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Skrzynecki: Crossing/ Grahame: willows (1 Viewer)

goldenphoenix1

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i thought this would be beneficial to anyone who is choosing one of these texts or either as it helps people to understand the links and how to set out answering various questions
hopefully enjoy
quotes in italics
things in bold are the themes, underlying assumptions and various things you need to know
underlined are the techniques or poetic devices

Daniel Evans. 26th of November 2006.

PHYSICAL JOURNEYS

Note: Speech is written in points and is elaborated on during speech, rather than a total dictation of the whole speech, as to cut down on palm cards and glancing at them.

Good Morning/Afternoon Teachers and Classmates. My name is D...... Evans.
Physical Journeys according to Peter Skrzynecki are ways for people to:
-Overcome obstacles eg. Time & Distance
-Extend Themselves physically, intellectually and emotionally
-Learn about human endurance
-Gain knowledge of themselves and the world.

These points are elaborated on in the two texts I have selected:
-Crossing The Red Sea by Peter Skrzynecki
-Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

Contrast; tone, audience target & medium
Assumptions:
- Future holds unknown; beyond control
-To progress, the past must be “only a validation of existence” (Skrzynecki)

Wind In The Willows by Kenneth Grahame – simple plots, exaggerated personalities & definite characters
Plot – Exuberant Toad wants to go on a journey. Mole Follows. Rat declines fearing unknown.

“I don’t care,” said Rat doggedly. “I’m not coming, and that’s flat.”

Assumption - Physical Journeys are exciting and new
Demonstrated: Symbolism: “Gypsy Caravan”

“Shining with newness, painted canary-yellow, picked out with green and red wheels”

Symbolises an exotic journey; unusual.
Demonstrated: Use of Rhythm: Toad’s quick dialogue

The open-road, the dusty highway, the heath, the common, the hedgerows, the rolling downs! Camps, villages, towns, cities!”

Obstacle:Rat’ Reluctance: Accustomed to what he knows, and safe.
Old River & hole & boat
Toad tries to overcome Rat’s stubbornness

“I’m going to make an animal of you, my boy!”


Irony


Toad trying to further Rat’s knowledge of the world through a Physical Journey.
Summed up – “I want to show you the world!”

Crossing the Red Sea by Peter Skrzynecki – set in post-war 1949.
Details migration of Europeans to Australia as a result of Government Plans, based on the first hand experience of the Poet.

Structure of the story, based on the title and the biblical story of the Israelites and Moses, in book of Exodus.

(Elaborate on comparisons between story and poem. Note: Ending of story is much like migrants end, as they don’t reach the promised land immediately after embarking on Physical Journey)

Structure of poem is definite, with numbers indicating sections where individual themes apply.

Section 1 – Theme of Exile

Obstacle = Past

Many slept on deck/ because of the day’s heat/ or to watch a sunset/ they would never see again

Marks the start of the journey, sunset symbolic of the past. Never physically see the European sunset again.

Memories strayed/- from behind sunken eyes


Poet’s elaboration – “When things become unpleasant, reliance on good memories becomes paramount.”

Human Endurance


Section 2 – Theme of Time

As we crossed a sea/ and looked at red banners/ that Time was hoisting/ in mock salute

Time – Personified, use of Proper Noun.

“Crossed a Sea”


Extension of physical placement – Movement in time
“Red banners” & “Mock Salute” signify movement
A Goodbye; sunset makes the banners red; Mother Nature’s goodbye
Note: Preference To Polish Colours

Section 3 – Resurrection

“I remember a field of red poppies, once behind the forest,/ when the full moon rose”


“Blood/ leaves similar dark stains/ when it runs for a long time/ on stones or rusted iron”

Example of Direct Speech: allows for more accessibility to the text’s emotions

“Red poppies” & “Blood” symbolising death.

(And the sea’s breath/ touched the eyes/ or another Lazarus/ who was saying a prayer/ in thanksgiving/ for miracles)

Biblical Reference; Lazarus parallel migrants. Chance at new life. Self – knowledge The migrants are thankful for a new life. Resurrection!

Section 4 + 5 – Future
“All night/ the kindness/ of the sea continued”

“Accepting outflung denunciations/ with a calmness”

Overcoming Obstacles, Extending themselves emotionally
Sea is comforting them.

Daybreak took away/ the magic of dreams/ fragments of apparitions/ that became/ more tangible that words

Self-knowledge
The future is bright

Indefinite Tone: Connotation:
A blood rimmed horizon/ beyond whose waters/ The Equator/ was still to be crossed

As the poet defines it “The longest part of the journey physically is ahead, yet the longest part of the struggles is also ahead”

THE UNKNOWN: Both Rat and the migrants are reluctant to venture into the unknown fearing uncertainty and ill fortune

(Conclusion)
Short = When people venture, they overcome obstacles, grow, endure, extend physically, intellectually & emotionally to find the end, although the impacts are what they seek for in journeys. Thankyou

Long = Underlying Assumptions allow for people to plan or realise what a physical journey’s impact will be. Trivial expectations are assumptions, such as Rat’s fear of the future, although the future is not in his hands. Also, voyages with extra meaning, hold assumptions that a physical journey has already finished. Physical Journeys are underway, await and have passed us, in which we have overcome obstacles, grown in knowledge, endured and extended physically, intellectually and emotionally, to the end where there is no end but where the impact of that journey lies.
 

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