiday; 'modern' time periodViews and Values: *that being lonely can result in death
That problems can seem bigger/more important than they are if that's all you focus on
Appearance + strength are valued by 'the girl' - in society too Stubbornness over 'emotional strength'/being open and honest.
Addition: 22/12 - Mahalet's and Alexis' presentation;
*uses swimming as a way to get away from her mother
Mother represented by the water? The girl "thrashes" and moves violently through the water
Lots of descriptive language Leaving character unnamed adds to mysteriousness
The author is endorsing the beauty of the Australian landscape. Eg pg 223Winton commenting on the way we move through life; He is questioning the concept of always moving, and striving for perfectionWinton challenges the idea of pushing ourselves too far and treating ourselves like machinesWinton critiques to notion of perfection in our society (eg. Comparison between 'perfect body' and mother's scars Sensory images - pg 223 'hot wind' Metaphor - pg 224 reference to machinery; watch is a metaphor - watch destroyed by water, like she is drowned by her mother and her attempts for perfection
Round Table Discussion: 6th February'Big Fish, Little Fish' Initial first pages:*Zefferino's father - Predictable - character sticks to his passion, maybe not very adventurous, sticks to what he knows (doesn't go out of his 'box') Characterisation.
Short sentence " Z spent whole afternoon's in the water." DUNKS us right into the setting. Personification Arduous - interesting word= hard work, tedious. "there was no boy"… saying it's 'his thing' he's good at it. Characterisation Imagery - walking along with his father, hand in hand, etc. List of things he's got (overtime) - also 'loan' - willing to risk to get what he wants for his
passion Contexts - have already learned about different contexts - land and water are like different
lives. Comparison - Z is described in ways we might describe a fish! "Yes Dad" = dialogue "legs ending like a fish" - simile Equipment is like a continuous of Z's body - reinforces comparison of fish "shove" "scudded"… "anxious... attentive" = alliteration. "the" = definite article; "a" = indefinite article - helps reader relate; compare The 'single eye' - unusual choice, personification? 'to swallow' interesting verb choice
"Crinkles" like the sea has a face "sea-anenomes gleamed in expectation" personification. Also "peeped" and "vanished" "shadows of clear stone" description that makes you think/wonder "squadron" - like soldiers/precise/moving together Characterisation of Z - young, but composed pg 61 Meeting fat woman: imagery of the drops; 'taking the sun' rather than sunbathing
(translation?); in the way of the sun Formal sentence structure "Do please go on fishing… " etc. Different perspectives: Z - amazed, taking in all the beauty, looking at things in positive way;
Fat Lady shutting out beauty because she's sad Sea-side Houses - Daniel's and James' presentation: Discovering another, while at the same time becoming another.Destroys his marriage. Reader can relate- both feel curiosity (like Mr Odgen); lots of intricate detail
Suggests that our environment is the product of our actions. Challenges the idea that mankind is ignorant of our own hardship "why is it that our understanding of the reality of the universe so inescapable" - Writer suggests that most people choose to ignore this. Values: sympathising with others, compassion Contexts: probably post-War; US - refers to houseguest as 'Southerner' - so during time of North/South divide? Rhetorical questionsSimiles usedDescription of house "burning with their lights"Repetition
The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World - Annie and Rashi's presentation Village starts with no ambition. The drowned man serves as a catalyst for change in the village. They start to find out that they have lots in their lives; they feel empathy towards 'Estaban'; Estaban gives the villagers self-sufficiency and motivation for having a better life Through innocence, compassion is equally shared.Compassion can change one's life Context: isolated fishing village Imagery: pg 277 clumps of seaweed, jellyfish, etc. And "the smell of the sea" - lots of sea imageryMetaphor - pg 281 drowned man represents the seaAllusion to Greek mythology - sirens Interpretation: in a place where innocence is the king, the chance of finding kindness and love are equally possible.
Last day of Summer: Luci's presentation Jenny - overweight, overlooked and has an annoying laugh - gets taken advantage of.12 yo only person who treats her as a friend, because she does the same. Unique friendship, ultimately cut short by a tragic ending. Views: That children can be more accepting and less discriminate ; despite being uninformed/ignorant, children can be quite perceptive; social cliches - like 'don't judge a book by it's cover' and 'it's what's on the inside that counts' The author challenges: that first impressions matter; that kindness is the same as acceptance (the housemates are 'nice' to Jenny, but keep her apart) Language is simple to show that it is from the perspective of a child
Narrative shape - doesn't give every detail straight awaySimiles - eg. River "the river is black… like the cloth scraps that used to be in the attic" pg 100 then uses a metaphor "the cloth scraps fall back…"Personification - blackbird 'waits' until Jenny and boy are more comfortable with each other before it sings. (a metaphor for their growing friendship, too?)Description - river 'stretching' between the treesSensory images - Jenny's laugh, smell of Jenny's sweat, feel of her hand Context: lives in English coutryside, exposed to country sports (rowing) and beauty of outdoors; exposed to drugs and relationships - not as active participant!; Jenny has a background of living in a small flat in the city, used to be a teacher, bullied, honest and respectful, but not respected; Kate - single mother, post-natal depression? bc sad and cruel towards Alice. Spindrift - Mimi's presentation Views: being around your family, taking care of them and being good to them is very importantThat nationalism isn't a good thing - she comments on the "instinctive dislike for England" that she hears from AustraliansBelieves that the truth is important - but she isn't always honest herself because values making others happyThe little things in life should be appreciatedDreams are valuable - character held back The author challenges the importance of 'high society' life - it ends up holding the character back from positive life experiences Metaphor - water as rebirth - new beginning through first dip in the water - gives her the energy to go on Contexts: Australia vs England; fear of the beach (because sister drowned)The fish-scale shirt - Ellie's presentation Character feels like she is in a fairytale.Similar structure and elements to fairytales. Fable-like narrative. The author challenges our perception of happiness - that we need to look at what will make ourselves happy. The author uses the character to represent 'ourselves' - why don't we follow our own dreams, etc.? The Midnight Love Feast - Tatiana's presentation Summary: it is about a couple who plan to divorce at a fancy dinner party but after hearing all their friends' stories about love and loss they decide against it. Context: Oudalle (he) : snores, tells the same stories, doesn't like chit-chat, he is a seaman, has never worked on a sail boat.Nadege (she): organised, smart, likes communication, studied French, wants drama and action in a relationship.Madman: from Chile, emigrated to Antipodes, studied astronomy, dancing and sculptures.
View: Michael Tournier was addressing the endless list of divorces and that if you listen to the stories that others tell you might find the spark you thought was gone. Value: Nadege valued conversation, Oudalle valued fishing (both valued each other) Literary techniques: imagery (pg 393, 394) both have alliteration "shore sparkling" ,"statues sculpted in sand". Pg 395 simile "like a Saharan", pg 397 personification "it babbles through the thousands of moist lips", pg 398 metaphor "It's a baby burbling in its cradle", pg 400 structure of sentence "he shouts, he rages, he's abusive" Study DesignMonday, 21 November 20113:47 PM Key Skills
WHATEndorse: to give support or approve. Eg. 'I endorse that kind of behaviour'; 'Her work endorses the right to free speech.' Critique: to review critically; evaluate. Eg. 'I would like to critique that idea'; 'His work offers a critique of the inherent classism of modern Melbournian society.' Challenge: to call to account or question. Eg. 'I challenge the idea that men cannot mulit-task'; Her work challenges the traditional notion of 'family'. Question: to cast doubt upon; to challenge or dispute. Eg 'I question the validity of your argument'; His work questions whether children should be forced to attend school.'Monday, 21 November 20113:48 PM
Check: do I know what all of these words mean?
HOWLiterary Techniques - Wednesday 8th FebFrom textbook, create posters to explain: Narrative, Characters, Structure, Imagery, Language, Tone and StyleLiterary Techniques: pg 16-29
Narration Foreshadowing Structure Narrative shape Turning point/climax/denouement/resolution Narrative viewpoint Characters Characterisation Language Tone Style Imagery
Language Features: Metaphor/simile Dialogue Parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives, pronouns,
adjectives, etc.) Punctuation Sentence structure Descriptive language Slang Etc., etc.
WHY
How our own beliefs affect our understanding of texts How a text examines, endorses or critiques the behaviour of individuals or the underlying
structures of society
Explain how a writer uses characterisation, setting, form, narrative, style and tone to convey attitudes and explore ideas.
Analyse how a text endorses, challenges or leaves unquestioned various ideas and issues
Context Family Social situation Current political climate Life experiences Trauma Successes Etc., etc.
Tuesday, 29 November 20119:10 AM Tim Minchin's 'Not Perfect' video
Born in Columbia (1928)Looked after by grandparents (parents v poor)Inspiration home town - eg.'100 years of Solitude' believed to be based on his rural hometownPersonal context includes understanding of rural life - therefore perhaps a less-than-accepting (difficult childhood?)Lived in Rome ( working newspaper), Paris, Barcelona, Mexico - therefore a traveller, exposed to different worlds, used to change, understands different perspectives?
Politicalsome people question his views - is he Communist/anti-Imperialist
Banana Strike Massacre 1928 - workers under bad conditions (govt. not supporting them); military (under government orders) went in and killed them…
Other works ...
SAC 1 ShortlistShortlist
1. So much water, so close to home - Karlee
2. The handsomest drowned man in the world - Annie & Rashi3. The last day of Summer - Lucy4. The sea-side Houses - Daniel5. Sprindrift - Mimi 6. The Midnight Love Feast - Tatiana7. The Water Was Dark and went Forever Down - Mahalet & Alexis8. The Fish-Scale Shirt - Ellie & Cheyenne
For notes see The Penguin Book of the Beach
Wednesday, 15 February 201212:11 PM Each pair/person will present their story on Wed 22nd:
Summary and personal reflection (how you responded/related to as a reader)
Views endorsed/challenged/critiqued/questioned Values presented/shown Context (s) presented A range of literary techniques used (including page references)
Your interpretation of the story in one clear sentence
WHAT/HOW/WHYFriday, 17 February 20125:05 PMCriteria: 2 & 3
What is being explored? How the author's view (told through reference to the characters) gives the reader an
understanding of human life Clearly state what the author's view is. Eg. "Garcia Marquez endorses the view that…"
HOWLiterary Techniques Resources: Posters in the classroom; Textbook pg 16-29Criteria: mostly 1,2,4
Explore HOW the author present the different contexts and how they express the views Analyse literary techniques (aim for 2 per paragraph)
Understanding of affect VH: Research into author, what was going on at the timeCriterion One
Understand the author's purpose Understand the context of the characters, and the author.
WHY So much water, so close to homeWednesday, 22 February 201211:37 AM Paul Kelly's adaptation of the story - 'Everything's turning to white' Gabriel Byrne discussing the film adaptation, Jindabyne
Jindabyne (film)From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search
promotional posterJindabyne is a 2006 Australian drama film by director Ray Lawrence and starring an ensemble cast including Gabriel Byrne, Laura Linney, Deborra-Lee Furness and John Howard. Jindabyne was filmed entirely on location in and around the town of the same name: Jindabyne, New South Wales, situated next to the Snowy Mountains. The film was written by Beatrix Christian, and was adapted from the Raymond Carver short story, "So Much Water So Close to Home", which was also the basis for one of the storylines in Robert Altman's Short Cuts. Carver's story had been retold in song by Paul Kelly in his song 'Everything's Turning to White', from his 1989 album 'So Much Water So Close to Home' and Paul Kelly would go on to write the score to this film as well. Pasted from <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jindabyne_(film)>
