Discovering Places
Artworks
Banksy. Various works. Banksy is an anonymous grafitti/street artist (or collective?) whose work has commented on themes as diverse as the Israel/Palestine wall and the definition of Art. Usually spray-painted through a stencil, his works are deceptively simple twists on the everyday which invite us to discover the world in a new way, revealing inequality and hypocrisy through humour. In addition to investigating the physical context of the artwork you have chosen, discuss the use of contrasting styles and his symbolic use of colour. You can view Banksy's artworks online [https://www.canvasartrocks.com/blogs/posts/70529347-121-amazing-banksy-graffiti-artworks-with-locations] and read a "biography" at The Smithsonian [http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-story-behind-banksy-4310304/] Advanced students might choose to discover what has happened to these artworks as they are increasingly commodified and reduced to a part of the system (right down to merchandise in a gift shop!) he originally resisted.
Films
Cuaron, Alfonso (2013) Gravity is a thriller where the villain is space itself. When disaster strikes their space station, two astronauts are flung into space. This film lends itself particularly well to a feminist analysis as it examines the roles of a woman in the male-dominated world of astrophysics, as well as woman as mother and woman as hero. Pay special attention to the cinematography, especially the long shots and unusual lighting, and unusual soundtrack which create a sense of weightlessness and disorientation for the viewer. There is an excellent study guide to this film in Screen Education 73 (Autumn 2014) and some useful reviews at David Bordwell's Website on Cinema [http://www.davidbordwell.net/blog/2013/11/07/gravity-part-1-two-characters-adrift-in-an-experimental-film/]
My City Walkabout explores the experience of a young Aboriginal man discovering something lost since the time of his childhood, especially as relates to his connection to the land and his natural surrounds. “I walk the city streets, I buy my food at Coles and Woolies… my city walkabout…” says the young man. “But something is not right.” The intriguing twist to this short film is that it was made by two non-Aboriginal girls – two student filmmakers on a journey of discovery of their own. A rich source of inspiration for those exploring the core text poetry of Robert Frost or the Indigenous plays of Jane Harrison.
Source: Campfire Film Foundation [http://www.campfire.org.au/festival/senior-english-discovery]
Legoland represents a quiet and pleasant discovery of place. How quick we are to judge our town, our suburb, our home as something to be ashamed of, but this film invites us to reconsider this often unfair self-deprecation. At first, young filmmaker Shaniece Igano can’t even bring herself to name her home in the housing commission area of postcode 2502. To her it is, simply “Legoland… where all the houses look the same”. But notice the change halfway through: “it might look ugly, but through my lens, I think it looks beautiful”. This is a visually evocative discussion-starter.
Source: Campfire Film Foundation [http://www.campfire.org.au/festival/senior-english-discovery]
Non-Fiction - Books
Menzies, Gavin. (2002). 1421: The Year China Discovered the World. [NF 910.95]. This revisionist history asserts that a fleet of medieval Chinese ships circumnavigated the globe, discovering America, Australia and Antarctica. While this version of history has been well and truly debunked [See The myth of Menzies at http://www.1421exposed.com/], the book is a great resource for looking at the IDEA of discovery and how it has been used by historians and writers. It's a 640 page book, so only use one section - especially useful should be "The Emperor's Grand Plan" which sets "civilised" and "opulent" China against "backward, crude and barabaric" Europe. You might also choose to focus on the author's own voyage of historical discovery as retrieval process, uncovering buried history
Songs
Sondheim, Steven. (). The advantages of floating in the middle of the Sea from Pacific Overtures. This satirical song (lyrics available here [http://www.sondheimguide.com/pacific.html] describes the Western view of Japanese culture as engaged in quiet peaceful tasks while the rest of the world carries on moving into the future. It could be read wither from a metaphorical [perspective (lie Life of Pi) or analysed in detail to discover the ways that the writer is satirizing the Western “us” and “them” attitude. This song (both lyrics and music) lends itself particularly well to a postcolonial analysis.
Anu, Christine. “My Island Home”. [Watch the viedo clip at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSFGK9HlEto] This song of homesickness describes the singer’s longing for her “Island home” while she is in the dry windy city. It describes “the importance of the community that represents your origins and is ‘home’ with all its connotations of warmth, love, closeness and community. If you live away from ‘home’, whatever that may be, it’s drawing power may affect your choices and behaviour” (from erudite HSC). One of the comments on Youtube makes an interesting point about the context of this song: “The song is about the Torres straight Islands. But you get a DJ to play this song overseas, Aussies stand side by side singing this song together.” Discuss the use of simple emotive words, the juxtaposition of city and island images and the repetition of key words. In the video clip, a nalyse the symbolism of the jewellery as well as the effect on the viewer of the water over the cityscape and the transition to symbols of freedom and island landscapes (When is she shown on the ground; when does she float like a cartoon across the screen?). Recommended for ESL and standard students.
Tears for Fears. (). “Destination Unknown”. [Ms Carmyn has a copy – if you find it online, let her know!] In this song, the singer is lost in a nameless place desperately trying to contact the listener. In addition to the extended metaphor of the title and emotive language, discuss the sparse instrumentation at the beginning, the constantly falling melody and the relentless rhythm. An excellent defintion of an imaginary place.
Simon and Garfunkle. (). “Sounds of Silence”.This ballad describes a man walking down a dark street desperately trying to communicate with a world that is lost behind bright lights and city walls, so that people “talk without speaking” and :”hear without listening”. The words are simple but the metaphors are strong and full of paradoxes like that of the title. Discuss how the simplicity of the melody and instrumentation help the reader to discover the message the narrator is trying to tell us.
Poems
Armitage, Simon. (2008). "Out of the Blue" online at Scottish Poetry Library [http://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poetry/poems/out-blue-12]. This heart-wrenching poem commemoratesthe 5th anniversary of 9/11. Because it is told from the point of view of a man waving a shirt from high up in the building, it highlights the irony that the attention he is attracting cannot save him because it is the attention of TV viewers far from the site. This poem allows you to discover the power of the media representation of an event, as well as the powerlessness of media/viewers to change a situation - or, from an alternative perspective, the ruthlessness of media's quest for a story that will "sell". Focus on the first person narrator, the endless rhetorical questions and use of the present particle (-ing verbs) and gerund (-ing nouns) to put you inside the narrator's mind. An analysis of this poem can be found at BBC Bitesize [http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/poetryconflict/outoftheblue1.shtml]
Philips, Katherine. (1678). "A Country Life" online at The Illuminarium [http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/philips/philipsbib.htm. This poem looks back to the classic "Golden Age" to discover a world innocent of materialism and lust, where true friendship and art were possible. She compares this state with life in the country, which she juxtaposes with life in London, where people care only about wealth and courtship. This dichotomy is also evident in The Tempest, and even Motorcycle Diaries and Life of Pi. Look for classical allusions and the nouns and adjectives she categorises on either side of the city/country dichotomy. You should also mention the tight rhythm and rhyme scheme typical of poetry in her era and how this might be interpreted to fit her themes.
Angelou, Maya "Africa" online at Afropoets [http://www.afropoets.net/mayaangelou21.html] depicts the continent of Africa as a beautiful abused woman who is now fighting back against the colonists. Simple language and imagery conveys a powerful image of the damage European clonisation has done to Africa - first by exoticising her beauty then by plundering her resources. Only now is she discovering her power. Make sure you talk about the reader's disdovery (of Africa's past; of the fact that Africa is a Eurocentric concept because it consists of 54 different countries...) as well as Africa's power to fight back against the invaders. Schmoop [http://www.shmoop.com/after-great-pain-a-formal-feeling-comes/poem-text.html] has a good analysis of this poem.
Gregor, Debora. (1994). "Miranda's Drowned Book" online at Anna McHugh's blog [http://discoveryhsc.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/fascinating-related-text-dramatic.html] Rich in symbolism, this poem gives Miranda's perspective on her relationship with her father and the island landscape on which she was raised. Recommended for advanced students, especially if they are studying The Tempest (if you're not, read or watch the play so that you understand the context of Miranda's speech).
Poe, Edgar Allen. "Dreamland". Poe is well-known as a master of suspense, creating creepy gothic landscapes and characters which could grace any horror film. This poem celebrates the power of the imagination to create adn transform our emotions - in this case through eeie chasms filled with ghouls and other horrific creatures. Look for chains of metaphors and the emotions they evoke and compare these to the symbols in texts such as Life of Pi and The Tempest. You can find the poek online at Schmoop [http://www.shmoop.com/dream-land-poe/]
Novels
Baum, L. Frank. The Wizard of Oz. the famous story of four misfits on a journey to discover the qualities that will help them belong. Analyse the way each character symbolises a particular human fault and how overcoming these faults connects them so that they can defeat the wicked witch. Recommended for standard students only.
Blake, Bronwyn. Julia, My Sister. The way Julia copes with the physical and emotional changes in her life after being involved in a traumatic accident reveals many different paths of discovery (including one important twist). Pay special attention to the structural role of the songs threaded through the narrative and discuss the contrast between city and rural town lifestyles, especially the way the rich sensory descriptions of the outback depict the protagonist’s phychological state. The author’s view can be found at (Spoiler warning – read the book first!) http://www.bronwynblake.com.au/julia.html.
Cornish, L. M. The Monster Blood Tattoo: Foundling. Rossamund Bookchild leaves the orphanage (where he grew up alienated by his girl’s name and small build) to become a lamplighter whose duty is to light the lamps along the Emperor's highways, and protect all travellers from monsters that live in the wild. Focus on the lavish sensory descriptions and his growing relationship with Miss Europe and slow discovery that not all monsters wear a monstrous face. Winner of young adult and fantasy awards, this text is recommended for students who want to write about the complexities of social relationships.
Pierce, Tamora. Trickster’s Choice. Aly is taken by pirates and sold as a slave where she makes a bet with the god Kyprioth, to protect the children of the Balitang family from unknown dangers. Her adventures teach Aly enable aly to discover a whole new way of life in a country far from her family. Focus on the way the weather and settings represent Aly’s emotions and on the symbolic way her relationship with Nawat develops. Recommended for standard students (but don’t get sidetracked into telling the plot – focus on two-three important scenes).
Pierce, Tamora. Terrier. This detective story is set in a medieval fantasy world of Tortall. Although Beka was raised to be a “lady” by the Lord Provost, she decides to become a “dog” (police officer) and investigate the murders of missing children. Focus on the increasingly formal and clichéd dialogue and sensory descriptions which reveal Beka’s separation from her biological family and the jargon and colloquial language which show her gradual discovery of how to fit into the “kennel. Recommended for standard and advanced students who want to focus on characterisation (don’t get sidetracked into telling the plot – focus on two-three important scenes).
Pullman, Phillip. Northern Lights. The strongest sense of self in the His Dark Materials universe is the bond between a person and their soul/daemon (in the shape of an animal). When children start to disappear, Lyra decides to investigate and discovers that this link is in danger. This text could be used by standard students on a simple level to discuss the role of daemons as a parallel to the tiger in a spiritual interpretation of Life of Pi or by advanced students who could analyse the author’s use of literary references to the biblical stories and Milton’s Paradise Lost.
McCaffrey, Anne. Dragonsong. Talented musician, Menolly embarrasses her family by wanting to pursue a career is a harper even though she’s a girl. This fantasy novel depicts struggle against all the odds to change the ‘rules’ after her accidental discovery of dragon-lizards, which will save her colony. Focus on the way the landscape is used to portray Menolly’s emotions as well as types of orders and questions in the dialogue to establish her role in the hold and the hall.
The Two Pearls of Wisdom by Alison Goodman. HarperCollins Publishers, 2008. ISBN-13: 9780732288006. 435 pp. This is a superb fantasy for older teenage readers. It involves dragons, but this is most certainly not stereotypical. Beautifully written, it is the story of a young protagonist who discovers that denying her identity to fit in can only lead to disaster. This is suitable at all levels.
Short Stories
Baynton, Barbara. (). “A Dreamer” in Bush Studies. Set in colonial Australia, this story depicts the Australian landscape as an destructive force that divides the protagonist from those she loves. Analyse the way the landscape and weather symbolise the protagonist’s psychological state, and discuss the force of love which gives her courage to discover a way to overcome all obstacles as well as the irony of the ending
Zuzik, Emily, (2000). “Going without at Ramadan” in A woman’s path: women’s best spiritual travel writing. (Belonging folder at 820.9) When travelling in Morroco, the author decides to keep Ramadan even though she isn’t Muslim – a way of discovering the reality of livign in a foreign country. Discuss the features of a travel article -sumptuous sensory description of settings, explanatory sequences – eg about Ramadan – as well as the more personal description of how she feels about not eating all day, and the ironies she notices in Morrocan society.
Hererra, Susana, (2000). “Jum Boo Nah” in A woman’s path: women’s best spiritual travel writing. (Belonging folder at 820.9) Describes the alienation of a Western woman on holiday in an African village, and the moment she discoversself- acceptance, a feeling of being “in her skin”. Analyse the things which lead her to feel “other” than the women she obviously finds fascinating, and the way the same image is presented differently after she discovers a connection. Focus on the sensory imagery common in all travel writing, the use of foreign words in italics and the internal monologue that lets you know what she’s thinking at a particular moment.
Chernin, Kim, (2000). “Initiation” in A woman’s path: women’s best spiritual travel writing. (Belonging folder at 820.9) When the Jewish-American writer goes to Israel to work on a Kibbutz, she does not expect that her most profound sense of discovery will be with a group of Morrocan villagers with whose language she cannot speak. Discuss the rich sensory imagery (sights, smalls, sounds) that depict her connection to the land (and the goddess she feels is embodied in the land).
Plays
Beckett, Samuel. Waiting for Godot (842.914 BEC). In this absurdist play Vladimir and Estrogon wait endlessly on a road waiting for Godot to arrive. Discovery (or the lack of it!) is expressed in a literal sense (nothing changes except for the leaves) and in an emotional sense (the joint act of waiting, the sharing of a carrot) throughout the play. There are lots of study guides out there on this play, but you will have to reinterpret them to relate the text to discovery. Recommended for advanced students or students who have studied enough drama to discuss absurdist theatre (vs realism).
Tulloch, Richard. Space Demons: The Play (A822 TUL) Based on Gillian Rubenstein’s novel, Space Demons, this play examines the problem of computer game addiction the the characters of two boys who are drawn into a game based on anger and hate. Focus on the way the plot develops tension (and eventually a sense of belonging) between characters and the way the dialogue represents human and mechanical experiences of the world. Recommended for standard students.
Thomas, Dylan. Under Milkwood (1956).. This wonderfully lyrical radio play is a gentle journey of discovery as the audience is led through very personal moments in the life a Welsh town’s inhabitants. There is no story; instead the audience moves from character to character, discovering their secret dreams and desires: Miss Price and Mr Edwards’ unspoken courtship, Ms Ogmore-Pritchard’s OCD obssession with cleanliness, Mrs Rose Cottage’s daughter Mae discovery of her sexuality, Mr Pugh’s wish to murder his wife, Captain Cat’s snooping on his neighbours, all interwoven together by the highly narratorial voice that creates a lush poetic wordscape. This text would suit a talented standard student and would fit extremely well with The Tempest. It is overflowing with innovative language forms and features.
Non-Fiction
Chang, Jung Wild Swans
Cracknell, Ruth. (). Journey from Venice []
Poems Homer. (). The Odyssey []