Into The River is a novel by Ted Dawe. In the novel the story of the Maori boy Te Arepa is used to portray modern day issues facing society. The two issues/themes that are most prealnt are institutionalised racism and breaking away from one's traditional/ancestral background. The “Explicit Content” in the novel was also used to help portray modern day issues facing society but more often than not in a youth context.
The theme of institutionalised racism plays a prominent role in the shaping of the main character ‘Te Arepa’ and how the novel takes on contemporary issues in society. With how “Te Arepa” is treated at his upper white middle class private school with often being referred to as “Nig” or simply “Maori”. This eventually leads to being branded “Devon” and the being of the loss of his traditional background. With indifference being shown to the branding by support figures such as teachers and other adults I began to feel realization of the struggle some kids of certain ethnicities face this kind of racism every day. It can come subtle ways like “you can’t afford that” or “Nice clothes, where did you steal
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This is portrayed as the main character “Te Arepa” or “Devon” being “marked for bigger things.” by his Grandpa “Ra”.The struggle that is present is when exposed to new ideas and ways of living the old way life can become “bland” and “boring”. With changes in life, what had been previously seemed important can being less leading to you becoming “disillusioned.” Dawe’s purpose of this was to show how catching the “biggest eel” ever and “Iwi”/tribe can be of the utmost importance one day until exposure to a new idea in this case represented as “City life” can change that. This highlights the idea that what you hold dearest is situational and can change depending on circumstances. How“Liberacion [freedom]” can surpass your traditional duty and obligation the one
The article “Into The Dark Water”, by Lauren Tarshis, is an article about the perspective of Jack Thayer on the titanic. In this article The author included a lot of quotes in the article. I think the author Lauren Tarshis included all these quotes to give you an example on how it would feel on the titanic. For an example “It was the kind of night.” Showed that even though the titanic sunk it was still a beautiful life.
The novel of ‘Looking for Alibrandi’ by Melina Marchetta strongly illustrates the concept that cultural expectations could affect an individual's desire to belong. Although Josephine Alibrandi(Josie)has a strong will to belong amongst her peers. She is very restricted as she receives much discontent from her Australian peers such as Ivy Poison ivy’ and her boyfriend Jacob Coote for being an ethnic. The derogatory language used by Carly “And you're more than a wog imaginatively conveys the mistreatment and exclusion that Josie receives from the rest of society because she is a wog. Josie coming to the realisation that Jacob would have rathered an australian girl than an ethnic and feels that her relationship is coming to a close is shown in the
An individual’s search for identity is fuelled by a need to find a place in the world where we belong, thus not belonging consequently leas to a feeling of alienation and isolation. This notion is explored through May’s journey seeking to connect with her racial heritage, her idea of understanding and acceptance. The old man Graham, May encounters at the mission expresses an Aboriginal perspective on the contemporary relationship between the two societies. “no one to talk about it. And they die, kill em selves, than those governments just put another numba, nother cross in they list. They still trying to do it, kill us of, tell us that its always been they plan.” They hybrid vernacular communicates the hatred through the ethnolect strongly marked by the non –standard features of the pronouns in “they list,” “they plan.” Graham’s diatribe reflects him as an individual demonstrating the marginalisation of the minority groups. Similarly, Armin Greder’s picture book The island demonstrates the notion concerning the duality of belonging with its inherit prejudices and xenophobic attitudes expresses the majority’s deliberate exclusion of ‘the other’ outside
Kwaymullina uses the concept of dystopia in her novel to express how people in contemporary Australia are afraid of being different. This can be seen through the existence of detention centers in the novel. Ashala and her tribe are treated unequally in society, through their ostracism to Firstwood we can see that the society is afraid of difference amongst the civilization. The society, in particular people such as Neville Rose, are afraid of what they do not know. The Tribe have been branded as ‘Illegals,’ this shows that they are made out to be villains in society and are isolated from the world, although they are doing no harm, they are vilified and are suppressed by society. Kwaymullina uses a nuanced approach to convey to the readers of Ashala Wolf
Phillip Gwyne’s novel, “Deadly Unna?” explores how the main character Gary Black, a white boy from the “Port” also known as “Blacky” grows up by not agreeing to racism. Blacky experiences prejudice and friendship from both the aboriginal and white communities. Blacky begins to develop a greater tolerance for aborigines and their culture, and then he further attempts to apply this knowledge to the intolerant and prejudiced town in which he lives. The boy who helps him shift in his opinion of aborigines is a local aborigine named “Dumby Red”, who lives in the aboriginal missionary “The Point”. Dumby is of Blacky’s Football team and helps Blacky in various ways to become more tolerant.
Hayden targets the Everyman, and his straightforward writing greatly assists him in communicating his ideas. He doesn’t use a complex vernacular, for which the readers may need to pick up a dictionary to continue reading. He tells stories, injected with humour, and colloquialisms as a method of engaging the reader. However, Taylor’s use of humour in his essay is more than a tool to keep the reader interested; it keeps the reads from becoming scared away by the uncomfortable racial topics at hand. A favourite tool of his, dramatic irony, is used when a director exclaims that “he’s got an amazing grasp of the Native situation for a white person” (61, Taylor). The tension of that sentence is relieve by the ironic light in Taylor portrays it. Of all the parts of his essay, his style is the most
In these novels the theme I chose was racial prejudice, were it also gives a message racism and how far it could go. Further into “From An Ordinary” it's
It is a natural part of human nature to long for the feeling of belonging, even if it means following a corrupt and unjust social regime. Craig Silvey weaves this idea into the novel Jasper Jones, in which the “half-caste” deuteragonist and protagonist Charlie Bucktin discover the death of the shire president’s daughter, Laura Wishart, and work together to find the culprit as to avoid the inevitable scapegoating of Jasper for this crime. Silvey’s implementation of the historical setting of the 1960’s introduces the themes of fear, racism within a social regime and scapegoating; these ideas relate to the racism present in Australia at the time, due to the reign of the White Australia Policy and the effect of the Vietnam War. By integrating these key ideas into the story of Jasper’s experiences with scapegoating, Silvey reflects on real-life examples of racism present in Australia during the 1960’s, as well as other developing nations, and how the need to impress others is the major drive for the wider
In the memoir The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, the chapter titled: On the Rainy River has a central idea of resentment, embarrassment and eventual acceptance to change. The author creates this central idea with the use of a regretful tone, man vs society conflict, and dreary imagery. The theme of this chapter contributes to O’Brien’s intentions for the book because it demonstrates the struggle, shame, and or confusion each man drafted into the war experienced.
A River Runs Through it is a story about the relationship between two brothers. The younger brother Paul has problems. He is a gambler, a drinker, and is short on cash, but his main problem is that he will not allow his older brother, Norman, to help him.
A River Runs Through It is, deservedly so, the work that Norman Maclean will always be best known for. His 1976 semi-autobiographical novella tells what is really only a brief piece of the life story of two brothers who grew up together in the Montana wilderness; but the scope of this timeless tale of fishing, family, and religion extends beyond just a few months. It touches on the entirety of the complicated relationship between Norman Maclean and his parents, and his prodigal yet distant and troubled brother Paul. In masterful and stirring prose, Maclean examines the strength of their bond, and yet how neither he nor his family could keep Paul from self-destruction. Maclean also mulls over his and his family’s ideas about grace and man’s relation to nature. Maclean’s enthralling vision is delivered through the artistry of his writing, earning the book its deserved position as a classic of American literature. In 1992, a film adaptation of the novel was released,
Set in a rural Australian town in the 1960s, Steven Herrick’s novel by the river is portrayed through the eyes of protagonist Harry Hodby. This novel explores the interconnected themes of loss and leaving. Harry Hodby loses three significant people in his life; his mother, Linda Mahony and Eve Spencer. As we peer into the perspective of the principle character, we understand how he deals with each of his losses in an individual way, and how he finally finds closure and acceptance of the people in his life that have departed.
“Many Rivers to Cross” written by June Jordan is about a young lady who goes through a difficult childhood which follows her to her adult life. Her father was not very much
(208). Although, he does not fit in with the New Zealand connotation of “black man” because he is half Spanish-half Native American. A black man becomes part of Starkie’s identity, and the colour of his skin closely links to his behaviour as well as a reason behind his mischievousness. The black man label held a significance
The school that Kura, Riripeti, and the rest of the children attend is one that has been colonized by the English. At this school, the children’s native language of Maori, is banned on all school grounds; English, being the only acceptable language to be spoken. The Maori children are forced to forget their native Maori identity, learn and accept their given English names and ultimately assimilate under the current English ruling.