essay on the hate race

The Hate Race

Maxine beneba clarke.

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True Colours: The Hate Race by Maxine Beneba Clarke

• The Hate Race by Maxine Beneba Clarke Hachette 272pp 29.99 AU Published August, 2016 ISBN 9780733632280
• The Annihilation of Caste by B.R. Ambedkar, with an introduction by Arundhati Roy and annotations by S. Anand UWAP 416pp 29.99 AU Published November, 2015 ISBN 9781742588018

Reflections on Race and Caste

‘You do say mixed-race don’t you? I mean, you wouldn’t say half-caste anymore, would you?’ – The Hate Race , Maxine Beneba Clarke

In the current global zeitgeist, how is it possible to not think about race? The demonisation and racial profiling of Muslims, the institutional brutality that triggered the USA’s Black Lives Matter movement, the Trump ascendancy, the murder of pro-migration liberal Jo Cox, Brexit, the debate over Australia’s Racial Discrimination Act’s Section 18C: these are provocations that we cannot dismiss. Writing about the topic may be deeply traumatic, particularly for those who are historically and socially racialized. Personal rejoinders and accusations of ‘exceptionalism’ are customary responses. Race is a complex, contested concept, a deeply divisive subject. It elicits strong emotional opinions from the liberally educated and from those who cultivate rationality.

In his 1995 essay ‘The Colour of Reason’ the late Nigerian philosopher Emmanuel Eze puts forward a withering critique of Immanuel Kant’s racial anthropology and moral geography. A proponent of scientific racism, Kant’s doctrines on ‘human reason’ argue that biological inheritance for such attributes as intelligence and goodness is ethnically determined. He claims that ‘Negroes’ are ‘vain’ and ‘stupid’, capable of learning no more than the duties of slavery. In The Metaphysics of Morals (1797) Kant offers an explanation for why slavery was technically an inconsistent contract – yet he provided no substantive ethical argument against slavery’s economic and physical exploitation of black bodies. Kant’s conclusion that ‘Humanity is at its greatest perfection in the race of the whites,’ was an enduring obstacle to racial reform. While this is clearly ethnocentric in light of critical race theory in the twenty-first century, the nineteenth century was an era of profound moral mistrust of mixed race peoples, who were described in the colonies, such as Australia or British India, as ‘half-caste’.

I first experienced racism as a child growing up in London. We lived in Russell Square with its autumn leaves and spring tulips, on the edge of Birkbeck College and University Hospital. Often on the way to school in Holborn, walking through Coram’s Fields, I remember white-skinned boys teasing me, calling me names like ‘blackie’ and ‘darkie.’ The teasing provoked a striking feeling of humiliation and awkwardness.

I was also made to feel acutely aware of my class; my family were encumbered as educated migrants from Kenya, and being Anglo-Indian we did not enjoy the social benefits of belonging to the predominantly Hindu-Indian community, the aloof British cliques or the Afro-Caribbean community. Like thousands of economic migrants surging into England from the newly independent Commonwealth countries of Africa, we had hoped for a new beginning in the metropolis. How could we possibly anticipate that Home Office amendments, immigration reforms and new administrations in the former colonies would change the course of our lives several times? How does one frame the multifaceted narratives of race, and what are the risks in writing about race through the genres of fiction or memoir?

The philosopher and political theorist Cressida J. Heyes  describes race and gender as taxonomies which are ‘internally hierarchical and constituted through relations of oppression, domination, and normalization.’  However, they are not analogous. History, colonial ideology, lineage and intergenerational continuity are essential to the way we think about race, limiting the possibilities for narrating or transforming its categories. For those who are peripheral to official history, for those whose ancestors and their communities have been assigned to the footnotes by colonialism, by slavery or caste oppressions, it is difficult to even begin to grasp the extent to which race inscribes us, through trauma, broken time, creolised language and diasporic interruptions. Yet, by necessity, this is the task of our writing.

What was it like growing up black in Kellyville in suburban Sydney in the 1980s? In her memoir, Maxine Beneba Clarke unflinchingly reveals the co-dependency of victims and perpetrators; the self-hatred resulting from the hatred of others that racism creates in the struggle to culturally dominate and to be supreme. The Hate Race presents both narrator and reader with a mirror in which the reflections are often disturbing and violent.

The Hate Race studies the racializing process that oppresses black and brown bodies – starting with population discriminations and childhood bullying, and on through the narrator’s school years. Beneba Clarke concedes to using fictional names in the book. She alters the chronological frame of real events to sustain a narrative which functions allegorically to link transnational aspects of her family’s history to her youth and to the shared narrative of post-war Caribbean immigration. The historical facts of multiple diasporas, beginning with Africa-descended slaves, are interpolated with collective history and personal specifics:

My Jamaican paternal grandparents and Guyanese maternal grandparents lined up for passage to build a new life for themselves and their young families in a place where – they were assured – the streets were paved with gold.

Her father, Bordeaux Mathias Nathanial Clarke, born in Kingston Jamaica, migrates to London with his parents at nursery school age, excels in mathematics and surprises his community with his outstanding ability and PhD qualifications. Beneba Clark cleverly dramatizes his achievement in the community and hybridises a contemporary Australian voice with ventriloquised North London Creole:

See dis man? The boy’s father, a respected neighbourhood elder asked. Bordy had paper… A PhD in not just any old subject, but mathematics. Tsssk. Any old Montego Bay layabout knew that was a damn hard gig.

Following established black models of writing where voice is polyglossal, the language variance destabilises English grammar even at the risk of creating its own stereotypes. Beneba Clarke uses repeating refrains at the beginning or end of chapters to soften the dialectical and ideological structure: ‘This is how I’d have it sing’; ‘There are myriad ways of telling it. That West Indian way of unfolding a tale. This is how it sang.’ Framing the action, these incantations provide relief from the trauma being described; they are redolent of the ways Caribbean slaves and African Americans have used chorales through the experience of suffering. The device closes authorial gaps between the Australian-born narrator, her Jamaican-born father and her Guyanese, English-born mother, investing the narrative with credibility. In its self-reflexive emphasis on structure, The Hate Race attests to the way that violent collective truths are in themselves representations susceptible to distortion.

Some distortion is also evident in what The Hate Race sacrifices for its singular thematic purpose. The memoir tends to essentialise the individual’s social construction, attributing marginalisation and discrimination almost exclusively to racism. The narrator’s gendered identity at the margins of a patriarchal and a colonial world lacks the detailed or subtle exposition found in Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions or in Gaiutra Bahadur’s harrowing memoir, Coolie Woman: The Odyssesy of Indenture . The parental characters and the gendered aspects of their relationship are partially developed, though some autofictional gaps are crossed in virtuosic style. The narrator’s father, Bordeaux, marries the young actress Cleopatra and they immigrate to Sydney where he is offered employment. The contingency inherent to the migrant experience is humorously evoked when he meets with a Chinese-Australian academic, carrying a Qantas bag to discuss employment prospects at Victoria train station.

Such cultural icons combine with global events to stage the world scene of race barriers and race struggle. The 1958 arrival of the Empire Windrush from the Caribbean, the 1963 Notting Hill riots, the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King, Enoch Powell’s ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech, Billy Hughes’ comments on the White Australia Policy in 1919 and many other historical moments are invoked. Beneba Clarke skilfully links these tabloid histories as she constructs a sweeping master narrative – but this approach leaves gaps in the story, even as it threads transgenerational ethnoscapes. The focalisation is at times contrived; we are left distanced from the interior lives of Bordy and Cleo and there is a sense that they are being spoken for through an inflexible narrative politics . The Hate Race cumulatively accrues minor evidence, as if for a case study of the white settler imaginary. When the couple arrive in Australia they are horrified to be accommodated at Man Friday Hotel, but the incident seems mediated through one lens as though the non-racial meanings, or the comic relief her migrant parents may have experienced, have been omitted from the story. When they are grocery shopping, even the packaging and labelling of food reminds them of black and white categories – but the point is driven hard:

Ugly black block writing screamed the names of smallgoods across white, plastic packages. Cleopatra reached instinctively for one of the few coloured packets in the cheese section of the refrigerator. Bordeaux caught his young wife’s hand mid-air, recoiling in shock. In giant blue lettering the word COON leered at them.

What is incisively observed, however, is the teasing and bullying Beneba Clarke experiences from nasty classmates such as the popular girl, Carlita Allen; her patronising treatment by teachers such as Mrs Kingsley, who scathingly doubts her reliability; the insensitivity of counsellors when the discriminations escalate into hate mail. Coming from a double diaspora, from a complex mixed-ancestry, the young Maxine falters time after time in trying to explain her origins and identity, a dilemma which is brilliantly conveyed. In one incident after another, the reader shares the young narrator’s torment of being trapped in a morphology that is socially ridiculed simply because of its difference.

When she develops vitiligo, a loss of skin pigmentation, Maxine initially believes God is answering her prayers to remove her pigment and stop the harassment, but she ends up scratching and scraping her skin from anxiety. Beneba Clarke takes the reader deeply, harrowingly into this embodied trauma. Her scratching turns areas of skin into thick keloid scarring. When her mother takes her to see a dermatologist he attempts to psychoanalyse her while assigning the condition to an anthropological cause. His explanation, a tellingly racist one, is that keloid is more common in black African tribes seen ‘in television documentaries, or in the National Geographic ’ . Even in the clinician’s treatment room, the narrator’s body and her behaviours are unsafe; she is being medically screened, pathologised through the lens of race. Disturbance, anger, public shame and lowered self-esteem are continuously embodied as stigmata. Beneba Clarke depicts a callous education system which fails to empathise with those who deviate from what is deemed ‘normal’; she quickly learns that she is more desirable as a culturally exotic ‘exhibit’ whether in academic projects, in concerts, or socially, with her boyfriend’s family.

Current scientific consensus is that race is a social construct because of the overlapping genetic traits between people of different populations yet the clustering of physical characteristics has led to the widespread acceptance of race as biological. Beneba Clarke’s memoir is a profoundly disturbing account of structural and institutional racism and she builds her indictment chapter by chapter, case by case. One chapter tackles how the narrator, usually a victim of racist teasing, becomes a perpetrator. Sikh classmate Bhagita Singh has ‘beautiful long jet-black hair in a thick rope like plait…’  Hair expresses the insecurity that physical traits can produce when a person is racialized by majoritarian concepts. Bhagita upholds her indifference to racial taunts and is not impressed by the adolescent narrator’s hair extensions. She makes a neutral comment that in India poor women sell their hair to make wigs, triggering the narrator’s fury. It’s a powerful episode but also deeply distressing because of its violent truthfulness. Rivalries and hierarchies among differing racial groups are all too familiar to minorities, though seldom acknowledged perhaps as a consequence of the fierce competition for acceptance into the mainstream which undoubtedly drives them. Growing up in London, I had witnessed the antagonism between West Indians and South Asians; at times a possessive exclusivism can prevail among racial groups being victimised or dominated by white culture. This kind of dynamic can restrict the interdependence and multiple correlations which are desirable among culturally diverse narratives and representations in multiculturalism. A strength of The Hate Race is its candour in exposing how racism takes many forms, targeting physical traits, while treating humans as a means to dominate rather than as an end in themselves.

Beneba Clarke shows how bullying of all kinds adversely shapes us.  After my family immigrated to Australia, I was spared from overt racist affronts at an all-girls high school. However, in the eighties during an ‘Asians Out’ student campaign, I was accosted unnervingly one day whilst crossing the Wentworth Bridge. It was the kind of generic racist incident I had grown up accustomed to. It was distressing, and it took me off guard, but it was less harrowing than an incident which overwhelmed me as an adolescent travelling in Mumbai. Although India is the country of my origin, it was foreign to me. Nevertheless, I was unprepared for the fierce encounter awaiting me at the Bandra telephone exchange when I tried to make an overseas call. Understanding my request, the man behind the counter stared at me intensely and then shouted several times at me to ‘Speak Hindi!’

Had I been a European tourist, he would have addressed me in English. Had I been a domiciled Anglo-Indian, like my cousins, I would have spoken to him in Hindi or Marathi. I left the telephone exchange in tears, humiliated, failing to make the call. I dismissed this seemingly insignificant though traumatic episode, but it was symptomatic of the sources of caste exile and the racial resentment provoked by an Anglo-Indian presence in post-Independence India. At the time of India’s independence there were 300,000 Anglo-Indians, two thirds of whom migrated to Commonwealth countries in search of a better life. The story of Anglo-Indians in many ways is a refugee crisis. To be Anglo-Indian is, invariably, to be without caste; to inhabit the vestigial zone between nations, histories and languages. Such a deeply perplexing identity requires nuanced understandings. In  Australia, according to the 2006 census, Anglo-Indians constitute 4.3 per cent of Indian migrants with 14 per cent having British Indian heritage. While a few may be Brahmin Christians, those who are not, stand unequivocally outside the official history, politics and literary traditions of the subcontinent.

If historically, caste Hinduism has exiled the métis population, it discriminates harshly against those formerly known as ‘untouchables,’ particularly if they convert. Christian Dalits and Muslim Dalits are still not entitled to the government benefits available to Hindu Dalits, the Scheduled Castes or Adivasi under the Reservation Policy (1950): namely free education, allocation of civil service jobs and seats in state parliament. Colonial configurations of power disturbed the feudal complacency of the Hindu elite. Their prototype, Mahatma Gandhi, was an apologist for the system of caste, but his anti-colonial hunger strikes captured the world’s imagination. He was B.R Ambedkar’s celebrated rival. Arundhati Roy thoroughly demystifies Gandhi’s credibility in her lengthy introduction to Ambedkar’s Annihilation of Caste (1936), recently republished by UWAP. (This volume is notable also, for its pleasingly tangential annotations by S. Annand.) Roy’s opinions on Gandhi have been controversial but should be contextualised by the Indian government’s propagandist and ideological framing of education.

Roy reveals how the 3.5 per cent of Indians who are Hindu Brahmins dominate the wealth, public service, legal, academic, media and publishing industry in the subcontinent. Brahminism is often fetishized and romanticised by the West. Caste is a social practice that treats individuals hierarchically, oppressing and demeaning those ranked lowest, assigning them to the scatological, dictating their appearance, their civil rights and conduct. B.R Ambedkar’s goal was to democratise Indian society, making him one of the most radical thinkers of his time. His work has inspired the contemporary Dalit movement, Dalit studies and its revolutionary politics. He was born into the Maha or sweeper caste in Madhya Pradesh. Under a system of patronage and scholarships, he attended Elphinstone College in Mumbai, Columbia University and the London School of Economics. Roy is correct to note that he was not without colonising prejudices of his own, since he described Adivasis as ‘savages’ neglected by high caste Hindus: ‘Why has no attempt been made to civilise these aborigines and to lead them to take a more honourable way of living,’ he asked.

Annihilation of Caste is addressed not to the far right, not to fundamentalists, but to mainstream Hindus who consider themselves to be moderates. It was written as a commissioned speech for the Jat-Pat Todak Mandal, a Hindu reform group, who on reading the proposed address infamously cancelled the invitation. However Ambedkar published it as a pamphlet in 1936. Annihilation of Caste is written within a framework of modernity in its appeal for equality as a basic assumption of human rights that must be upheld. Using a legal format and demonstrating formidable knowledge and a penetrating intellect, Ambedkar argues that religious reform is as necessary as political or social reform: ‘What the Hindus call religion is really law, or at best legalised class-ethics… it tends to deprive moral life of freedom and spontaneity’. Though often tedious, Ambedkar presents compelling evidence, dossier by dossier, to repudiate the Hindu scriptures for ordering social groups into hierarchies, citing the Plebians in ancient Rome and the northern and southern Irish conflicts, among others.

Primarily, however, Annihilation of Caste it an indictment of Hinduism’s binary logic of purity and contamination. Hindu nationalism has been robustly contested by Dalit-governed dominant politics and by Dalit Studies; this reflects a need to translate rhetoric into substantive reform – but ultimately this emphasis may be complicit with the Brahmin elite by eliding other differences. As Arjun Appadurai notes, a network of financial and religious interests within and outside India serve to align its cultural reproductions abroad with the politics of fundamentalism at home. But this domiciled and diasporic Indian narrative fails to account for significant communities. A frequently overlooked complexity, for example, is the one million Indians who were ferried across the seas to the Caribbean and other parts of the globe, stripped of their caste as indentured labourers following the British Empire’s abolition of slavery in 1834. In the West, Dalits and Adivasi are invariably represented as the only minorities worthy of critical or theoretical inquiry. Yet for the ‘half-caste,’ to self-represent means to cross cavities in historical time, to feel the absence of narrative agency as acutely as the burden of deeply-inscribed discriminations; to turn in infinite historical circles, reading in the legislations, official documents, colonial literature; in the articles and archives, an extended legacy of reductions, stereotypes and omissions. Such a discouraging task may even risk becoming antithetical though I believe that the spaces for compelling discourses on race and caste are critical as modes of empowerment.

Like the writing of history, social acts of division constitute profoundly as acts of exclusion. Perhaps then, it is not ‘race’ that matters so much as the race to rewrite intersections, to repair disjunctions and to restore concatenations into postcolonial histories, whether they be Indigenous, white Australian or Indian. My narrative preference has been to write these intersections through fiction. Fiction is a world which is ontologically supple when it comes to identity. It can transcend the fixed category of my skin, my gender, my mixed ancestry or the historical annihilation of my ‘caste’ as an Anglo-Indian Australian, through its heterogeneous tropes and imaginative possibilities.

Works Cited

Appadurai, Arjun. “Disjuncture and difference in the global cultural economy 1990.” Cultural theory: An anthology,  2011. Bahadur, Gaiutra. Coolie Woman: The Odyssey of Indenture . University of Chicago Press, 2013. Dangarembga, Tsitsi: Nervous Conditions . London: Women’s Press (1988). Eze, Emmanuel Chukwudi. “The color of reason: The idea of’race’ in Kant’s anthropology.” (1997). Heyes, Cressida J. “Changing Race, Changing Sex: The Ethics of Self‐Transformation.” Journal of Social Philosophy 37.2 (2006): 266-282. Kant, Immanuel. “Physical geography.” Race and the Enlightenment, Oxford: Blackwell (1997): 58-64. Observations on the Feeling of the Beautiful and Sublime trans. Goldthwait, 111, 113

Michelle Cahill is a Goan-Anglo-Indian poet and author who lives in Sydney. Her first...

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The hate race : a memoir

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The Hate Race

Add notes to the the hate race bookmark, introductory activities.

The Hate Race tells the story of Maxine Beneba Clarke, whose parents migrated to Australia, and her experiences as the target of racist remarks and encounters. To understand a little more about Clarke’s cultural heritage and background, explore the following topics with your students.

The Atlantic slave trade

Watch the TED-Ed talk on the Atlantic slave trade and record any key ideas or surprising pieces of information that arose. Having established a supportive and respectful classroom context, discuss these ideas with students, insisting on inclusive and non-discriminatory approaches and monitoring for insensitive commentary. Draw students to the long-term and lasting effects of the slave trade.

Consider the image of the ‘point-of-no-return’ from the House of Slaves on the Senegalese island of Gorée. This is the location of the market where African slaves would be traded and shipped off to the New World. What is the symbolism associated with the point-of-no-return? How does the door act as a powerful metaphor for the experiences of those involved with the slave trade?

In 2007, the United Nations General Assembly declared 25 March as the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The 2020 and 2021 themes revolved around confronting and ending slavery’s legacy of racism. In what ways can your students contribute to these themes? What might ‘confronting the legacy of racism’ look like in your community or classroom?

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Australian slavery

In June 2020, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison proclaimed that there was ‘ no slavery in Australia ’. Whilst Australia was not a slave state like North America, there have been instances of slavery on Australian shores that your students may not know or understand.

Break your class into small groups and have them research the following:

• the importation of Melanesian people to Queensland to work in sugar plantations from 1863 to 1904 (also referred to as ‘blackbirding’)
• the use of Aboriginal Australians in the pearling industry in Western Australia
• sealers in the Bass Strait who abducted Aboriginal women into sexual slavery
• the forced recruitment of Indigenous station workers, labourers and stockmen starting in the early 20 th century
• the abduction of the Stolen Generations into government missions
• the convict slave labour of British criminals sent to Australia between 1788 and the 1850s

On top of these instances of slavery, Australia still grapples with a colonial attitude towards those who are ‘different’, not white or considered lower class – and, most notably, towards our First Nations peoples. A colonial attitude is an internalised mentality of cultural superiority stemming from colonisation. Some early colonial attitudes continue to persist in Australian society and are dominant in the media, such as:

• a preoccupation with Western Europe
• celebration and reinforcement of Anglo-centric ideas and ways of life
• a focus on conflict and war

After this research, allow some time for classroom discussion to unpack the following:

• What kinds of attitudes towards people who may have a different skin colour or cultural background persist in the Australian media, or in networks you participate in?
• How are these ideas detrimental or pervasive?
• Why would generations of Australians go to great lengths to conceal our history of slavery, so much so that our own Prime Minister doesn’t acknowledge it?

The ‘Windrush generation’

In the initial stages of her memoir, Clarke outlines her family heritage. Her paternal grandparents from Jamaica and her maternal grandparents from Guyana both migrated to Britain after the Second World War. Clarke details their voyage on the HMT Empire Windrush , docking in Essex on 21 June 1948, with hundreds of other Caribbean migrants hoping to seek a new life and opportunities in Britain. The BBC has compiled a photo essay documenting some of the early experiences of the migrants. In a similar fashion, Clarke’s parents (Bordeaux and Cleopatra) migrated to Australia in the early 1970s after the White Australia policy was renounced by then- Prime Minister Gough Whitlam .

Have students study the paper ‘A multi-cultural society for the future’ , written in 1973 by Whitlam’s Minister for Immigration, Al Grassby . Grassby outlines his vision for a multicultural Australia looking toward the turn of the century. Students should analyse the intentions and vision laid out by Grassby for the year 2000, and comment on whether his vision has been actualised and whether they believe that multiculturalism has been accepted as part of the ‘family of the nation’ Grassby hoped to create. Consider the early experiences of Bordeaux and Cleopatra when they arrived in Australia in the context of this examination and discussion.

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Western folklore

Throughout her memoir, Clarke makes continued reference to the ‘folklore way of telling a story that West Indians have’. Before retelling a significant story, she uses a variation of this expression as if to signal the change. Folklore refers to the stories that people tell, often orally, that are passed down through generations. What makes folklore different from fairy tales is that the stories have no author. Folklore is the passing on of stories that have become embedded in culture and custom. The main purpose of folklore is to tell a moral lesson about how people should behave.

Consider how The Hate Race could be an example of folklore. Arguably, Clarke’s stories of racism and the memories she shares of her experiences are so commonplace and frequent that they are like folktales – repeated stories about experiences that have, in effect, become customary for individuals of colour in Australia (though this shouldn’t dampen the grotesque nature of these occurrences).

Could Clarke be making a statement about such events entering into folklore, as if to warn future generations of the experiences to come? Consider:

• the prologue of the memoir, where Clarke recounts unprovoked racist vitriol whilst walking her youngest child in the pram
• her awareness of being brown and singled out by her classmate, Carlita Allen, who continues to point this out every day as a way to ostracise her (pp. 24–30)
• her resignation that her nickname ‘Patch’ would stick, despite her earnest attempts to cover her pigmentation issues and ‘blend in’ with her peers (p. 73)

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Towards a definition of racism

It is important that students have a working understanding of racism when reading The Hate Race . The Australian Human Rights Commission is a useful starting point for unpacking the nuances with students. Have them examine the website and record their own understandings of racism, and any preconceptions they may have had that have been clarified through their reading.

Personal response on reading the text

Welcome to oz.

Bordeaux and Cleopatra Clarke arrive in Australia to a ‘luminous southern hemisphere sunlight they had never seen before in an impossibly clear blue sky’ (p. 14). Contrast the socio-historical context of Britain in the 1970s with that of Australia using a table such as the one below.

Clarke makes the comparison between Australia and Oz from The Wizard of Oz . Play the scene to which she refers, and discuss with students what connections can be made between the two stories of arrival.

• What does Clarke hope to evoke in the reader by using this analogy?
• Does it work?
• What connotations are implied by comparing Australia to the Land of Oz?
• In what ways might this analogy foreshadow what is to come in the lives of Cleopatra and Bordeaux?

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Life in Sydney

Show students the Life in Australia: Sydney film made by the Department of Immigration in 1966. Consider encouraging them to view this film through a postcolonial lens and address the following questions:

• What do you immediately notice about the way that Sydney is advertised in this short film?
• From whose perspective do we view this film?
• Who is central to this film? Who is marginalised? Who is not represented at all?
• Whose version of Sydney do we see in this film?
• How does the text represent a particular view of Australian culture, values and history?

Consider how two Afro-Caribbean migrants such as Cleopatra and Bordeaux Clarke may have been enticed by the Immigration Department’s video, and how the values conveyed in the film translate to their actual lived experiences in Kellyville.

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‘Tallying up the brown people’

Clarke begins to notice other ‘brown people’ she sees on a daily basis. At the end of p. 25, she outlines those she sees and the context in which she sees them. Present the following statements that Clarke makes here to students. Have them discuss the groups of people that the author sees and recognises as being like her, and what kinds of assumptions others may make about ‘brown people’ if these are the only contexts in which they see them.

• ‘There were a few family friends of varying shades, perhaps ten or so.’
• ‘I saw people on the telly sometimes, on the news, or in the running races my father liked to watch. The telly was black and white though, so I could never really be sure.’
• ‘I saw brown folks in the newspapers some mornings, little kids even. But they were mostly so swollen-bellied and sad-looking that I didn’t feel I was anything like them at all.’

Ultimately, you are helping students consider Clarke’s observation that people of colour are only celebrated in sports, and are otherwise pitied as victims of inescapable poverty who are ‘worthy’ of charity. Have your students pay close attention to when Clarke observes ‘brown people’, and to the connotations associated with them in the given circumstance.

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The brown Cabbage Patch doll

After pleading with her mother, Maxine is finally promised a Cabbage Patch doll for her birthday, which preoccupies her thoughts for several months. When Maxine unwraps the doll, she is disappointed to see that her mother has picked a brown doll for her, exclaiming, ‘I’d been talking about [a Cabbage Patch doll] for months, and this was what I was supposed to show [the girls at school]’ (p. 50).

Discuss the scene that unfolds with the girls in Maxine’s class and how she perceives the brown Cabbage Patch doll bringing her closer to her classmates (p. 51). How does the doll further contribute to observations that society is preoccupied with brown skin only in specific contexts (such as sport, poverty or uniqueness)? What does this highlight about Maxine’s own insecurities and desire to ‘fit in’ with her peers?

Show students this image taken by American photographer Chris Buck. In what ways does it reverse the power dynamic that exists in society?

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Representations of beauty

Maxine really struggles with accepting her physical appearance, and at various points in the story aspires to make it more palatable, including wanting braces and hoping her skin turns white. Later on, she has her hair braided and acknowledges the process as a form of cultural expression. Ask students why she would be so concerned with wanting to change her appearance so drastically. Analyse the comments she makes after each of these changes and what they reveal about acceptable beauty standards in Australia.

Additionally, if you can source a collection of old magazines such as Cosmopolitan or Dolly (or even those with a lot of advertising such as New Idea or Woman’s Day ), students could undertake an assessment of the types of women who are represented in these magazines and those who are not.

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Outline of key elements of the text

The title of the text, The Hate Race, is a play on the concept of racial hatred or race hate. Discuss with students their understanding of this phrase. You may like to give them some examples from the media, or ask them to share moments when they have read or heard about expressions of racial hatred. Draw their attention to media treatment of the Cronulla Riots , the appearance of neo-Nazi graffiti in Melbourne and Sydney, and recent accounts of racially-motivated attacks on people of Asian descent in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Consider exploring the two words separately and brainstorming the implications and connotations of each. This worksheet (PDF, 87KB) may be of use. Given the reversal of the two words, the title can be interpreted in a different way. When using the worksheet and exploring all possible meanings, encourage students to consider the implications of word order:

• How are specific images conjured by the reversal of the words?
• How does the order of words change the meaning of the original phrase?
• What kind of image do you see when you think about a ‘hate race’? Consider other types of races, such as a running race, the Melbourne Cup (touted as ‘the race that stops the nation’) or even a race car. Where does the ‘hate race’ fit amongst these other examples?
• If a race is a competition to see who can most quickly cover a course, who are the competitors in the ‘hate race’ and what might be the prize for the winner?

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Clarke’s work revolves around the damage caused by racist views, attitudes and actions that she encountered growing up in Australia. Each memory serves the purpose of illustrating the pervasive effects of racism and the trauma caused by such abuse. Her stories are woven together with recollections from her childhood, stories about her family, and snippets of historical information that help flesh out the experience of being a woman of Afro-Caribbean descent finding her way in Australia.

In this section, Clarke recounts her experience of being followed by a man in a ute as she walks with her youngest child. The man hurls racist slurs at her, disgustingly telling her to ‘fuck off’ and ‘go drown your fucken kid’ (p. vi). The prologue provides the premise for the memoir, describing the ‘only home [she] knew’ (p. x) and the pride she takes in carrying the stories of her ancestors who lived on the continent of Africa.

Part One: Chapters 1–11

Part One provides an overview of the formative experiences that shaped young Maxine’s life. It also illustrates her family ancestry and heritage, acknowledging the struggles of her grandparents and parents in paving the way for her to grow up on Australian soil. This part grapples with young Maxine’s desire to be accepted and liked by her peers, and her fierce individualism. It retells those events from Maxine’s primary school years, up until the age of 13.

Part Two: Chapters 12–24

Part Two centres around Maxine’s teenage and high school years. There is a notable shift in her attitude towards her classmates as this part progresses, especially as she starts to develop close friends and interest in the opposite sex. Clarke carefully retells the instances of bullying, harassment and teasing that she faced with searing detail, and offers contrasting stories of victimising her peers in an attempt to fit in – taking the reins as oppressor rather than the oppressed to regain control of her life. Interestingly, in this part of the memoir, Maxine appears to be more aware of her culture and grapples with balancing, acknowledging and respecting it.

The final part of the memoir sees Clarke circle back to the central ideas outlined in the prologue. It is her son’s first day back at school after the holidays and he is enthusiastic about returning. This time, we meet a pensive Clarke who reflects on ‘the chest-tightening feeling’ (p. 255) brought about by the years of racist taunts she has suffered at the hands of others.

There are several elements to explore here with students. When considering the plot and structure of the text, encourage them to think about:

• The significance of breaking the text into two distinct parts. What is the symbolism of beginning Part Two as Maxine enters high school?
• The importance of the prologue. How does this set the tone for the memoir? How does the prologue serve to foreshadow the events to come, as well as provide the backstory to the central themes of The Hate Race ?
• The circular nature of the narrative with the inclusion of an epilogue. How does the epilogue provide closure for the reader or add to the development and understanding of Maxine’s character?

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Clarke’s text is an account of the struggles faced by people of colour in Australia, and reveals the colonial attitudes of white Australians that are ingrained into every facet of daily life. The following themes have been identified to help students explore key ideas and issues. Some starting points for discussion have been suggested, but by no means constitute an exhaustive approach to unpacking these topics.

The theme of racism is central to The Hate Race . It is not possible to study the text without a thorough understanding of this issue.

• Consider exploring the topic with students in detail, taking in a number of different definitions and examples.
• The Australian Human Rights Commission and All Together Now are two very helpful websites that students could explore to better understand the nuances of racism and the extent of pervasive racist attitudes in Australia.

Like racism, bullying is a key theme and Maxine is both bullied and a bully in the text. Building empathy is crucial to be able to unpack the memoir respectfully. You may find that your students already have a great deal of experience with bullying.

• It is worth breaking down the differences between bullying and harassment to help students understand Clarke’s accounts.
• The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has collected extensive longitudinal data on children’s experiences with bullying, which may shed some light on the frequency and specificity of bullying in Maxine’s circumstances.
• It may be an interesting task for students to talk to their peers or families about bullying, and/or to share their own experiences.

Difference and acceptance

A crucial component of The Hate Race is the idea of being considered different. Maxine finds this very hard to cope with in the text and is torn between loving her background and the things that make her different, and then loathing them, desperate to change herself to fit in with her peers.

• There will be many students in your class who feel different for some reason and it is worth acknowledging this with them.
• If comfortable, students can share ways that they have tried to change themselves for another person or group, and how this has been a positive or negative experience.
• Both Maxine and Cecelia go through periods of accepting their differences, strengths and weaknesses, as well as the experiences that have shaped them. Discuss with your class the power of self-acceptance as an ultimate aspiration for both young women.

Family and heritage

Clarke proudly recounts her heritage in the early chapters of the memoir. She eloquently explains how her family arrived in Australia and recalls the experiences of her ancestors and the Atlantic slave trade. Family and family history are clearly very important to Clarke. The text unpacks the importance of connection and of knowing, understanding and appreciating where you come from – acknowledging the work of those who came before you to bring you to where you are. She says of her children at the end of the novel, ‘[they are] descendants of those unbroken’ (p. 256): a testament both to her own ‘survival’ and to those who preceded her.

• Discuss with your students the importance of family and of pride in culture and family history.
• As a point of contrast, you may like to proffer why Australians were so bent on burying their convict ancestry before genealogy searches became wildly popular.
• Ask students why they think Australians are so proud of being a multicultural country when racist ideas and values still seem to be so prominent.

Another overarching theme in this text is that of belonging. The tales we hear about young Maxine’s upbringing paint a picture of a lonely girl looking to fit in: to be embraced, seen and acknowledged by her peers. This is best seen when Maxine is named Student of the Week and has only one friend who writes down comments about her personality and friendship in the class card.

• What is the importance of belonging?
• How can a simple gesture, such as that of Maxine’s primary school friend, go a long way to helping someone to fit in?
• Students can identify a time when they wished they could belong and how isolating it felt to be on the outside.

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Characterisation

The character of maxine.

In her interview with Astrid Edwards for The Garret , Clarke reflects on the character of young Maxine and describes her as more of an anti-hero than a hero. This may be an unfamiliar concept to students. Share the definition and ask them to come up with some examples. See if your students can explain the differences between villains and anti-heroes.

Have students create a chart, table or page of sketchnotes that explains the ‘anti’ components of Maxine’s actions, as well as the ‘hero’ components. They should support their comments about Maxine with specific examples from the text.

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Identifying with Flo-Jo

Florence Griffith Joyner is one powerful and influential African American that young Maxine idolises. Her family watch several of her races on television and Maxine is captivated by her physical appearance, costuming and speed. Flo-Jo was known for her wild fashion choices whilst competing. Watch this video with students for some insight into her performance and style. Consider:

• How would watching Flo-Jo on television inspire a young Maxine?
• What kind of characteristics does Maxine assign to Flo-Jo?
• How does she apply these to herself when playing Catch and Kiss?
• What are the implications for Maxine when she discovers the real reason the boys can’t catch her in Catch and Kiss?

The aim of this activity is to draw your students’ attention to a positive connection Maxine makes with her heritage. There are very few times in the text when she is proud to be associated with a black woman. These questions are designed to pull apart Maxine’s idolisation of Flo-Jo and the importance of having a role model who is celebrated for her athleticism and individuality rather than criticised for it, as is Maxine’s experience in the text.

Later in the novel, Maxine finds out that some students at school refer to her sister as the ‘Black Flash’ (p. 143). Perhaps coincidentally, the Black Flash is also a character in the DC Universe , whose touch can cause instant death. In this section of the novel, Maxine wonders if she should start running like her sister and other people of colour she sees on television. She imagines herself ‘doing something a real black person could do’ (p. 144).

• Discuss the connotations of describing Cecelia as the ‘Black Flash’. What could be another appropriate nickname for her that excludes colour?
• Discuss the resignation in Maxine’s assertion that running was something ‘a real black person could do’.
• Discuss whether the comments made by the running coach were helpful or harmful to Maxine and her sister.
• What kind of parallels can be drawn between Cecelia and Flo-Jo?

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Characterisation of Cleopatra and Bordeaux Clarke

In Chapter 23, Clarke recognises her parents as individuals with unique personalities that function outside of their roles as father/husband and mother/wife. She describes her mother as creative and patient and her father as hardened and cynical. As students read the novel, have them record the details that Clarke reveals about her parents in a table resembling the one below.

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Carlita Allen

It is through Carlita that we see the beginnings of racist taunts and comments levelled at Maxine. Clarke describes Carlita as a ‘joy killer’ (p. 22) who had ‘just stepped out of a glossy illustrated copy of Seven Little Australians ’. Seven Little Australians is a pre-Federation children’s book that follows the antics of seven siblings in 1880s Sydney. It has been adapted into a television miniseries, a film and even a stage play. Show students the first episode of the television series.

• Considering Clarke’s cultural background, what connotation is she hoping to bestow by describing Carlita as a ‘Judy type’?
• What similarities can be drawn between Carlita’s description and actions in Chapter 3, and that of Judy and the other female characters in Seven Little Australians ?

The concept of ‘othering’ is worth unpacking with your students. Powell and Menendian define it as ‘a set of dynamics, processes, and structures that engender marginality and persistent inequality across any of the full range of human differences based on group identities’. Othering is always expressed in a negative way, as groups that are othered are considered strange or harmful to the microcosm of society. These groups may be othered on the basis of:

• sexual orientation
• socio-economic status

Bearing this concept in mind, how detrimental is a television series such as Seven Little Australians to those who are othered? What kind of values does this program seem to promote, and how are groups othered based on its representation?

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Synthesising task

When Maxine is named Student of the Week, her classmates are required to write something nice about her, but the exercise turns sour as her peers write insults and derogatory remarks on her card. The only nice comment comes from Jennifer, a friend of Maxine’s who writes ‘real’ things about her and makes her feel valued and seen.

Dutch photographer Paul Piebinga writes on his website: ‘I see you. Meet people, and bring no expectations.’ A lot of Piebinga’s work involves capturing people as they go about their business with no expectation of being acknowledged or recognised, let alone photographed. The photographs are powerful because they show people’s daily lives: offering prayers, undertaking religious rituals, sipping coffee, walking in the rain or cooking meals. In many ways, Piebinga is like Jennifer: he recognises people outside skin tones and stereotypes, and sees them for who they are and what they can do. Explore his website and note the focus of his work.

Set students the task of photographing someone in moments that try to capture who they really are. They could take pictures of a parent or guardian tending the garden or putting on jewellery; a friend who has a special talent but is caught up in their reputation at school; or people at a local café being good friends, listeners and confidants.

Students can compose individual photo essays for submission, or they could assemble a classroom gallery that pays tribute to their efforts to really ‘see’ people in their community.

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The writer’s craft

The following activities are designed to assist with exploring the text’s primary themes and concerns: the impact of racism and the desire for acceptance and belonging. Clarke’s intentional use of parallels to Australian history, her characterisation and use of a child’s ‘voice’ to tell the story – along with the structure of a memoir – allow her to deftly examine these ideas. In addition, the attention Clarke gives to language and words through the eyes of the young Maxine helps us see the subtle yet pervasive ways that colonial ideologies are perpetuated in the environments of a young woman of Afro-Caribbean descent in Australia.

Words and their meanings

On p. 103, Clarke recounts an experience with her teacher who scolds her for using the word ‘racist’ in class.

• Why is this such an important moment in Maxine’s development?
• How does her new knowledge of this word enhance her ability to stand up for herself at school?
• Why do you think Mrs Hird punishes Maxine for her assertion about racism?

Discuss the opening chapter of Part Two, where Maxine is overwhelmed with nostalgia thinking about her primary school days. Clarke writes, ‘This is how it changes us. This is how we are altered’ (p. 130). Ask your students what they think this might mean. There are several times when Maxine entertains the idea that she is overreacting to the racism she is experiencing. This is encouraged by those around her who insist that the bullying and racism is ‘just teasing’.

• Why do you think the people around Maxine refuse to acknowledge racism?
• How is it that when Maxine stands up for herself, she finds herself in more hot water?
• ‘Sticks and stones’ is a motto that Maxine adopts at certain points in the novel. In what ways does Maxine’s changing character defy this statement?

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The power of a name

On p. 103, with inadvertent permission from her teacher, Maxine’s demeanour changes after she is encouraged to call Derek ‘whitey’ because that’s ‘what he is’. Armed with this permission, Maxine retaliates and uses insults against her peers when they start to jeer at her. Clarke comments that she could see the damaging effect of her words and that she felt ‘powerful and remorseful at the same time’ (p. 105). Despite the permission from her teacher, Maxine doesn’t reap any positive benefits from these experiences. As the bullying continues, Clarke lists all the names that she has been called (p. 155): names that greatly impact Maxine’s character and her ability to cope with her young life.

Later, Clarke recounts an experience where she taunted and mocked her classmate Bhagita about the length of her hair (keeping hair uncut is an important cultural practice for Sikh women). Clarke notes that as the bullying and taunts started to take their toll, she resorted to ‘unforgivable’ jeers – a complete change in her usual impeccable and stoic behaviour. In this instance, Maxine threatens to cut Bhagita’s hair off in class. The crucial moment occurs when Maxine’s peers recognise her and use her name. She remarks that their voices were ‘tinged with awe. With respect ’ (p. 201).

It is important to discuss the impact of names with students. The above chapters are worth extracting and analysing separately, particularly in light of Clarke’s commentary: ‘this is how it alters us’ and ‘this is how we succumb’. Facilitating a Socratic seminar focused on these two chapters would be a rich experience for students. Stems to facilitate thinking and discussion are available here .

Parallels to Australian history

Clarke draws several parallels with Australian history throughout The Hate Race, but particularly in Chapter 9. Her references to important historical events and figures demonstrate her awareness of Australia’s rich Indigenous history, and highlights the institutionalised racism that operates in Australian society. Additionally, her willingness to acknowledge Australia’s First Nations peoples stands out against a white population that not only condones racism, but struggles to make gains towards reconciliation.

Explore each of these references in more detail and discuss why Clarke ties them into her memoir:

• the re-enactment of the First Fleet’s arrival and the protest on the Sydney Harbour Bridge
• the bicentenary lessons taught by Mrs Hird
• Cecelia traces an image of Captain Phillip and some Indigenous Australians
• Maxine looks through textbooks and uncovers images of the Myall Creek Massacre
• the Colonial Day parade at school
• Marella Mission Farm

What can be learned about Maxine’s own experiences as she uncovers more about Australian history? Explore the irony in Maxine coming to terms with Australia’s racist ‘past’ whilst undergoing racist experiences in her present.

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The Hate Race is crafted like a work of fiction, with fully-formed characters and details not typically found in non-fiction texts. This act of storytelling enables the reader to better experience young Maxine’s life, and differentiates this memoir’s structure from the traditional episodic style used by other authors. You may wish to share excerpts from other memoirs – including some that are more episodic – to determine how Clarke’s structure is specifically different. Completing a chart that outlines the key differences between the two types of memoir, such as this memoir comparison (PDF, 86KB), will help students to unpack their ideas.

Consider also:

• How does Clarke’s attention to detail assist with telling her story?
• How would The Hate Race differ if the story was told in a more episodic manner, with characters who feature infrequently or about whom we know little?
• What kind of relationship to Clarke (the author) is established through her storytelling?

Clarke has been interviewed about The Hate Race by The Garret’s Astrid Edwards . In this interview, Clarke explains that constructing a memoir is effectively ‘playing with the truth’, as authors select what to include and what to leave out. There are several stories in The Hate Race that don’t paint Maxine in a particularly good light. Have students make a list of these events, especially those that involve Maxine’s changing attitude towards Bhagita.

• What is the significance of including events that don’t portray Maxine in a favourable light?
• How would the story change if these events were excluded?
• In what ways do these stories make Maxine a reliable narrator?

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Point of view (Maxine’s voice)

Clarke states in her Garret interview, ‘once you put a child in the driving seat [as the protagonist] it becomes a completely different story’, and that a child is ‘so much easier to go along with’. Ask students what they think she means by these statements. What is significant about the way a child tells a story that adds meaning to the narrative?

Along with The Hate Race , consider other stories with child narrators or protagonists. Some examples include:

• Once by Morris Gleitzman
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

Provide students with excerpts from these texts and have them discuss specific examples of the child protagonists’ innocence and naivety. Compare Maxine’s experiences to those of children in these other stories. How are readers encouraged to ‘go along with’ the character of Maxine whilst reading her story? Contrast her childlike voice in the first part of the text with her more mature voice in the second part. How is her innocence and naivety eroded in the second part of the memoir?

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Text and meaning

The following activities are designed to explore some of the repercussions of Clarke’s experiences with race hate. Each activity aims to further illustrate the damaging effect of her exposure to racist ideas, and her discomfort in her own skin after years of taunting and insults.

The changing political landscape and tolerance

Clarke comments on the changing nature of politics and the climate of acceptance in Australia in the mid-1990s. Divide your class into small groups to compare Pauline Hanson’s maiden speech to Parliament (1996) and Enoch Powell’s ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech (1968) .

• how the language used in both speeches contributes to fearmongering and racism
• catchcries or catchphrases that became popularised
• key arguments relating to people of colour and those from different cultural backgrounds
• other examples of political rhetoric in each speech
• the reception of the speeches at the time

Discuss with students the changing landscape of Australian politics during Maxine’s youth and early adult life. In particular:

• The Whitlam and Fraser governments of the 1970s implemented a number of multicultural policies that were continued by Bob Hawke and Paul Keating in their terms of office.
• The Racial Discrimination Act was passed in 1975, making it unlawful to discriminate against someone because of their race.
• This followed on from the 1967 Referendum to amend the constitution to count Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the census.
• 2020 marks 45 years of the Racial Discrimination Act.
• Bob Hawke’s term as Prime Minister saw him try to overcome the xenophobic ideologies and racist attacks occurring against migrants and Indigenous Australians in the community.
• Paul Keating implemented the Racial Hatred Act of 1995, despite widespread objections on the basis of so-called ‘free’ speech.

These steps towards acceptance are what make Pauline Hanson’s maiden speech so extraordinary. Despite the work of past governments to improve the culture of acceptance for migrants and families of immigrants in Australia, racist ideologies (represented by Hanson’s election) still managed to find a way into the Australian Parliament and were given a voice on the political stage.

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‘Clawing my way out of my skin’

Maxine experiences episodes of self-harming, her skin ‘bearing witness’ (p. 158) to the toll the bullying was taking on her. Teachers and the school counsellor seem reluctant to acknowledge this cry for help. As students read about Maxine grappling with discomfort in her own skin, some may resonate with her disconnect. Make sure you provide space to do so in a non-threatening way.

In a low-stakes writing task (which you may or may not read), students can offer advice to Maxine: the kind of advice her school counsellor should have offered about feeling like she didn’t belong in her skin. It may be necessary to set some parameters around this task to ensure that the content is handled sensitively. Be sure to remind students of appropriate helplines they can reach where they live.

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Cultural appropriation

In Chapter 23, Maxine performs an ‘African dance’ for her school assembly on Multicultural Day. The whole episode is quite layered in meaning and interpretation. Re-read this chapter with students. Introduce the concept and practice of cultural appropriation. After discussing pertinent and relevant examples, especially of colonial appropriation (or outright theft) of Indigenous culture, come to a definition of what cultural appropriation actually means.

• Is Maxine’s display of African dancing cultural appropriation?
• Is she mocking her ancestry by putting on a fake dance?
• Is it acceptable for Maxine to behave like this?

Discuss the way that Maxine’s school appropriates her culture. Her teachers seem happy to use her blackness to their advantage for their Multicultural Day, but they are reluctant to assist Maxine when she brings examples of bullying and racism to their attention.

For contrast, you may like to ask students to consider the appropriation of First Nations culture and designs. In 2017, Bob Katter reintroduced a Bill to Parliament to make it illegal to sell inauthentic ‘Aboriginal style’ art. It was estimated that 85% of all Indigenous art sold in souvenir shops was fake and imported. Perhaps students can identify other examples in:

• language/slang

The ABC series Black Comedy has a short skit about appropriating Indigenous culture that you could show students to get them thinking.

Synthesising TASK

In literary theory, ‘othering’ is the depiction of another person or group of people as distinctly different from the mainstream. It is the idea that people feel stronger allegiances with those who are ‘like them’, and have an easier time identifying and empathising with them as opposed to ‘the other’, who is considered inferior or strange. The ‘other’ could be a different nationality, religion, social class, gender, sexual orientation or ethnic origin.

Maxine is very much ‘othered’ during her childhood as recounted in The Hate Race. Using Maxine’s experience, discuss:

• What harm is done to Maxine by ignoring her individuality?
• How have Maxine’s experiences contributed to her ability/inability to form a positive self-image?
• How might people from the mainstream be challenged by Maxine’s ‘otherness’?

Once students have a broader understanding of the role that othering can play, set them a task to emulate Clarke’s poetry style whilst writing about this concept. Examples of Clarke’s poetry, as published in The Saturday Paper , are available here . Students could write about:

• their experiences of being the other
• familiarity with othering certain people
• judgment being passed onto the other
• loss of individuality
• grappling with identity

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Ways of reading the text

Applying a postcolonial lens.

Consider examining The Hate Race with some questions informed by postcolonial criticism:

• How does the text represent aspects of colonial oppression?
• What does the text reveal about the relationship between personal and cultural identity?
• How does The Hate Race comment on cultural difference and the ways we perceive ourselves, others and the world in which we live?
• What does The Hate Race reveal about power balances and cultural difference?
• How does The Hate Race represent Australian culture, values and history?

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Comparison with other texts

Experiences of minority groups in australia.

Clarke’s memoir recounts her experiences of racism in Australia, but racism, sexism and homophobia are the experiences of many in this country. Consider sharing excerpts from the following texts for authentic tales of life in Australia for people from minority groups:

• Growing Up Asian in Australia edited by Alice Pung
• Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia edited by Anita Heiss
• Growing Up African in Australia edited by Maxine Beneba Clarke , Magan Magan and Ahmed Yussuf
• Growing Up Queer in Australia edited by Benjamin Law
• Talking to My Country by Stan Grant
• Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe
• White Tears/Brown Scars by Ruby Hamad
• Here Come the Dogs by Omar Musa
• Does My Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah
• The Lebs by Michael Mohammed Ahmad

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Drawing comparisons

Clarke has previously explained that Looking for Alibrandi and My Place are two texts that she believes ‘cut through the noise’ of growing up with a different cultural or ethnic background in Australia. Consider the following activities with students:

• Explain the idiom ‘cut through the noise’ and what Clarke might mean when she says this
• Share and read excerpts from the texts
• Explore each text’s reception by audiences
• Characterise the significance of each text for the time it was written

In particular, Looking for Alibrandi has stood the test of time and is still taught in many classrooms across the nation.

• What similarities can be drawn between Looking for Alibrandi and The Hate Race ?
• Does The Hate Race challenge norms and expectations in the same ways as Looking for Alibrandi ?
• In what ways are Josephine Alibrandi and Maxine Beneba Clarke similar and different?
• What makes these texts enduring works about the experiences of descendants of migrants in Australia?

Evaluation of the text

As representative of australian culture.

In her Garret interview, Clarke very animatedly describes the literature she read growing up in Australia as ‘rural fiction or coming of age stories set on the coast’. She notes that most people lived in the suburbs and cities, yet there were no stories that mirrored these experiences. Clarke credits a change in the Australian literary landscape to a number of authors, musing: ‘Imagine if they had been around when I was 15 and was devouring literature.’ These are authors like:

• Luke Davies
• Andrew McGahan
• Christos Tsiolkas
• Melissa Lucashenko
• Behrouz Boochani
• Ellen van Neerven
• Randa Abdel-Fattah

Present passages from key texts by these and similar authors to your students. Working in small groups, have students analyse each passage for commonalities and differences, particularly in how the authors explain their circumstances and the Australian experience. Get them to ascertain why Clarke may have named these authors as instrumental in challenging and changing the picture of Australian society that is presented to readers.

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Significance to literature/the world of texts

Othering in the world arena.

Clarke’s memoir is an important testament to othering, staking its place in illustrating the formative experiences of a person on the outside. When mainstream culture rejects the ‘other’ as inferior, strange, dangerous or foreign, categorically dehumanising certain groups, it makes it ‘easier’ to harm them without feeling guilty. Stereotypes also play a detrimental role here, with those who are othered often ‘lumped together’ rather than acknowledged and seen for their diverse needs and strengths. This is very evident in Clarke’s memoir through the actions of Maxine’s peers, who continually other her and commit violent and hateful things against her. Indeed, Maxine carries out such behaviour herself when she threatens to cut Bhagita’s hair.

It would be too simplistic to use Clarke’s memoir as a point of contrast with students who may or may not have experienced being othered. Establishing some cultures, races, genders, abilities and sexual orientations as mystical only perpetuates the feeling of othering these groups experience, as well as romanticises one’s own experiences. Instead, Clarke’s memoir should be used as a touchstone for exploring the experiences of ‘others’ in an effort to understand and promote belonging and acceptance.

Consider the following areas as opportunities to expose students to different views – not to other them, but to offer alternative, valid and rich experiences of the world. Alternatively, you could approach any other texts you have studied in class with a critical lens and explore the concept of othering in more familiar titles.

There are also several talks you could show your students to expose them to similar ideas and encourage them to consider the impact of othering on individuals.

• Kay Wilson: The Dangers of Othering in the Quest to Belong
• Thandiwe Newton: Embracing otherness, embracing myself
• John Powell: The Mechanisms of Othering
• Christine Ha: Harnessing the Power of Otherness

‘Descendants of those unbroken’

The final line of The Hate Race reads: ‘My children are the descendants of those unbroken’ (p. 256). Clarke’s memoir celebrates the spirit of her ancestors, who survived the horrors of the slave trade, as well as her parents, who learned to live as one of the few black families settled in Sydney’s Kellyville. In many ways, the memoir speaks directly to the Black Lives Matter movement , urging Australians to take note of the anti-black racism prevalent in our country. It is a statement about nurturing difference and acknowledging the struggles of many in our communities, with the aim of restoring equality and tolerance.

Being ‘descendants of those unbroken’, Clarke acknowledges that the strength of her ancestors is proudly passed onto her children, who may have similar (but hopefully different) experiences to her and her family. The last line provides an opportune discussion point for the class, taking into consideration everything that has been studied and learned about the experiences of one Afro-Caribbean woman growing up in Australia. What do they think it means and what can they take away from this memoir?

Black Lives Matter in the Australian context

Clarke documents her own experiences of anti-black racism in Australia, but the reality is that this is not just reserved for people of African descent. Here in Australia, our First Nations peoples are some of the most marginalised and systematically isolated people in the country. In many ways our governmental, judicial and healthcare systems have let them down, and Australians tend to tolerate this. In her 2020 Thea Astley Address at Byron Writers Festival, Professor Marcia Langton recounted the failings of the justice system in protecting Indigenous Australians from deaths in custody. Chloe Hooper’s The Tall Man covers similar content, as does The Guardian newspaper, which broke down a scathing investigation into deaths in custody from 2008 to 2020. This is rich material to present to your students and will invoke much discussion.

In June 2020, protestors took to the streets of Sydney in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Have students search the web for posters used at the protest. There are many good photo galleries from the event, including those on Buzzfeed and the ABC and SBS websites. Have students select a few of their favourite images and analyse:

• What are the slogans on the posters demanding?
• Are the issues progressivist ?
• How do the slogans challenge the status quo?
• Are the slogans utopian in anyway?
• Are any of the slogans accusatory?
• What kind of images feature on the posters?
• What colours are used and what is the symbolism?

Similarly, examine this mural by Scott Marsh that was painted over by NSW Police. The mural, located in Redfern, was a tribute to TJ Hickey: a young Aboriginal boy who died in a 2004 police pursuit, triggering the Redfern riots.

• What is easily understandable from the image?
• What do you notice about the depiction of the police car and the graffiti on it?
• Why do you think this was painted over?
• How might this artwork inspire a protest or motivate people to take action in standing up for the Black Lives Matter movement?

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Rich assessment task (productive mode)

Bearing in mind Clarke’s experiences as a young woman from a non-white cultural background growing up in Australia, as well as the experiences of other young people in the texts suggested above, have students respond to the question:

How is my experience of growing up in Australia similar or different to the experience described in one of the texts studied in class?

Students should compose a personal reflective piece (PDF, 145KB) in the style of Clarke’s memoir, depicting a formative experience in their life and linking it to their beliefs, values and perceptions.

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Synthesising core ideas

‘i was quite happy’.

Clarke references a poem by Nikki Giovanni, ‘Nikki-Rosa’ , in the Acknowledgements section of her memoir. The poem describes an impoverished upbringing and the assumptions that people make about this. Clarke paraphrases the last line of the poem – ‘people will never understand that all the time, I was quite happy’ – when underscoring that her memoir is about a very specific time in her life. After a close reading of ‘Nikki-Rosa’, students should be able to move away from identifying that the poet is black, and instead identify the speaker’s priorities. How can they take this same approach with The Hate Race ? If we remove Maxine’s skin colour from the picture, what does the memoir reveal about a young woman’s desires and hopes?

Some students may be challenged by The Hate Race , but ultimately the text is about developing an understanding of how to treat and accept others, as well as the importance of belonging. Ask students if they think it is possible to understand someone else’s background if they don’t share it. Is race essential to understanding other people’s experiences, or are there other things to consider when trying to form a relationship with someone?

Some students may wonder: if Clarke was ‘quite happy’ most of the time, then why go to the lengths of writing a memoir? Some may be apathetic to her experiences or, frighteningly, may condone them. Regardless, Clarke has been acclaimed for shedding light on the experiences of a young woman of colour living in Australia.

Ask students to prepare a presentation on the importance of studying other people’s experiences. They should use The Hate Race as the basis for their discussion but may like to include other texts or experiences highlighted in the course of their study. Have students follow the 6/6/6 rule for presentations (no more than six slides, six points per slide and six words per point) in order to convey their arguments.

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Doing something about it

One of the motivations for Clarke’s memoir, which she espouses in the Acknowledgements section, was to ‘show the lasting impact of living in a brown body in Australia in the eighties and nineties on one child’ (p. 257). Facilitate a discussion with students about how their lives are similar or different to Clarke’s. Some may identify with her experiences and may want to share their thoughts; others will engage in this activity more objectively. They should refer to their responses to the personal reflective task in the Significance section of this unit.

Using the results of the discussion, call your students to action: how can they help to change the treatment of people of colour around them? Ask them to brainstorm how they might confront direct racism and incidents of racial abuse, harassment and discrimination. They might witness this behaviour on the football field, in the classroom, or whilst walking through the corridor. Have students come up with some respectful and safe comments they could make to encourage their peers to rethink discriminatory language and actions.

Clarke’s memoir also speaks to indirect racism: the lack of recognition for cultural diversity and practices outside their entertainment value, and the damage done by stereotypes and prejudice. Her experiences highlight the lives of people on the margins and those who are ‘othered’ in our communities. Together with your class, consider ways that your school environment can be more accepting. Some suggestions:

• Petition the Head of English to include more diverse texts on your text lists. Conduct an audit of texts studied from Years 7–12 to see how many are written by men, women and people of colour; which are written, visual, auditory or multimodal; and whose perspectives are represented.
• Ask teachers to consider selecting texts that offer alternate viewpoints, or exploring a text from a different cultural perspective.
• Ask the Health and Physical Education Faculty to review the way they teach personal and intimate relationships. Is there a way for them to be more inclusive in the language they use around same-sex relationships?
• If you are at a religious school, consider inviting those with different religious/cultural practices to share their annual celebrations with you so you can learn more about them.
• Is your school accessible for people with a disability? Can anything be done to support a student in a wheelchair or a student who is blind?
• Does your school have a diversity committee or group of student representatives that you could work with to create a more accepting environment?

Rich assessment task (receptive mode)

Clarke’s The Hate Race has been touted as providing much-needed insight into the experiences of the bullied in Australia. The inside cover includes a page of praise from The Sydney Morning Herald , The Stella Prize judging panel and The Monthly . A quick Google search will reveal the full reviews for your students to read (see the Additional Resources section of this unit for other reviews).

Challenge students to respond to one of the above hyperlinked reviews, drawing on specific parts of the text that contribute to the reviewer’s argument and celebrate the essential nature of the themes and ideas in The Hate Race . This response could take the form of an analytical or discursive essay response. Students’ work should explore:

• the range of themes you have discussed in class, including the colonial attitudes that persist in Australia, the reception of migrants, and the bullying and harassment faced by people from different backgrounds in the school environment
• the concept of belonging and the profound impact of feeling displaced
• the experience of othering and the place of Clarke’s work in relation to this phenomenon
• the role Clarke’s memoir plays in illuminating the experiences of young Australian people of colour

Encourage students to aim for 1,000 words.

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Subscriber resources.

• AustLit – The Hate Race
• AustLit – Maxine Beneba Clarke

Please note that AustLit is a rich resource for any study of Australian literature or Australian writers. To access this online resource, you need to do so via your school library or through your own personal membership of your State or Territory library service. Talk to your school or local librarian for more information.

About the book and author

• Copyright Agency: Reading Australia – Maxine Beneba Clarke
• Copyright Agency: Reading Australia – The Hate Race
• Copyright Agency: Reading Australia – The Garret: Maxine Beneba Clarke
• Hachette Australia – The Hate Race
• Author’s Twitter account
• National Library of Australia: Trove – The Hate Race
• Wikipedia – Maxine Beneba Clarke
• Australian Book Review
• The Lifted Brow
• The Monthly
• The Saturday Paper
• The Sydney Morning Herald
• Sydney Review of Books

Audio and video

• ABC News: One Plus One – Maxine Beneba Clarke (video), 9 Feb 2017
• The Wheeler Centre – HEY GIRL: Growing Up With Maxine Beneba Clarke (audio), 10 Oct 2016
• ABC Radio National – Maxine Beneba Clarke The Hate Race (audio), 14 Aug 2016
• ABC RN Breakfast with Fran Kelly – Maxine Beneba Clarke: The Hate Race (audio), 26 Aug 2016

Newspapers and magazines

• The Sydney Morning Herald – Wide collection of voices challenges stereotype of African Australians, 26 Apr 2019
• The Conversation – Growing Up African in Australia: racism, resilience and the right to belong, 4 Apr 2019
• Kill Your Darlings – Extraordinary Routines: Maxine Beneba Clarke, 31 Oct 2017
• The National: Arts & Culture – Maxine Beneba Clarke’s memoir The Hate Race is the story of an Australian childhood blighted by racism, 29 Jun 2017
• Booktopia – Stella Prize shortlistee, Maxine Beneba Clarke, on The Hate Race, 20 Mar 2017
• Victorian Women’s Trust – My Feminism by Maxine Benebe Clarke, 7 Mar 2017
• The Guardian – Melbourne Writers Festival: Maxine Beneba Clarke says non-white children rendered ‘invisible’, 27 Aug 2016
• SBS Life – Growing up black in white Australia, 8 Aug 2016
• Stella – The Stella Interview: Maxine Beneba Clarke, 16 Mar 2015
• The Wheeler Centre – Working with Words: Maxine Beneba Clarke, 31 Jul 2014
• TEDx Talks – Be what you can’t see: one writer’s journey | Maxine Beneba Clarke | TEDxSydney, posted 18 Jul 2019
• ABC TV & iview – You Can’t Ask That: African Australians answer ‘Is racism really that bad?’, posted 10 Apr 2019
• ABC Q&A – Stranger than Fiction, streamed live 20 Aug 2018
• Australian Independent Bookseller – Maxine Beneba Clarke talks about her new book The Hate Race, posted 1 Aug 2016
• Dymocks Books – Dymocks interviews Maxine Beneba Clarke, posted 25 May 2015
• Schwartz Media – Alice Pung on bigotry in Australia, with Maxine Beneba Clarke and Nick Feik (Melbourne Writers Festival), posted 12 Nov 2014
• Booktopia TV – Maxine Beneba Clarke, poet and author of Foreign Soil, in conversation with Andrew Cattanach, posted 20 Jun 2014

Papers, critical commentary, essays and journal articles

• Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia, 2017, ‘Shared Experience and Learning from African Communities in Australia’, Australian Mosaic . FECCA, Vol 8, Issue 46. Available from: FECCA
• Patel, Z., 2017, ‘How Do We Address Diversity and Inclusion in the Arts’, Meanjin Blog

Teaching approaches and resources

• ABC Education – curriculum-linked resources for primary and secondary students and teachers
• Global Education – Teacher resources to encourage a global perspective across the curriculum
• Racism. No Way – Anti-racism education for Australian schools
• Victoria State Government – Advice for schools when teaching about cultural diversity
• Victoria State Government – Multicultural education

Related listings and synopses

• Book Depository

Literary blog reviews

• Elle Thinks
• Michelle Scott Tucker
• Story Addict
• Whispering Gums

Unit Suitable For AC: Senior Secondary Literature (Unit 3); with adaptation, AC: Senior Secondary English (Units 1–4)

Duration 6–7 weeks

Curriculum Summary

A summary table for Australian Curriculum content descriptions and NSW Syllabus outcomes for this unit

General Capabilities

Cross-curriculum Priorities

Further Details

Publisher Hachette Australia

Date of Publication 2016

ISBN 9780733640421

Category Memoir

SCIS number

Unit writer.

EMMA JENKINS is a teacher of eight years’ experience who has taught English from Years 7 to 12. She is the former President of the Tasmania Association for the Teaching of English (TATE) and state delegate to the National Council of AATE. Emma has written units for The Garret podcast series and Reading Australia, and her first publication ( Micro Stories: Small fiction with big impact! ) was released in November 2019. Alongside English, Emma’s other classroom passion is history and she thoroughly enjoys teaching Australian history and Europe at war. Emma is currently the Convenor of English (Years 7–9) at Parade College, Bundoora.

© AATE 2021

Permissions

Extract reprinted with permission from The Hate Race by Maxine Beneba Clarke, Hachette Australia, 2016

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Comparing The Hate Race and Charlie's Country

July 15, 2021

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• Plot Summaries
• Themes, Motifs and Key Ideas
• LSG’s Bubble Tea (BBT) Strategy for Unique Strategies
• Structural Features Analysis
• Sample Essay Breakdown

For a detailed guide on Comparative, check out our Ultimate Guide to VCE Comparative.

1. Plot Summaries

Summary - the hate race .

Maxine Beneba Clarke’s seminal novel, The Hate Race, follows the childhood and adolescence of its author, who is the main protagonist. The book is a memoir, meaning that it is based around a recollection of her life and filtered through her psyche and experiences. The book begins with Clarke’s family, British citizens of Afro-Carribean descent, moving to Sydney, New South Wales. They settle in the town of Kellyville, which is known as a ‘white picket’ community. Although these communities largely don't exist anymore, what they once described was suburban environments where only Anglo-Australians lived. As you can probably imagine, this immediately caused problems for Clarke’s family, with suspicion from neighbours and racist interactions with other kids in the neighbourhood. Clarke initially focuses on her experiences in kindergarten, revealing how prejudice and discrimination can be inculcated (meaning, ‘taught to’) in children even from such a tender age. Clarke meets her first tormenter - Carlita Allen. Carlita makes every effort to exclude Clarke from participation in usual preschool activities, hurling insults across playgrounds and calling her ‘dirty’. Literally, of course, Carlita is referring to Clarke’s black skin colour, but, metaphorically, it reflects the deeply hateful implication that anyone with a dark complexion is inherently inferior and lesser than white Australians. The bullying doesn’t stop by the time Clarke reaches primary school. In fact, it intensifies, aided and abetted by teachers who consistently turn a blind eye to the constant, gut-wrenching racial abuse. One of the most salient (meaning, ‘important’) scenes arises when Clarke is asked by a teacher what her parents do for a living. Upon informing the teacher that her mother is an actor, and her father is a Mathematics Professor - the first British citizen of Afro-Carribean descent to attend a British university - she is met with the patronising assumption that she must be lying. Surely black people wouldn’t have the emotional and intellectual intelligence to perform such high-powered jobs? Clarke also develops eczema during her primary school years, leaving patches of lighter-coloured skin covering her face, and a newfound hope that, bit by bit, God is answering her prayers and making her white. In high school, the racist rot sets in even further. Clarke develops a new habit for scratching her skin at night to the point of bleeding and bruising. Looking back at this experience, Clarke theorises that this was her body’s way of expressing her extreme discomfort with being black. It gives us a picture of how horrific racism can truly be, and the ways in which it forces minorities into believing that there’s something wrong with them, instead of there being something wrong with the people hurling abuse in the first instance!

It is this stage of her life when Clarke deals with one of the most difficult parts of being a minority in a majority white country. Through her interactions with teachers, friends and boyfriends alike, she becomes deeply angry at those people who abhor racism themselves, but seem unable to step in when racist events are actually occurring. Clarke also deals with more nuanced experiences of racism - people who don’t intend to be racist, but end up making insensitive comments anyway. Whether intentional or not, these comments still hurt, and are still part of the challenges of growing up black in a white country. Nonetheless, Clarke continues to rise above the odds, becoming a prolific high school debater, maintaining her position at the top of the academic cohort, and forming a small but tight-knit group of friends whom she can trust. 

Clarke’s recollection of her childhood ends on a relatively abrupt note, with Clarke returning home to realise that her father has left the family for another woman. In a note to the family, he provides no explanation other than that he had a secret affair for many years. Suddenly, Clarke, her brothers, sisters and mother are left to pick up the pieces. In the epilogue, Clarke is now an adult with a child of her own. Walking down Melbourne’s North Road, she reflects on the challenges and opportunities to which her child will be witness. Clarke portrays it as the dual sadness and happiness of knowing that, in Australia, her children will surely have access to more opportunity than in most parts of the world - but it will come at a cost. Namely, they will also have to contend with the remaining undercurrent of racism that, even now, still seeps through Australian society. The unsatisfying end to the novel reflects the nature of racism and the experience of a minority growing up in a white country itself: there is no happy ending. Rather, life becomes a series of painful incidents interspersed with minor victories; those who stand up against racism, those who fail to do so and the hundreds of thousands of Australians who will forever grapple with a society that sees them as ‘ lesser than’ due to the colour of their skin. 

Summary - Charlie’s Country

Charlie’s Country , an Australian movie directed by Dutch-Australian Rolf De Heer, follows the story of Charlie, a First Nations man living in late-2000s Australia.

The movie is set in the wake of the 2007 Northern Territory Intervention. As a bit of quick context, this was an action taken by the Commonwealth Government under Coalition Prime Minister John Howard to send Australian Defence Force troops into the Northern Territory. It came in response to the ‘Little Children are Sacred’ report , which raised allegations of child sexual abuse and neglect of children in Aboriginal communities. The intervention also involved restricting alcohol consumption, quarantining a portion of welfare payments to Indigenous residents (with the justification that this would prevent it being spent on alcohol, pornography, cigarettes, etc.) and hefty fines as well as jail sentences for those forced to comply. It is important to note that, throughout the whole intervention, not a single person was prosecuted for child sexual abuse or any related offence. Nonetheless, this intervention had real world, drastic consequences - and that’s exactly what Charlie’s Country explores. At the time of de Heer’s film, Charlie lives in a remote Indigenous community. Signs of the intervention are all around - alcohol is banned from most communities, many individuals face personal bans on procuring alcohol, police officers dot the streets and citizens live under constant watch. Charlie, on a surface level, is a fairly happy-go-lucky individual; he exchanges jokes with police, is friendly with other elders and people in his community and doesn’t seem to do much else. As always with a movie like this - there’s a bigger story behind this all! Rolf de Heer takes us through an increasingly concerning image of Aboriginal communities in the wake of the intervention. Charlie visits his local housing officer and is unable to obtain a house. Here, we see that Charlie is willing to work and wants stable accommodation, but the government is unwilling to provide.

Going on a hunting trip with his friend, ‘Black Pete’, the two are stopped by police and have their guns, as well as the water buffalo they killed, confiscated. Yet again, two Indigenous men try to provide for themselves - but are stopped by a legal system more concerned with rules and procedure than listening to First Nations communities themselves. Charlie decides he’s had enough of having his every move and action monitored, and takes a stolen police car into the bush. Abandoning the car, he tries to live amongst nature for an unidentified amount of time. Cooking fish, performing traditional First Nations dances, painting on the bark and looking for shelter, Charlie finally appears to be home . Yet, as usual, it’s too good to be true - the extreme cold makes Charlie incredibly sick, and, before we know it, he wakes up in a Darwin hospital. After refusing further treatment from the white doctors who fail to understand Charlie’s situation and why he is so angry at what’s happened to him, the predictable cycle begins again: Charlie returns to his community, they all share alcohol as a way of coping with their current situation and flee when the police come running to confiscate the liquor. Charlie isn’t civil with the police this time. In a fit of anger - an outburst of emotion after decades upon decades of control and being denied access to any opportunity - he picks up a bat and smashes the police officer’s car window. Brutally beaten into submission, Charlie is imprisoned as the police officer remarks that he should never have 'gone soft on a blackfella’. 

Dragged before the courts, Charlie is imprisoned for assault. When the judge asks him to make a comment, he gives a lengthy speech in his native language. For de Heer, this acts as a symbolic assertion of the First Nations’ rights to their own culture, and a proud statement against the many governments that have continually placed barriers in the way of Indigenous Australians having the same opportunities as any one of us. Eventually, Charlie is released on parole. He expresses a deep desire to go home - but also a sense of defeat . He resolves, in the end, to believe that even if he will always live under the watchful eyes of the Australian Government, he can at least fight back and contribute by doing his bit to maintain the many cultures of our First Nations Peoples. Charlie teaches young Indigenous boys traditional dances, speaking proudly of when he performed a dancing ceremony for Queen Elizabeth in 1973 at the Sydney Opera House. The movie ends with Charlie staring mournfully into the camera, almost looking at the audience themselves. There seems to be no happiness in his eyes - nothing left but a sense of sadness and resignation. I know that, upon approaching the end of the film, I started to feel the same sadness that Charlie so evidently shows us. It’s a different type of emotion; one centered around the pain of knowing that we live in a country that still has not made peace with its past, and refuses to listen to the First Nations Peoples who know it best. Charlie’s Country exposes to us that Australia is a country where, even today, our First Nations citizens are not treated as equals. As such, de Heer’s film is a stark reminder that this state of affairs is not good enough - and that the responsibility for change doesn’t just lie with politicians and decision-makers . It’s our job too: and failure is not an option .

2. Themes, Motifs and Key Ideas

Through discussing Themes, Motifs and Key Ideas, we’ll gain a clearer understanding of some super important ideas to include in your essays. Remember that, when it comes to themes, there’s a whole host of ways you can express your ideas,  but this is what I’d suggest as the most impressive method to blow away the VCAA examiners. We’ll be adhering to the CONVERGENT and DIVERGENT strategy. While we don’t go into detail into how to use LSG’s CONVERGENT and DIVERGENT strategy in this guide, I’d highly recommend you get familiar with it by reading How To Write A Killer Comparative .

Connection to Culture (CONVERGENT)

Both de Heer and Clarke offer a unified idea around culture: that being connected to one’s culture is inherently good and positive, and should be encouraged. Let’s break this down. The Hate Race and Charlie’s Country are both works that explore the challenges of individuals maintaining their culture in surroundings which would otherwise see them revert to the ‘standard’. In this case, because we’re talking about Australia, de Heer and Clarke take us through the same story of an overarching, implicit acceptance that the Christian, Anglo way of life is the norm. This standard has deep roots in the colonisation of Australia, and the resulting claim of sovereignty by the Crown. Even as this country has evolved into a multicultural land, it still bears the marks of a ‘European’ country; whether that be our British legal system, Anglo-American democracy or any of the other institutions we have taken from the Western world.

It is in this context that de Heer and Clarke go to special lengths to explain why people should be empowered to connect to their culture. To our author and director, culture is an essential element of who you are, and it is this identity which carries people through life . For Maxine, the shock of realising that she may be the descendant of African slaves, and had lived so many years without having any idea this may be the case, is drawn from the fact that she, as a child, feels incredibly disconnected to who she is. Clarke’s memoir thus reminds us that ‘growing up black in a white country’ is an experience that often results in minority children not truly learning about who they are. Travelling through life, Maxine is continually disconnected from her culture, to the point where performing ‘African tribal dances’ to the school is nothing more than a joke. Even in her own estimation, Maxine has internalised (meaning, she’s adopted it herself) the view that her culture is irrelevant, and there’s no real reason for her to properly engage with all its complexity and beauty.

If we consider Charlie’s perspective, his involuntary burst of tears at the hospital stems from a recognition that his people have been denied the free opportunity to embrace the world’s longest-surviving culture; the First Nations traditions that date back 40,000 years. With his friend slowly dying of lung cancer, at that moment, the old man is more connected to the cigarettes that slowly sapped his life away than he is to the First Nations way of living. Unable to hunt, gather as a community, work the lands as the First Nations traditionally would or embark on any other activity that would keep them connected to their culture, this country’s first inhabitants are instead told to abandon ‘the old ways’ and embrace Anglocentric standards of life.

It is a shocking reminder that, without culture, people are left like driftwood swimming through a vast ocean. By that, I mean that people are left without an anchor through which they can independently experience the world. Instead, their understanding of themselves, their sense of self and their actions in life are all filtered through the preferences of the dominant majority.

Intergenerational Disadvantage (DIVERGENT)

Whilst Charlie’s Country and The Hate Race share many similarities in terms of the negative impacts of racism and prejudice, the texts carry different connotations when it comes to the notion of intergenerational disadvantage. 

To explain this idea, let’s first define and unpack ‘intergenerational disadvantage’. We could spend days talking about this, but, simply, intergenerational disadvantage refers to cycles of poverty and criminality that pass from generation to generation, worsening with time. Think of it this way: assume you’re a teenager - or at least still financially reliant on your parents. If your parents were to lose everything they owned today in a massive financial crisis, you’d be in big trouble too, right? Suddenly, that part-time job you had that was helping you save money might be the only income for the entire family. You might even have to drop out of school, TAFE or university to care for everyone, denying you a higher paying job in the future. 

You’ll have to work your tail off for years on end. Since you’re supporting an entire family, say goodbye to saving up for a house or to pay for your kid’s education in future. Your kids now have to start from square one with less opportunity than the people around them, meaning it’ll be harder for them to succeed in life.

When we apply this to Charlie’s Country, the analogy becomes quite clear. Charlie lives in a community where there is no opportunity. Because there are no jobs - and no real way to gain steady, meaningful employment - people fall into alcoholism, marijuana and anything else that’ll help them cope. Lung cancer and alcoholism shorten lifespans for people like the old man with failing kidneys, while no employer is going to waste a chance on those still living. There is simply no ability to ‘succeed’ here, because the local residents don’t see that there’s anything worth working towards. Hopeless, unheard and disillusioned, it becomes easier for Charlie’s community to just accept their sorry lot in life than futilely work towards changing it.

We aren’t made witness to this same cycle in The Hate Race. Instead, Bordeaux Clarke is the epitome of someone who has broken the cycle of intergenerational disadvantage; becoming the first individual in his community to attend a British university. Marrying a high-powered Guyanese actress in Cleopatra, the married couple represent success and a defiance of racist stereotypes, not the grinding poverty and disadvantage we see in Charlie’s Country. Although Maxine experiences terrible discrimination and prejudice as a child, there is always a sense that she will academically remain on top. Maxine uses the prejudice with which she’s faced as a motivator, giving her the impetus to consistently emerge successful; whether that be in her schooling, cross-country running, as a debater or any other academic endeavour. Sure, she faces racism that inhibits her from always succeeding - the Lions Club competition is a great example of such - but this isn’t so much about intergenerational disadvantage as it is about racism, plain and simple.

Ultimately, the difference between the two is a matter of emphasis. It’s not that intergenerational disadvantage doesn’t exist in The Hate Race, but more so that Clarke is choosing to focus on how even the most successful individuals can suffer from prejudice and racism. This in turn helps us to understand that racism impacts everyone , and we should never pretend it isn’t a massive problem. Conversely, Charlie’s Country is all about social disadvantage, and explores how prejudice can prevent oppressed individuals from becoming successful in the first place. 

3. LSG’s Bubble Tea (BBT) Strategy for Unique Strategies

Why is an interpretation important.

Your interpretation is what English is all about; it’s about getting you to think critically about the essay topic at hand, to formulate a contention (agree, disagree, or sit on the fence) and argue each of your points with the best pieces of evidence you can find - and it’s something you might already be starting to do naturally.

In this section, we aim to help you develop your own interpretation of the text, rather than relying on your teacher, tutor or even a study guide (including this one) author’s interpretation. By developing your own interpretation, you become a better English student by:

• Writing with meaning. For a text to be interpreted, you need a text and an interpreter (i.e. you!). Whenever we read a new text, our interpretation of a text is shaped by our pre-existing beliefs, knowledge and expectations. This should be reassuring because it means that you can leverage your own life experiences in developing a unique interpretation of the text! We’ll show you how this works in the next point.
• Remembering evidence (quotes or literary devices) more easily. If you know you admire a character for example (which is in itself an interpretation 😉), you can probably remember why you admire them. Perhaps the character’s selflessness reminds you of your Dad (see how you’re using real life experiences mentioned in Point 1 to develop an interpretation of the text?). You will then more easily recall something the character said or did in the text (i.e. evidence) that made you admire them.
• Having an analysis ready to use alongside the evidence. As a result of Point 2 , you’ll be able to write a few sentences based on your own interpretation. Rather than memorising entire essays ( we’ve talked about this before ) and regurgitating information from teachers, tutors, study guides and other resources - which can be labour intensive and actually detract from the originality of your essay - you’re approaching the essay with your own thoughts and opinions (which you can reuse over and over again across different essay topics).

Let’s look on the flip side. What happens when you don’t have your own interpretation?

When you don’t take the time to actively think for yourself - i.e. to think through your own interpretations (we’ve talked about the importance of THINK in the THINK and EXECUTE strategy here ) - when it finally comes to writing an essay, you may find it difficult:

a) to get started - formulating a contention in response to the essay topic is challenging because you have no strong opinion about the text ,

b) complete the essay - writing up arguments and using evidence in paragraphs becomes challenging because you have no strong opinion about the text ,

c) to score higher marks - ultimately, you end up regurgitating other people’s ideas (your teacher’s, tutor’s or from study guides) because you have (you guessed it) no strong opinion on the text .

Having your own interpretation means that you’ll eliminate issues a, b and c from above. Overall, you’ll have opinions (and therefore contentions) ready for any prompt when you go into your SACs or exams, which means it’ll be easier not only to write a full essay, but an original and insightful one as well.

To overcome the issues above, you need to be confident with your own interpretation of the text. This doesn’t come naturally to a lot of students, and it makes sense why. After all, so many subjects reward specific answers (2 + 2 = 4), whereas English is tricky because there’s so much more flexibility in what constitutes a ‘correct answer’. It’s scary treading the sea of different possible interpretations because you’ll ask yourself questions like:

• How do I know if my interpretation is correct?
• How do I know if my evidence actually backs up what I’m arguing?
• What if I disagree with my teacher, and they mark me down for a differing opinion?
• Or worse - I’m not smart enough to come up with my own interpretation!

Let me say that you are absolutely smart enough to develop your own interpretation, and I’ll show you how to do so in A Killer Comparative Guide: The Hate Race & Charlie’s Country with LSG’s unique strategy - the BUBBLE TEA (BBT) strategy . By following our step-by-step framework, you can be confident that your interpretation is valid, that it backs up your argument, and that most importantly, you won’t lose marks for it!

4. Structural Features Analysis

In How To Write A Killer Text Response , we cover Metalanguage . A Structural Features Analysis and Comparison goes over a lot of the same material, and will help elevate your essays to the next level. Knowing quotes and themes is essential, but being able to pair that with analysis of the title, setting, narrator and overall structure - we'll cover title here - shows the examiner that you really know exactly what you’re talking about. This section will be especially crucial for metalanguage topics that are all about how Charlie’s Country and The Hate Race are structured , so, enjoy!

The title of a text is always significant - and this text pairing is no different. First, of course, please do keep in mind that there is no universally accurate interpretation of what a title means. I’m giving you my assessment, but the author and director could very well disagree themselves! That’s okay, because as long as we back it up properly, your interpretation is as valid as any. As always, that’s the beauty of English. Let’s first unpack The Hate Race. What this title signifies is that, for minorities in Australia, life is constantly akin to a race. There is no rest, no comfort and no sense of home when your mind is preoccupied with all the ways you don’t belong. Australia, as a colonial outpost representing the Crown in a region that is overwhelmingly non-white, was once proud of its discriminatory stances; holding itself as the 'White Man’s Paradise'. It is in this context that racism, for Clarke, is not just a reality that lurks beneath the surface, but rather, a guiding tenet of Australia since 1788. With this overarching narrative, it is also important to acknowledge that the mere experience of racism is immensely emotionally, physically and mentally taxing for Clarke, and all people of colour. Being denied a firm sense of self, and constantly being forced to justify one’s own existence isn’t easy, and becomes a ‘race against time’ to see who can cope and rise above, and who will be swept away along with the tide. This sorrowful reality is what engenders the never ending race against being consumed by such hatred, because, for non-white Australians, there simply is no other choice. If they stop running, they run the risk of being consumed by the hatred themselves and becoming so cynical and disillusioned that they forget their culture and accede to the Anglocentric, white majority. 

Moving to de Heer’s film, Charlie’s Country, the title reflects a simple reality: this is Charlie’s country. However, when de Heer speaks of ‘country’, he is really talking about ‘Country’; the Indigenous notion of connection to and respect for one’s traditional lands. Nurturing this connection is a sacred responsibility, and the film reminds us that, despite Charlie’s many trials and tribulations, the land on which he lives is truly his own. Throughout the film, Charlie maintains a keen awareness that what is happening to him is unjust, and, unlike Maxine, he doesn’t need someone to convince him that he belongs. Whatever Anglo Australia does, it cannot change the continuing legacy of his people and their sovereignty. To Charlie, it is laughable to think that his Country - which the First Nations have nurtured and kept in common use for 40,000 years - could suddenly become someone else’s property in less than 200 years. He may not have any legal authority under the Crown, and his people may be dispossessed of their sovereignty and authority, but this cannot and will not change the remaining truth of First Nations sovereignty. De Heer’s film title thus challenges us to confront our own perceptions of Australia and remember that we all live on stolen land.

Essay Topic Breakdown

As with all our essay topic breakdowns, we'll follow LSG's THINK and EXECUTE strategy , as taught in our How To Write A Killer Text Response study guide. The LSG's THINK and EXECUTE strategy follows three steps in the THINK phase - A nalyse, B rainstorm, and C reate a Plan. Learn more about this technique in this video:

'I’m free now!' ( Charlie’s Country ) 'My children are the descendants of the unbroken.' ( The Hate Race ) Compare the characters’ understanding of freedom in the two texts.

Step 1: Analyse

Let’s break down the prompt. This is a quote-based prompt, meaning the quote must feature somewhere in your essay . Ensure that you have a good understanding of the place from which the quote is drawn. In this case, Charlie’s exclamation of joy features when he escapes to the wilderness and is able to cook, dance and provide for himself. The quote from The Hate Race is the last line of the memoir, with Clarke expressing the sentiment that her children belong in Australia and will be as strong as their parents.

Step 2: Brainstorm

The next part is to establish the link between the quote and the topic. The essay topic at hand asks us how 'freedom' is understood, so we need to actually understand freedom itself in relation to the quotes provided. For de Heer and Clarke, freedom isn’t an abstract concept relating to rights, liberties and responsibilities. Rather, freedom is found when people have the ability to be themselves, own their culture and live their truth. For Charlie, that mainly relates to his right to live in his country and maintain the traditional ways of the First Nations Peoples. Clarke, however, is more focused on the balancing act of finding freedom through a multicultural society that includes all, and in doing so celebrates the contribution that all cultures make into the melting pot that is Australia.

Step 3: Create a Plan

There’s no one correct way to structure your paragraphs for Charlie’s Country and The Hate Race . However, I find it consistently helpful to follow a chronological structure. This refers to going through events of the memoir and film in the order they actually occur, and finding unique points of analysis based around these chronological groupings.  

We also need to think of examples and points of comparison. Base these around the themes we’ve gone through, so you can easily identify DIVERGENT and CONVERGENT points of comparison. I’ll walk you through my thinking.

Paragraph 1 – unable to experience freedom because systems exist to stop individuals from embracing their own culture

• Kellyville and Alice Springs are immediately established as communities where rules and standards of association are both made and enforced by white authorities. The types of authorities and the prevalence of this overarching system of control differs between The Hate Race and Charlie’s Country , but are not any less harmful.

Paragraph 2 – attempts at pushback are rebuffed, resulting in further punishment for the simple crime of failing to conform

• Anglo Australia maintains its dominance through an assumption that minority Australians and First Nations Peoples will not question their place. Thus, when there is even the smallest semblance of resistance, punishment is the only solution. 
• The difference here is that while Charlie wages an active resistance against white authorities, Maxine is moreso placed into submission by the repeated failure of her pleas to be heard by anyone in a position to change what is occurring. At the centre of both situations, though, is a desire to break free of white Australia’s chains.

Paragraph 3 – finding cultural freedom is a slow process of change, but one that begins with self acceptance

• There is no happy ending to either The Hate Race or Charlie’s Country. Freedom does not suddenly spring forth. Instead, our author and director elucidate that cultivating freedom is a slow process. For Charlie, that begins with embracing his culture again and seeking to keep it alive. On Maxine’s part, it is about refusing to be broken by her past, and instead using her trauma as a motivator to build a better future.

If you'd like to see the sample A+ essay we wrote up for this essay topic, then you might want to check out our A Killer Comparative Guide: The Hate Race & Charlie's Country study guide !

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Written by Jordan Bassilious, who achieved a perfect study score of 50, an English Premier's Award and a 99.5 ATAR:

• Learn unique points of comparison through LSG's CONVERGENT and DIVERGENT strategy and stand out from the rest of the Victorian cohort
• Includes fully annotated sample A+ essays
• How to think like a 50 study scorer through advanced discussions like structural feature analysis, views and values and unique interpretations.

Charlie’s Country  is an Australian drama film directed by Rolf de Heer, starring David Gulpilil. The linear film, co-written by de Heer and Gulpilil, tells the story of Charlie, a middle-aged Aboriginal man living in the town of Ramingining. The audience follows Charlie as he sets off to reconnect with his Indigenous origins; choosing to abandon urbanised society, Charlie flees into the bush to live by his “Mother country”. Much to his demise, Charlie subsequently becomes ill and is admitted to hospital in Darwin. After discharging himself from the hospital, Charlie is quickly arrested for assaulting a policeman. Charlie serves time in prison for his crime and the film’s final scenes show Charlie, free and mentoring young Aboriginal boys in their native cultural traditions. As the audience follows Charlie’s everyday encounters, they gain insight into the harsh realities faced by Aboriginals in modern-day Australia. Through his individual plight for survival amidst illness and poverty, de Heer presents profound political commentaries on this very pertinent social issue, spanning decades in Australian history.

The film's critical acclaim upon its release in 2013 was the impetus in prompting conversations and debates about the politics of Indigenous Australians. De Heer’s depiction of this remote community grappling with issues as a result of government-imposed law serves to capture the oppression and deeply ingrained racism that continues to persist.

Tracks  is one Australian woman’s survival narrative. The 1980 autobiographical memoir by Robyn Davidson, recounts her courageous 1700 miles trek across Australia, beginning from Central Australia towards the Indian ocean. In the effort to escape the monotony of her daily life, Davidson travels to her first destination -- Alice Springs -- in 1973 to start preparations. In the 2 years she spends there, she learns how to train camels and live minimally, the former proving to be a challenge. Despite her vehement will to refuse any kind of donation or financial help, Davidson eventually accepts a writing deal in partnership with National Geographic, providing the much-needed funds to confirm her departure. It's through this deal that she meets Rick Smolan, whom under the conditions of her deal has been recruited to photograph this journey - an unsettling compromise for Davidson which she ruminates on frequently in the novel. With her beloved dog Diggity and her camels, Davidson traverses the Australian landscape, discovering more about herself, her country and the people. 

Fundamentally, this book is as much about Davidson’s internal transformation and personal frontiers as it is about exposing the colonial and masculine ethos that permeates Australian history.

Themes (Similarities and Differences)

At LSG, we use the CONVERGENT and DIVERGENT strategy to help us easily find points of similarity and difference. This is particularly important when it comes to essay writing, because you want to know that you're coming up with unique comparative points (compared to the rest of the Victorian cohort!). I don't discuss this strategy in detail here, but if you're interested, check out my How To Write A Killer Comparative . I use this strategy throughout my discussion of themes here and in a later section, Sample Essay Plan.

Isolation and Alienation

Charlie, drawing on Gulpilil's own experiences, becomes profoundly alienated from his Ramingining community to the extent where he serves no major function in the community life. Charlie is alienated both physically and figuratively, not only does he live in a makeshift hut on the outskirts of town, but he is separated from the Aboriginal community in this town and resents the fact that white Australians have assumed power over his land. He is evidently neglected from the wider society, which causes much of the internal and external conflict he experiences in the film, an ordeal which many within the Indigenous minorities can empathise with. 

In his efforts to escape his life within the confines of the intervention, Charlie sees isolation and social rebellion as a mechanism to rediscover his Indigenous roots, spending time in nature to fulfil his journey for self-discovery and to gain the freedom he’s lost. Removing himself from a town permeated by imperial powers provides him with an opportunity to restore his lost sense of self-autonomy. De Heer is intending to reveal the difficulty of assimilation for Aboriginal Australians. He also highlights the importance of human connection and relational harmony for individuals.

“Do you mind if I call you Charlie? I have difficulty pronouncing foreign names.” “Now I’m a foreigner?” (Charlie and the Darwin doctor) 

“It's isolated, it's remote.” (Policeman Luke on Ramingining)

“I work for them catching criminals, they don’t pay me.” (Charlie)

“I don’t know what’s wrong with him… shaming us.” (Pete on Charlie)

Robyn Davidson views complete isolation as a way to detach herself from the commercialism and expectations of modern-day Australia, to connect with nature and to challenge her own beliefs of herself. For her, complete solitude in this journey is a private and personal gesture designed to intentionally preserve the sanctity of the trip. While Rick Smolan’s company appears benign, Davidson’s abrasive attitude towards him as well as her reluctance in ‘selling’ her story is particularly revealing of her attempt to maintain the subjectivity of the trip. The act of breaching this solitude is what Davidson sees as an egregious debasement of the sacredness of the journey, allowing it to be objectified by the eyes of the public. In addition to this, isolation signifies liberation and freedom from a society laden with rigid expectations, Smolan acts as a constant reminder of these external responsibilities. Davidson experiences alienation from the wider society, being a confident, decisive woman trekking independently and defying the limitations imposed on her sex. She also repeatedly expresses her sense of alienation when entering Aboriginal communities and although she is sensitive to the impression she gives, she acknowledges her persistent feeling as an outsider. Davidson is aware of the divide between these two cultures that have resulted from a history of inequality and oppression. In  Tracks , Davidson also demonstrates the need for meaningful connections, however she sources this from her animal companions and nature.

“My aloneness was a treasure which I guarded like a jewel... but like everything [it] had to follow the laws of change.” (p. 40)

“No more loved ones to care about, no more ties, no more duties, no more people needing you to be one thing or another, no more conundrums, no more politics, just you and the desert baby.” (p. 94)

“I could never enter their reality, [I] would always be a whitefella tourist on the outside looking in.” (p. 146)

“I could not be with the Aboriginal people without being a clumsy intruder.” (p. 146)

Charlie’s displacement from his community is the driving force behind his decision to return to the Aboriginal way of life. De Heer uses this depiction of Charlie, to serve as a wider embodiment of the difficulty for the Indigenous people to assimilate and conform to the western lifestyle. After witnessing the limitations he faces under the ‘whitefella’ laws in Ramingining, it is Charlie who first attempts to escape his community. He repeatedly rejects the life of subordination and compliance under the government laws, which as shown in the film has forced many of the Indigenous people to neglect their own traditions and way of life (for example, they must now eat unhealthy fast foods to survive and go through school). Charlie’s individualistic expressions seen through crafting a spear and going hunting are actively suppressed by the white authority, leaving him to conclude that the only way to fully exercise his personal agency is to live in the Australian wilderness, alone. His act of abandoning the car with his belongings and parting with almost nothing in his possession is significant in demonstrating his defiance of the imposition of western culture and his journey for self-reliance. De Heer depicts how conforming to an oppressive society is detrimental and praises the self-transformative effects of embracing individualism rather than blindly conforming.

"Live the old way… …going to my Mother Country.’"(Charlie)

“F--- those thieving…white bastards.” (Charlie)

“The kids go to school now. They don’t care.” (Charlie)

“Why did you come here? From far away… stealing people’s stuff! Is this your land?... F---ing bastards.” (Charlie)

“I’m free now. I have my own supermarket! And this is my country! I can dance with it!” (Charlie)

Robyn Davidson’s decision to leave her normal life in Queensland to cross the Australian desertland is one that becomes the subject of much scrutiny and doubt. Her bold, dauntless approach towards pursuing this journey, specifically as a single, young woman was radically counter-cultural to the perception of women in the 1970s as delicate and docile individuals. Davidson’s indifference and somewhat dismissive attitude towards the derogatory remarks and reductive characterisations are indicative of her acknowledgement of the unjustified prejudice that permeates Australian culture. Additionally, Davidson’s assertive personality and commitment to travelling in the wilderness alone is ultimately an establishment to herself as an autonomous woman, rebelling against the traditional conventions of marriage, motherhood and domesticity that was previously expected of her. Ultimately, Davidson strongly asserts the need for resistance, particularly where there is the expectation for conformity, as well as her experience, is revealing of the cleansing and liberating feelings of embracing individualism rather than conforming.

“(Dropping eyes to chest level). "Where’s yer old man?" "I don't have an old man." (p. 5)

“I was self-protective, suspicious and defensive and I was also aggressively ready to pounce on anyone who looked like they might be going to give a hard time.” (p. 34)

“It was essential for me to develop beyond the archetypal female creature who from birth had been trained to be sweet, pliable, forgiving, compassionate and door-mattish.” (p. 34)

“I wanted to… unclog my brain of all extraneous debris, not be protected, to be stripped of all social crutches, not to be hampered by any outside interference.” (p. 91)

Belonging and Identity

The laconic and monotonous pace of the film is suggestive of a more deeply rooted issue surrounding the identity distortions experienced by Aboriginals, even to the present day. This depiction acts as a personification of the widespread troubles of Indigenous Australians -- the deep struggle between submitting to the institutions of the ‘whitefella’ intervention and clinging to what is left of their traditional heritage, often rendering them feeling separated from both cultures. The mundane nature of his daily activities conveys the social incongruence between Charlie’s struggle to live sufficiently as a ‘traditional’ elder or as a ‘modern’ Australian, finding himself disconnected from both. This internal battle is psychologically taxing for Charlie, as he encounters many contradictions: receiving welfare payments, only to have to give them away to his family, and so he goes without food and later becomes hungry, only to be denied the opportunity to hunt for his own food. Fulfilling one culture means rejecting the other, and freedom in one means rebellion in the other. Thus, Charlie sees social transgression as his only choice of refashioning his own identity. De Heer reveals how freely establishing a secure sense of identity and belonging in their culture is critical in the lives of these individuals, however, the long-term damage that western society has inflicted has made this almost impossible.

“You’ve got a job, and you’ve got a house…on my land. Where’s my house? Where’s my job?” (Charlie)

“We need to teach them… the traditional ways.” (Charlie’s friend) 

“I’ve been away fishing, now I’m home. I’m eating well. It’s my own supermarket.” (Charlie)

In  Tracks , Davidson’s attempt to escape the responsibilities and social pressures to immerse herself in nature is ultimately a journey of self-discovery; to define her own identity irrespective of the expectations imposed on her by the 1970s society. As a solitary female, challenging the restrictions of her sex and exposing herself to unpredictable surroundings, she can curate her own identity as a progressive, post-colonial feminist, seizing and capitalising on the autonomy she has. This endeavour allows Davidson to undergo a form of self-transformation, a search for meaning for herself and others, what she describes as a “desocializing process -- the sloughing of, like a snakeskin”. Furthermore, Davidson is determined to rediscover her place in respect to the desertland, educating herself about the native biodiversity and most importantly, the native people. Although Davidson recognises that she will always be considered a ‘whitefella’, she finds a sense of fulfilment and belonging in engaging with and observing the rural Aboriginal communities. She demonstrates a deep understanding of the distorted identity and loss of belonging for the Aborigines at the hands of imperial white forces and is sensitive to the damage that has been inflicted. Above all, Davidson gains a renewed, stable sense of identity and belonging through her resistance to the imperial Australian racist mentality, challenging the male-orientated culture. However, she is also confronted by the reality of this breakdown of identity within the Aboriginal communities.

“This was my first home, where I felt such a sense of relief and belonging that I needed nothing and no one.” (p. 40)

“From the day the thought came into my head ‘I’m going to enter a desert with camels’, to the day I felt the preparations to be completed, I had built some intangible but magical for myself…” (p. 95)

“I wanted to understand so much… I melted into a feeling of belonging. They were letting me into their world. They asked me if I wanted to dance.” (p. 145)

“Once dispossessed of this land, ceremonial life deteriorates, people lose their strength, meaning and identity.” (p. 167) ‍ ‍

Connection to Nature

The significance of nature to the Aboriginal people is at the core of this film. Charlie embodies this connection through his escape to the Australian wilderness. This first acts as a fresh alternative to the restrictive, repressive lifestyle within his government-intervened community, given. It's an opportunity to rebel against the western lifestyle and restore his traditional way of life, which leaves him feeling free, happy and powerful. However, his struggle to adjust to this change is indicative of the corruption of the intrinsic link between the people and the land. The harmonious, symbiotic relationship that the Indigenous people once had with the land has deteriorated; having been essentially poisoned through the introduction of a progressive white society. As much as Charlie tries to balance elements of both cultures by hunting and quitting smoking, it becomes apparent to him returning to where ‘[he] was born’, is the only way to rediscover his sense of self and truly experience freedom. Ultimately, like much of the wider Indigenous people, Charlie’s unable to fully abandon the constraints of white society and has become dependent. De Heer confronts the audience with the consequences of this irreversible separation through the illness and poverty that the Aboriginal people must endure.

“There’s lots of food in the bush… It's like a supermarket out there.” (Charlie’s companion)

“Then you’ll die in the wrong place… a long way from your country… They’ll be no one with you, no one to look after you.” (Charlie to a friend)

“I was born in the bush. They didn’t find me in the bush.” (Charlie)

“I want to go home now......back to my own country......where my place is...” (Charlie)

The connection to nature seen in  Tracks  serves several functions for Davidson. Contrary to the majority of attitudes of the time, Davidson can recognise the sanctity of the Australian land and is determined to learn about and experience this connection between the Aboriginal people and their environment. Like in  Charlie’s Country , Davidson’s encounter with the rural, minimalist Aboriginal communities is a distinct contrast to the urban society which she leaves behind. It’s a sobering reminder to Davidson of the persisting racism and colonialist mentality which pervades Australian history and confirms the serious consequences that have occurred from the loss of connection between land and people. Even further, her battle to survive and adapt to the unpredictability of the desert is the ultimate test of endurance, which Davidson acknowledges enables lasting self-transformation and consolidates to her the true majesty and reverence of nature. Therefore, this escapism into the desertland is Davidson’s own challenge for personal change and a chance to experience true liberation like Charlie, as well as finding peace with the natives by means of acknowledging the usurpation of their traditional land and rights.

“All around me was magnificence. Light, power, space and sun. And I was walking into it. I was going to let it make me or break me.” (p. 101)

“It is difficult to describe Australian desert ranges as their beauty is not just visual. They have an awesome grandeur that can fill you with exaltation or dread, and usually a combination of both.” (p. 122)

“Besides, no amount of anthropological detail can begin to convey Aboriginal feeling for their land. It is everything -- their law, their ethics, their reason for existence.” (p. 167)

“And just as Aborigines seem to be in perfect rapport with themselves and their country, so the embryonic beginnings of that rapport were happening to me.” (p. 193)

Author Views and Values

Aboriginal rights and the intervention.

Like in any comparison, it is important to understand some of the key events that were occurring at the time of both the text and the film. While  Tracks  and  Charlie Country  are set more than 3 decades apart, the issue of Aboriginal rights is still equally as important in both settings.

In  Tracks , the 1970-80s saw many progressive milestones in Aboriginal history. Just years prior to Davidson’s departure, Australians voted for change in the constitution officially recognising Aboriginal people in the national census. Later, 1976 saw the Aboriginal Land Rights Act, which allowed the Indigenous people to assume ownership of land that was acknowledged to be rightly theirs. Many of these legislative changes were indicative of a larger-scale shift in attitudes towards the fairer treatment of Aborigines. While the oppression and racism continued, it was individuals like Robyn Davidson who pioneered the way for greater change and equality. Davidson ultimately intends to highlight the devastation that has occurred to the Aboriginal people following colonisation and aims to shine the light on the persisting issues these individuals face in an ostensibly ‘post-colonial’ Australia.

• Despite some advancements of Indigenous rights in the 1970s, Davidson is firmly opposed to the ongoing racist attitudes held by white Australians.
• Davidson sympathises with the deep hardship endured by the Aboriginal people, which was characteristic of the evolving attitudes towards racial equality in 1970s Australia.

In addition to this, was the 2007 ‘intervention’.  Charlie’s Country  is set some years following the introduction of the Northern Territory National Emergency Response. Following reports of child sexual abuse and neglect, the Howard Government unleashed national forces to remote Indigenous communities in the effort to act as law enforcement and impose alcohol and drug restrictions. De Heer examines the consequences of what was described as a ‘last-ditch’ attempt to maintain power; an act that was widely criticised and showed to further exacerbate the suffering of the Indigenous people. Hence, de Heer’s film provides a personal insight into the difficulty of navigating life for Indigenous citizens as a result of the Intervention, and how Charlie’s struggles are representative of the anguish of the wider Aboriginal community.

• Drawing parallels with the time of 2007 Northern Territory Intervention, de Heer intends to reveal the identity distortions that Indigenous individuals suffered due to the enforcement of westernised laws.
• De Heer’s depiction of Charlie’s alienation from Ramingining was indicative of the wider Aboriginal population in the time following the 2007 Intervention, which saw the introduction of new restrictions into rural communities in the Northern Territory.

Women's rights in Australia

The 1970s was a critical time for women's rights in Australia. At this point in time, after the first wave enabled women to vote, the second wave of feminism was moving through the nation. Women all across Australia were now fervently advocating for their own autonomy and freedom in the workplace and at home; their efforts directed more to dismantle the rigid social structures and expectations that were demanded from them. Davidson is an avid proponent for this cause and demonstrates a tactful and astute understanding of her image as a white, middle-class woman. She openly reiterates her distaste for the sexist remarks and misogynistic caricatures she faces and is determined to confound the restrictions placed on her sex of being a domesticated and weak female. Overall, Davidson is promoting the principles of breaking through societal expectations, however, also reveals the many challenges she encounters in doing so.

• Davidson’s defiance of the traditional female image is indicative of the progressive attitudes regarding women's rights in 1970s Australia.
• Davidson’s embodiment of feminist ideas was synonymous to the 1970s second wave of feminism, where women in Australia were fighting for more freedoms at work and at home.

Comparing metalanguage and film techniques

It can be a bit daunting trying to compare techniques in a novel to those in a film. In this instance, it is crucial to first look at the idea you are comparing. For example, we can observe that both  Tracks  and  Charlie’s Country  show the liberating and cathartic feeling that comes from escaping social pressures. Now, let's look at  how  Robyn Davidson and Rolf de Heer achieve this, albeit in different manners. In  Tracks , Davidson uses  imagery  to describe the desertland she meets, when she says, “It is like a vast unattended communal garden, the closest thing to earthly paradise I can imagine”. De Heer communicates this premise of freedom, however, does this by featuring a variety of  diegetic sounds  of the biodiversity in which Charlie finds himself.

Another example is how intimacy with protagonists is edified. De Heer uses sustained, intimate close up shots and at many times breaks the fourth wall by having Gulpilil look directly at the camera. On the other hand, Davidson employs colloquial language and is liberal with her use of expletives in order to convey a casual, conversational mood between herself and the reader.

Other aspects to consider:

Anthropomorphism  in  Tracks  is   the act of attributing human traits or behaviours to a god, animal or object. Davidson’s use of anthropomorphism to describe the animals around her (specifically the camels and her dog Diggety) is suggestive of the necessity for companionship for humans; the need to establish meaningful connections with others. For Davidson, companionship with animals comes easier than with humans (presuming this stems from her perception of society as problematic and grossly flawed).

• Davidson on camels: “They are haughty, ethnocentric, clearly believing they are god’s chosen race. But they are also cowards and their aristocratic demeanour hides delicate hearts. I was hooked.” (p. 14)
• “[The camels] hung around me like flies, shuffling their feet, looking embarrassedly at the ground or coyly through their elegant lashes, acting apologetic and loving and remorseful…” (p. 80)
• “Diggity had become a cherished friend rather than simply a pet.” (p. 227)
• “[Diggity] combined all the best qualities of god and human and was a great listener." (p. 207)

Cinematography, specifically types of cinematic shots  in  Charlie’s Country .   Those commonly seen in the film include wide shots (camera captures a wide view of the context or setting), close up shots (camera captures events from a short distance away; involves a character’s facial features and expressions), as well as panoramic shots (camera pans around horizontally, showing surroundings). Directors are intentional in the type of cinematography they employ; therefore it is crucial to observe the context in which these shots take place in order to enrich the analysis. 

• Several wide angle, landscape shots of nature, both at the beginning of the film and when Charlie first enters the Australian wilderness.
• Close up shots of Charlie sitting by the fire, and when he is in prison.
• Panoramic shots of Aboriginal art that Charlie discovers in the wild.
• Panoramic shot also in the courtroom where Charlie is on trial.

Remember! When analysing, you  must  consider where these occur in the context of the film’s narrative, and the effect they have on enhancing the events/themes/broader ideas being presented in the scene. (i.e. How are the characters portrayed compared to their surroundings? Compared to others? How are they interacting with these elements? Why has the director chosen this angle/shot?)

Sample Essay Plan

Compare how Tracks and Charlie’s Country present the importance of Individualism.

Sample Introduction:

Set amidst an era of significant social and political change, Robyn Davidson’s autobiographical memoir ‘ Tracks’  and Rolf de Heer’s film ‘ Charlie’s Country’  explores the plight of individuals who embrace individualism. Both Davidson and de Heer assert that individualism is necessary for the protagonists, who find themselves marginalised from the wider population. Through their respective journeys to independence, Robyn and Charlie achieve  a sense of empowerment through identity self-refashioning , as well as they express  their disapproval of   the toxic institutions of society . However, the text and the film also demonstrate how at times,  embracing individualism can present challenges to those who pursue it . Ultimately, Davidson and de Heer commend those who do not fully conform to society.

Paragraph 1: Charlie and Robyn gain empowerment through independently establishing their own identity.

Robyn sees the trip as a demonstration to herself of the shedding of the traditional image of white, middle class woman: 

• “Am I an individualist because I believe I can take control of my own life? If so, then yes, I was definitely that.” 
• “I had… been sick of carrying around the self-indulgent negativity which was so much the malaise of my generation, my sex and my class.”
• Describes the experience as a “gentle catharsis” and that “[She] was happy”.

Charlie’s abandonment of the Ramingining community is an attempt to resolve the identity ambiguity he feels as a result of the Government intervention.

• Charlie appears to receive government benefits only to have to give it away to family, later divulging that “I have no money left… or food. I’m hungry”. When he tries to source food by traditional means, he is punished. All this demonstrates his struggles in balancing two cultures.
• Going back into his “Motherland” he is joyful, dancing and eating again. Recognises a sense of security in going back -- “That’s what I want”, “now I’m home”.

Paragraph 2: Embracing individualism for the protagonists means resisting toxic societal constructs.

Robyn adamantly condemns the deeply entrenched racism of Australian culture and sympathises with the Aborigines and their hardship. Her determination to learn about the Aboriginal people is an attempt to overcome the wedge that has been driven between the two communities: 

• “Racism is a daily experience for blacks in Alice Springs. It reinforces their own feelings of worthlessness and self-hate.”
• “Large mining corporations… lusting after Aboriginal Reserve land.”
• The dependency of the Aboriginal people termed as a “handy PR stunt” for government and policies equated to “apartheid in South Africa”.

Charlie becomes increasingly resistant against the traditions and policies of the government institutions.

• Many times he is seen throwing cigarettes into the fire -- his resentment towards the introduction of white customs. "You come from far away and bring us alcohol, ganja, tobacco... all bad!"
• Charlie rejects the white lifestyle by refusing to eat the food in the community, recognising its detrimental properties. Charlie on illness: “It’s all that… white man junk food we eat."

Paragraph 3: Resisting conformity is challenging for Robyn and Charlie, particularly in an oppressive society.

Robyn is met with harsh opposition and derogatory depictions in the media: 

• Labelled “the next town rape case.” 
• Discovers feces on her pillow one night in Alice Springs -- “let my presence be known as if I were a trespasser.”
• “‘Camel lady’ had that nice patronising belittling ring to it.”

Charlie is constantly shut down when embracing the ways of his culture; ultimately submitting to individualism also unveils his dependency on white society.

• He is charged with ‘recreational shooting’, and his hunting spear is considered "a dangerous weapon."
• Charlie’s confession earlier about his false teeth: “I can’t eat with them… I can eat without them” alluding to this dependency on society.
• The irreversible damage of white intervention is evident in Charlie’s poor health as a consequence of going back to “the old way” -- must go to the hospital.

Additional essay topic and prompts:

‘Resistance to conformity is at the forefront of Tracks and Charlie’s Country ’. To what extent do you agree?

Discuss the ways in which the environment assists the protagonists in their journey for self-discovery.

‘The connection to the land is significant for the characters of both Charlie’s Country and Tracks ’. Discuss.

‘The stories of Charlie and Robyn represent the plight of many others’. To what extent do you agree?

Compare the ways in which characters in Tracks and Charlie’s Country seek to discover what really matters to them.

‘Despite their deep hardship, Charlie and Robyn find transformation in their journeys’. Discuss.

Useful Resources

How to Write a Killer Comparative

Reading and Comparing Tracks into the Wild

Compare the Pair- A guide to structuring a reading and comparing essay

The link between your contention and topic sentences in relation to the prompt

Master Reading and Creating

Tracks and Into The Wild are studied as part of VCE English's Comparative. For one of most popular posts on Comparative (also known as Reading and Comparing), check out our Ultimate Guide to VCE Comparative.

INTRODUCTIONS

Into the Wild (2007) is a non-linear survival film directed by Sean Penn, which is based on Jon Krauker’s 1996 novel of the same name. It recollects the final few months of the life of Christopher McCandless as he departs from society in both an act of resistance as well as a means of self-discovery. A bright young college student in the 1990s, McCandless abandons his family and affluent lifestyle to embark on a frontier-style journey into the Alaskan wilderness. Troubled by a dysfunctional family and disenchanted with the materialistic excesses of 1980s America, McCandless seeks a radical engagement with nature, in the style of his literary heroes Henry David Thoreau and Jack London. After 113 days in the wilderness, he suffers from starvation and dies. The true story of McCandless’ journey renders the film an important depiction of self-reliance, isolation, and the unparalleled power of nature.

Whilst the film is of a biographical nature, it is important to understand that it is heavily subject to the interpretations and opinions of Penn. The story is informed by McCandless’ writings, and interviews with those who knew him, but is ultimately a work of artistic interpretation. Nonetheless, Penn’s film offers strong commentary regarding the materialistic, consumerist nature of modern living, whilst also ultimately emphasising the more humanistic importance of family and love.

Tracks is Robyn Davidson’s 1980 memoir detailing her perilous journey through 1700 miles of Australian outback and the remarkable character transformations that take place throughout. The events of the story begin in 1973, when a young Robyn Davidson arrives in Alice Springs with an outlandish plan to train wild camels to accompany her through the Australian desert. When, after two years of gruelling training, she receives a sponsorship from National Geographic, her journey can finally go ahead- on the condition that a photographer accompany her and document parts of the journey. This compromise weighs heavily on Robyn, as photographer Rick Smolan intrudes on her solitude and compromises everything the trip means to her. As Robyn delves deeper into the journey, each day brings new discoveries about the camels, the landscape, the people of Australia, and ultimately, her self. Tracks  emerges as a candid and compelling story of one woman’s odyssey of discovery and transformation.

Whilst Tracks is mostly a personal account, it also presents a co-existent dichotomy between modernistic libertarianism and conventionalism, which serves as a reflection of the changing political views and ideological turbulence of the time, as Davidson notes ‘you could choose not to participate in politics, but you could not avoid politics’. Thus, in many ways Davidson’s journey can be seen as a firm statement that challenges the inherent sexism, racism, and ‘status quo’, whilst also simultaneously embracing the notion of freedom, independence, and escape from conventionalism and ‘self-indulgent negativity’.

At LSG, we use the CONVERGENT and DIVERGENT strategy to help us easily find points of similarity and difference. This is particularly important when it comes to essay writing, because you want to know that you're coming up with unique comparative points (compared to the rest of the Victorian cohort!). I don't discuss this strategy in detail here, but if you're interested, check out my How To Write A Killer Comparative . I have used this strategy to create this themes table and throughout my character, views and values, and literary technique analysis.

CHARACTER ANALYSIS

Both Robyn Davidson and Christopher McCandless are products of the time period in which they live, and reject the concept of adhering to a predetermined notion of who they should be and how they should behave. Both embark on their journey because they reject the expectations of their class and gender.

AUTHORS VIEWS/VALUES

Women’s rights in 1970s australia .

Tracks is set in the late 1970s, an era of intense social and political change in Australia. The second wave feminist movements of the 1960s and 70s were enormously influential in Australia, as women began to dismantle the sexist structures inherent in Australian society at this time. Davidson describes Alice Springs as hopelessly in the grips of a ‘cult of misogyny’. She rejects the archetype of the passive, docile woman. She is passionately determined to shed her own sense of herself as traditionally “feminine,” a quality she sees as arising from being trained from birth to be “door-mattish”.

Davidson acknowledges her gender has played a central part in the media’s fascination with her journey. The character of the ‘camel lady’ that emerges suggests the significance of her trip, as a woman travelling alone in the 1970s through intensely difficult terrain. Davidson describes the late sixties and early seventies as a time of radical social time, when “anything and everything seemed possible, and when the status quo of the developed world was under radical scrutiny by its youth”. Thus Davidson’s actions must be considered in the context of this time, at the peak of the second wave feminist movement.

There are many explicit examples of Robyn facing misogyny and embodying feminist principles. One such example is when an Alice Springs local suggests she’s the “next town rape case”. This statement reveals the position of a woman in this misogynistic society, wherein a single woman travelling alone through the bush was synonymous with danger and irresponsibility. Davidson rejects this ideology and refuses to succumb to the violent sexism she encounters, or compromise her journey.

Tracks  is not an explicitly feminist text, but it clearly echoes the philosophies of feminism. In the years since the trek, Robyn Davidson has become a feminist symbol of defiance, endurance and strength. Thus to consider Tracks  from a feminist perspective is important when studying this text, Davidson’s criticisms of Australian misogyny inform our understanding of this historical context, and the significance of her actions.

Some example sentences:

• Davidson exposes the realities of misogynistic Australian culture in the 1970s.
• Davidson’s journey emerges as a defiant example of women’s strength and independence.
• Davidson’s friendship with Gladdy Posel suggests the injustices of women’s financial dependence on abusive men and condemns the limited options for women, particularly for those in rural settings.
• Tracks challenges the constraints of gender through a narrator that cannot be defined by stereotypical images of the domestic and passive female.

Indigenous Rights in Australia

The 1970s saw the first attempts to improve the lives and rights of indigenous Australians. In 1971 Indigenous people were counted in the census, and in 1976, the Aboriginal Land Rights Act was established. Davidson’s time with Mr Eddie exposes her to the harsh reality of the living conditions of Indigenous Australian’s throughout the 1970s, as well as inspiring a deep appreciation for the culture and connection with the land. Davidson is frustrated with the mistreatment of Indigenous people in Australia, and feels ambivalent about her status as a white, privileged, outsider in their community. Davidson confronts the racist and discriminatory stereotypes and attitudes towards Indigenous Australians, and experiences first hand the realities of the issues these people face. Davidson encounters intense generosity and friendship in the Indigenous community that she admires and presents as a stark contrast to the intolerant attitudes of white Australians in Alice Springs.

• “The blacks were unequivocally the enemy – dirty, lazy, dangerous”
• “Aborigines. Warm, friendly, laughing, excited, tired Pitjantjara Aborigines...” (p. 155)
• “Ceremonies are the visible link between Aboriginal people and their land. Once dispossessed of this 
land, ceremonial life deteriorates, people lose their strength, meaning and identity.” (p. 167) 

• Davidson renegotiates her identity and relationship with the land after learning from the Indigenous Australians.
• Davidson condemns the racist attitudes of white Australians towards the aboriginal people.
• Davidson embodies the changing attitudes of young Australians towards aboriginal Australians, endorsing a respectful relationship with the traditional land owners.

INTO THE WILD

Social criticism of materialistic excess.

While Into the Wild is set in the 1990s, McCandless’ formative years were the 1980s – a decade characterised by the consumerism, extravagance, and materialism of President Reagan’s America. The reverberating effects of this time period inform McCandless’ general outlook and disdain for American society. Whilst this contempt for consumerism is one motivation for McCandless’ actions, he is equally troubled by the family violence and dysfunction he experienced as a young man. This traumatic past informs his extreme actions and outlook.

Example sentences:

• Penn exposes the effects of materialistic society on young impressionable people.
• Penn explores the consequences of experiencing childhood trauma, and how this manifests in adult actions.
• Penn condemns the expectations of 21 st century nuclear families.
• Penn endorses the liberating power of familial love and relationships.

Depiction of the unparalleled power of nature and man’s inability to contend with it

Inspired by Thoreau and London, Chris seeks enlightenment in the wild. Despite a philosophical understanding of the power of nature, Chris believes he can survive the untamed wilderness of Alaska. Although nature is the locus for self-realisation and growth for Chris, it is also what destroys him. As the viewer watches him slowly deteriorate, we come to fully comprehend the force of nature – suggesting man’s inability to control it.

• Penn’s depiction of McCandless’ deterioration suggests human’s inability to control nature.
• Penn endorses the liberating power of literature, but cautions the idealism contained within romantic depictions of nature.

LITERARY TECHNIQUES

Narrative voice.

An important aspect of Into the Wild to consider is that McCandless’ story, while true, is told through Sean Penn’s directorial lens, which is in turn based on Jon Krakeur’s book. The story is informed by McCandless’ writings, and interviews with those who knew him, but is ultimately a work of artistic interpretation. Consider how this affect’s a viewer’s perception of Chris, does this raise questions around representation and identity? This is in direct contrast to Tracks , which is a first person, linear past tense, autobiographical account of the writer’s experience. Where Robyn is completely in control of her narrative, McCandless’ is subject to the artistic interpretation of others.

Anthropomorphism

Anthropomorphism is defined as the attribution of human characteristics or behaviour to a god, animal, or object. Robyn repeatedly personifies the animals she encounters. The camels in particular take on their own human personalities in her life. This technique, called anthropomorphism, can be used to complement a discussion of the theme of isolation. Robyn attributes distinct characteristics to each camel, suggesting her need for companionship and the powerful absence of human connection in prolonged periods of isolation.

Davidson’s depiction of her dependence on animals reveals deeper meanings about her inability to depend on, and communicate with, humans in the same way. Robyn’s reliance on her dog, Dookie, becomes more intense as the journey continues. Upon Dookie’s death, both the reader and Robyn experience the dog’s death as a powerful blow.

• “I am quite sure Diggity was more than a dog, or rather other than dog. (p. 207)”
• “But I said goodbye to a creature I had loved unconditionally, without question. ... I walked out into the morning and felt nothing. I was numb, empty. All I knew was I mustn‟t stop walking. (p. 223)
”
• “Diggity had become a cherished friend rather than simply a pet. (p. 227)”
• Kate: “remembered humans and hated them”
• Zeleika: “had a lovely gentle nature” “the street-smart, crafty, unfazable, self-possessed leader”
• Dookie: “nominally king, but if anything untoward happened he was the first to hide behind Zeleika’s skirts”
• Goliath: “cheeky, pushy, self-centred, demanding, petulant, arrogant, spoilt and delightful”

SAMPLE PARAGRAPHS

Prompt: Discuss the ways in which the environment assists the protagonists in their journey for self-discovery.

Introduction: In forging connections with the environment and people around us, humans end up inadvertently discovering themselves. It is this notion that resonates throughout both Robyn Davidson’s 1970 memoir, Tracks , and Sean Penn’s 2007 film, Into the Wild , where the relationships that the protagonists form throughout their journeys leads to intense self- discovery and growth. Both Davidson and McCandless seek knowledge and guidance through both the individuals they meet and, specifically to McCandless, the books he reads, citing it as a means of grappling with the fundamental stages of self-discovery. Whilst Davidson and McCandless experience different relationships with their immediate family, it is ultimately the concept of family that underpins their motivations and inspires them to pursue their journeys – both physical and psychological. Further, the respective temporal environments in which both protagonists are immersed in emerge as a distinct theme that facilitates each stage of self- discovery in the climatic lead up to the ultimate self-realisation.

Body Paragraph 1: Both Into the Wild  and Tracks endorse the guiding power of influential figures on both protagonists, as a catalyst for their growth. Davidson commences her self-described ‘lunatic’ journey with little knowledge of the wild to substantiate her mammoth ambition. That her drive outweighs her preparation manifests in the early moments of the text, wherein Davidson endures a grueling internship with the impulsive ‘maniac’ Kurt Posel. This man appears the epitome of the ‘biased, bigoted, boring and above all, brutal’ man she describes as the stereotypical ‘Aussie male’. Kurt is abusive to both Davidson and his wife, but his eccentric and impulsive ways expose her to the harsh realities of bush living. Ultimately, Kurt’s guidance allows Davidson to gain the fundamental skills she needs to train camels, whose dispositions reflect the erratic nature of Kurt himself. In direct contrast to this tense, exploitative relationship, is Davidson’s nuanced and spiritually rewarding relationship with Mr. Eddie, an aboriginal elder whom she describes as a “sheer pleasure to be with”.  Despite an ostensible language barrier, Eddie’s instruction of the Indigenous Arts and Culture leave an impressionable impact on Davidson’s character and personality. By accepting Eddie’s guidance at a pivotal point in her journey, Davidson’s ambivalent sense of self, the overwhelming feeling of being an imposter, is diminished. Davidson becomes more grounded and connected to her environment; the knowledge that she derives from key characters contributes to a distinct conformational change in her personality and thus critically assists her in developing a strong sense of one self.  A similar theme resonates in Into the Wild , where Chris McCandless heavily relies upon the guidance of various prominent figures he meets throughout his journey as well as ‘the characters of the books he loved from writers like Tolstoy, Jack London and Thoreau’ whose words he could and often would ‘summon….to suit any occasion’. The fact that McCandless readily referred to the words of the likes of Tolstoy, London, and Thoreau amidst times of mental angst and challenge, is a significant reflection of not only the quintessential teacher and student relationship he shares with them, but also the level of impact they have had in shaping in the ideological processes that define Chris’s values and sense of oneself. This very idea is furthered by Sean Penn when he depicts Christopher McCandless quoting soviet Russian poet, Boris Pasternak, suggesting that humans ‘ought to call each thing by it’s right name’, following which he acts impulsively and with great haste, engineered with rapid and distorted camera movements. In doing so, Penn illustrates the importance that Chris places upon the words of such idealists to the stage where he acts upon their advice without giving them proper consideration within his literal, temporal context. The protagonists of both Into the Wild and Tracks , both rely upon the knowledge and guidance of individuals, be they physical or via literature, as a means of grappling with their fundamental understanding of the human spirit and in doing so their intricate understanding of themselves.

Body Paragraph 2: Both texts demonstrate a degree of discontentment and resent towards the institutionalized, '20th century convention' of family. Davidson describes the notion of family as “invisible ropes and chains” of guilt, she comments that families lack for the most part, a true sense of love. This sentiment is starkly contrasted with Davidson’s intense engagement with the wild, which she describes in the language of love and connection. “I love you. i love you sky, bird, wind, desert, desert, desert’ proclaims Davidson, as she describes having “no more loved ones to care about” and “no more ties” to bind her to material existence. Davidson laments the distortion of her journey for public consumption, stating “so far people had said that i wanted to commit suicide, that i wanted to do penance for my mother’s death…” this comment is one of the only references to her mother’s suicide, which can be interpreted as a catalyst for her ambivalence about the notion of family. This experience evidently informs Davidsons’s somewhat impenetrable exterior and suggests a deeper complexity to her resistance of 20th century societal expectations. Similarly, Christopher McCandless articulates a powerful contempt for family. McCandless feels impeded in his personal motivations by the familial concepts of ‘graduating college’ and ‘getting a job’ which he describes as “20th century inventions” inextricably linked with “this world of material excess”. McCandless expands on this point, commenting that his pursuit for self-discovery has ultimately resulted in ‘the killing of the false being within’, the ‘false being’ that was bound to the societal expectations and the material conventions of the time. Chris’ departure into the wild is as much of an act of punishment for his family, as it is about Chris discovering true freedom and metaphysical spirituality. It is this idea of ‘telling the world’ of his family’s misdeeds that continually motivates Chris to continue on with his journey, which is depicted by Penn through the countless solo enactments and impersonation of both Chris’ mother and father, often depicting a negative experience which has quite evidently scarred his ‘crystal like’ mind. Family is thus, a primary motivation for both key characters within Tracks and Into the Wild to firstly partake on their journey, but more significantly to discover an uncorrupted, unbiased ‘true’ version of them that had been lost amidst ‘this world of material excess’.

Conclusion: Both Tracks and Into the Wild explore the inextricable link between ones environment and their personal growth. Nature is emphasised as a world removed from the materialistic excess of modern urban life, in which one can engage with an alternative, radical set of values. Both Davidson and McCandless escape from the confinements of their lives and experience profound transformations over the course of their journeys. Thus, both Davidson and Penn comment on the omniscient, multifaceted nature of the environment around a person being instrumental in moulding each stage of the journey of self-discovery and transformation.

*A big shout out to Suraj Hari, 2017 graduate and currently studying Medicine in Tasmania, who is a contributing author of this blog post.

Anna Funder’s Stasiland and Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go bring together two complex, poignant worlds of “personal stories” and subjective narration of what once was, an individual's place in history and its aftermath, especially when the world attempts to move on.

Establishing a literary allusion to Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in the title, Funder’s narrator of Anna fills the role of Alice as she stumbles upon and explores the absurd and unjust world of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Driven by an almost naive curiosity, akin to Alice herself, Funder conducts extensive interviewing to uncover not only the stories and experiences of the victims of the regime, but also of the Stasi, the “internal army by which the government kept control”. Through her literary journalism, Funder creates an intimate and sensory experience for the reader, extending beyond factual occurrences to capture the “horror-romance” of East Germany, “a country which no longer exists” but its inhabitants, victims and perpetrators continue to live on.

TIP - Research the history of the German Democratic Republic, the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall and the influence of the Soviet Union within East Germany, in contrast to West Germany. Understanding the backbone of “this land gone wrong” in which Funder delves into gives much greater context for the significance of her work and ideas in which you can explore in your writing.

Never let me go.

Ishiguro delves into human mortality through the platform of a science fiction world, where the focus is ultimately on the prospect of an existence where one’s life is knowingly shortened, and what becomes important with such a backdrop. Readers are introduced to the concept of ‘clones’, existing as live incubators of organs that will be later harvested for others. Perceived by society as less than humans, Ishiguro’s narrative focuses on clones who spent time at Hailsham, a boarding school ‘experiment’ in England which attempted to provide a more ‘humane’ education and upbringing for clones, and their sheltered perspectives on their existence, their mortality and purpose.

Authors’ views and values

Why have Funder and Ishiguro written what they have written?

Funder’s dogged pursuit to uncover and reveal the “portraits” of individuals who lived through the GDR was prompted by West Germany’s dismissal of, and use of stereotypes when these individuals were concerned, and the assumption that “no-one is interested in these people”. She discovers that “things have been put behind glass”, in the forms of museums and metaphorical mausoleums, “but they are not yet over”. Stasiland therefore acts as a work that champions the importance of memory, of remembering and of history, as Sisyphean of a task as this inevitably is because it is “working… against time”. In addition, Funder’s purposeful choice to include the perspectives of the Stasi themselves opens up another realm of understanding to the reader. It allows the audience to examine the Stasi's motives and justifications, their humanity or lack thereof, of the lessons learnt and unlearnt, as a means of framing the entire regime and of framing the spectrum of humanity.

Whilst Ishiguro’s universe differs greatly when placed alongside Stasiland , his characters also belong to a world that no longer exists, as their Hailsham upbringing evolves into a historical artefact, reflective of a world that “wanted [the clones] back in the shadows” and which remained oblivious to the reality of the clones’ existence. Ishiguro gives voice to the clones; the “poor creatures” who otherwise possessed no voice or recognised humanity in this world, and no purpose apart from their utility as organ donors. These individuals are shown to be no less human than you and I, and it is in their sheltered lives, headed towards “wherever it was [they were] supposed to be”, which permits the reader to examine their own life purpose and meaning, and how a clone’s existence is ultimately reduced in not only length, but also ability and capacity.  

Both texts confront uncomfortable truths about humanity and reality, the treatment that certain individuals were unfortunately subjected to which resulted in their dehumanising, and which “broke” them, sooner or later.

TIP - Reframe this question for any text you are studying - including text response! There is intent and purpose underlying each and every text that is definitely worthy of thorough unpacking and consideration; the thinking you will do will help to further your analysis and comparison considerably.

Themes and comparison.

What are the big ideas underpinning the texts? How are they explored? What sorts of comparisons can be drawn between the two texts?

At LSG, we use the CONVERGENT and DIVERGENT strategy to help us easily find points of similarity and difference. This is particularly important when it comes to essay writing, because you want to know that you're coming up with unique comparative points (compared to the rest of the Victorian cohort!). I don't discuss this strategy in detail here, but if you're interested, check out my How To Write A Killer Comparative . I use this strategy throughout my analysis of the following themes.

Dystopian reality

Stasiland : As prompted by the VCAA 2015 exam, the GDR is indeed ‘cruel and absurd’, especially in the methods the nation constructed and enforced this society, as this ultimately broke the souls of innocent individuals, and left questions unanswered and scars unhealed for many. It showcases how what could potentially be described as 'idealistic' in terms of government control can become grotesque, how otherworldly and Orwellian this recent history seems, and how the perspectives of victim, perpetrator, outsider and more are not restricted to the land of the GDR, but to today as well. In addition, as Funder discovers, these perspectives are closely intertwined, in which certain individuals of the Stasi were victimised too, and could not remain in the "group in the know [as] one of the unmolested".

Never Let Me Go : The novel’s context of clones is removed from the reality that readers are familiar with, and as Ishiguro focuses on the clones’ perspectives throughout, there always remains an element that feels 'off' and ’not quite right’ about who they are and the purpose of their existence. Whilst the context of Never Let Me Go differs greatly from a regime with "the most perfected surveillance state of all time", it highlights an unsettling reality, in which scientific advancement has resulted in a society benefitting from the clones' existence and from organ harvesting, but who are also rejecting of the possibility of their humanity. The clones may never be able to perceive and fully understand this cruelty or absurdity themselves, but this does not mean they are not victims of this, for a fate that they could not choose.

Possible points for comparison : The victimisation of individuals in both texts, whether it was internalised or ushered into oblivion is central to the absurd worlds of Stasiland and Never Let Me Go . The clones are in a way, victims from birth, and unable to avoid their shortened existence and purpose, whereas those in the GDR who were subjected to surveillance, interrogation, torture, etc. became ensnared and damaged beyond repair; the aftermath of which they were unable to escape from. However, the closing of Hailsham and the falling of the Berlin Wall spell out different fates in the two texts - those in Stasiland may be "fettered" by their past that is "not ever, really, over", but are provided a future in which there is hope for rebirth in the "green", "lush" city of Berlin and beyond. On the contrary, the clones are only able to move toward their fate, towards "wherever it was [they are] supposed to be" and towards completion. Coupled with the naivety accompanying the clones' existence, their acceptance of what is ahead and the lack of awareness surrounding their victimisation, readers are prompted to consider the cruelty of such existence, and whether there is greater tragedy in having your "soul buckled out of shape, forever", or in never knowing who you really are.

The act of remembering

Stasiland : In discussing and unearthing a recent history of a "bygone world" that many individuals wish to "pretend it was never there", Funder's attempt to create and immortalise "portraits" of East Germans raises questions about how events and lives are remembered and forgotten. Especially when elements of this past in the GDR could not be "pinned down by facts, or documents", the detrimental impact of a lack of recognition and acknowledgement of one's past, especially one filled with trauma, is thereby highlighted by Funder. When the rest of the world deems the GDR and the Stasi to only belong "behind glass" in museums and yet it is "not yet over" for those who are still suffering and carrying scars, physical and psychological, the purpose of Stasiland rings clear and true. Whilst it is a Sisyphean attempt, "working against forgetting, and against time", through Stasiland , Funder ultimately gives a voice to the "personal stories" comprising history, before there are "none left".

Never Let Me Go : Through the lens of Kathy H's narration and the recollection of her memories surrounding her upbringing, readers uncover the pieces of her existence as moments of her past begin "tugging at [her] mind". Memory itself can be fickle, recording and preserving certain experiences but not others, and as time passes, "fading surprisingly quickly" before being lost in the ether of one's past. Ishiguro's continual mention of Kathy's memories of an event, of her years at Hailsham and beyond almost lulls the reader into overlooking this element of the narration - in which the reader's understanding is built upon an uncertain and incomplete foundation of facts; similar to how the clones' "sheltered" understanding of their world came to be. After Hailsham closes, its existence recedes into the memories of the clones, and although Kathy declares that the memories will be retained "safely in [her] head", upon her completion, this will also be lost, and Hailsham will be further diminished in history as a 'failed experiment' and one day forgotten.

Possible points for comparison : The valiant efforts to remember and preserve the once-was is woven into the fabric of both texts, despite the inevitability of forgetting as death and 'completion' claims those who lived through East Germany and Hailsham respectively. When the recent history of the GDR becomes a "lost world", and the importance of remembering what transpired is being superseded by the innovation and process of the present, it opens up room for the same mistakes of the past to be made again. Hailsham was an attempt to create a more idealised and humane upbringing for the clones, and to showcase their humanity in a society which rejected this, and the boarding school's closure reflects a failure in which any previous successes will never be acknowledged. Memory, and by extension, one's understanding of the past is what enables change in the future; in attitude, in approach, in the treatment of others, in decisions, in growth, as an individual and as a whole. With its gradual loss, it may also be ineluctable that history repeats itself in one way or another.

Subjective narration, stories and lives

Stasiland : Stasiland itself is comprised of the stories of human lives, and includes various individuals' tenacity, strength and courage to their vices, cruelty and cowardice. By seeking out not only those who were victims of the regime but also perpetrators, Funder examines the many complex facets of human nature and the irreversible impact of the GDR on East Germans and who they became or were broken into. However, the personal involvement of Anna as a narrator and most importantly, as an outsider to the GDR provides a subjective perspective of this history. Whilst this has received criticism, it is important to consider how the human experience itself is subjective, as is never being able to truly understand another individual's story as the exact experience is theirs alone to hold and perhaps be "fettered" to; both of which are evident in Stasiland .

Never Let Me Go : Ishiguro constructs a narrative in which Kathy H and the clones are assumed human individuals from the text’s introduction, and it is only as the clones uncover how they may be "troubling and strange" that the reader gains a sense of how they are perceived in society as sub-human. However, the pre-determined fate and mortality of these "poor creatures", especially as they are born and 'complete' seemingly without a scope of awareness beyond their exposure during their upbringing and their sole purpose as organ donors - renders their lives even more heart wrenching and tragic - and human. The simplicity with which Ishiguro details the musings and reflections of Kathy H, and in the concluding moment of her imagined fantasy of Tommy, as not "out of control" as she may felt, readers cannot ignore the stark juxtaposition with the circumstances of her existence, in which she ultimately has no control over her identity as a clone. To grasp autonomy, to defy and deviate from being "wherever it was [she] was supposed to be", even for a moment, Ishiguro portrays a courage which is undoubtedly human.  

Possible points for comparison : When faced with the stories of lives not our own, but each individual possessing elements which resonate and resemble us, it is much more possible to understand their struggles, their intentions and their experiences. Consider the story behind each face, each character, each name, not only in these two texts but also other texts and even our lives, as we are fundamentally more similar than different when compared to each other, even in the face of separation and distinction.

Ultimately, Funder and Ishiguro's texts probe the existential question of what it means to be human and what defines one's identity, and how it is shaped by experience, fate, intentions and actions. Question the texts, question the characters, question yourselves, and you'll discover worlds and perspectives closer to home than the GDR or Hailsham may initially seem.

Updated 30/12/2020

• What Are Quotes?
• Why Use Quotes?
• What You Want To Quote
• How Much You Want To Quote
• How That Quote Will Fit into Your Essay
• There Are Also Other Ways of Using Quotation Marks
• Questions You Must Ask Yourself When Weaving Quotes into Sentences
• How To Find Good Quotes

1. What Are Quotes?

Quotations, better known by their abbreviation ‘quotes’, are a form of evidence used in VCE essays. Using quotations in essays helps to demonstrate your knowledge of the text, and provides solid evidence for your arguments. The discussion on quotations in this study guide can be applied to all three areas of study in the VCAA English course which have been explained in detail in our Ultimate Guide s to VCE Text Response , Comparative and  Language Analysis .

A quotation is the repetition of a group of words taken from a text by someone other than the original author. The punctuation mark used to indicate a repetition of another author’s work is presented through quotation marks. These quotation marks are illustrated by inverted commas, either single inverted commas (‘ ’) or double inverted commas (“ ”). There is no general rule in Australia regarding which type of inverted comma you must use for quotations. Single inverted commas are preferred in Australia as they follow the British standard. The American standard involves styling quotations with the double inverted comma. You can choose either style, just be consistent in your essays.

2. Why Use Quotes?

The usage of quotations in essays demonstrates:

• Your knowledge of the text
• Credibility of your argument
• An interesting and thoughtful essay
• The strength of your writing skills.

However, quotations must be used correctly, otherwise you risk (and these frequent mistakes will be discussed in detail later):

• Irrelevant quotations
• Overcrowding or overloading of quotations
• Broken sentences

How You Integrate a Quote into an Essay Depends on Three Factors:

• What you want to quote
• How much you want to quote
• How that quote will fit into your essay.

3. What You Want To Quote

As you discuss ideas in a paragraph, quotes should be added to develop these ideas further. A quote should add insight into your argument; therefore, it is imperative that the quote you choose relates intrinsically to your discussion. This is dependent on which aspect of the text you are discussing, for example:

• Description of theme or character
• Description of event or setting
• Description of a symbol or other literary technique

Never quote just for the sake of quoting. Quotations can be irrelevant  if a student merely adds in quotes as ‘sentence fillers’. Throwing in quotations just to make your essay appear more sophisticated will only be more damaging if the quotation does not adequately reinforce or expand on your contention. Conversely, an essay with no quotations will not achieve many marks either.

4. How Much You Want To Quote

A quotation should never tell the story for you. Quotations are a ‘support’ system, much like a back up for your ideas and arguments. Thus, you must be selective in how much you want to quote. Generally speaking, the absolute minimum is three quotes per paragraph but you should not  overload  your paragraphs either. Overcrowding your essay with too many quotations will lead to failure to develop your ideas, as well as your work appearing too convoluted for your assessor. Remember that the essay is  your  piece of work and should consist mainly of your own ideas and thoughts.

Single Word Quotations

The word ‘evaporates’, used to characterise money and happiness intends to instill the idea that happiness as a result of money is only temporary. (VCAA ‘Can Money Buy Happiness’ Language Analysis)

Single worded quotations can often leave the largest impression on the assessor. This is because you are able to demonstrate that you can focus on one word and develop an entire idea around it.

Phrase Quotations

Sunil Badami ‘still found it hard to tie my Indian appearance to my Australian feeling', showing that for Sunil, his culture was not Indian, but Australian due to his upbringing. ( Sticks and Stones and Such-like, Sunil Badami in Growing Up Asian in Australia )

A phrase quotation is the most common quotation length you will use in essays.

Long Quotations

The multitudes of deaths surrounding Anna began to take its toll on her, burdening her with guilt as ‘sometimes, if I walked the main street of the village in the evening, I felt the press of their ghosts. I realised then that I had begun to step small and carry myself all hunched, keeping my arms at my sides and my elbows tucked, as if to leave room for them.’ ( Year of Wonders, Geraldine Brooks )

Long quotations comprise of more than one sentence – avoid using them as evidence. Your assessor will not mark you highly if the bulk of your paragraphs consists of long quotations. You should aim to keep your quotations to less than 2 lines on an A4 writing page. If you have a long quotation you wish to use, be selective. Choose only the important phrases or key words, and remove the remaining sentence by replacing it with an ellipsis (…).

Here is the same example again, with the student using ellipsis:

The multitudes of deaths surrounding Anna began to take its toll on her, burdening her with guilt as she felt ‘the press of their ghosts…[and] begun to step small and carry myself all hunched…as if to leave room for them.’ ( Year of Wonders, Geraldine Brooks)

In this case, we have deleted: ‘sometimes, if I walked the main street of the village in the evening’ and ‘I realised then that I had’ by using an ellipsis – a part of the quotation that is not missed because it does not represent the essence of the student’s argument. You would have noticed that a square bracket ([  ]) was used. This will be discussed in detail under  Blending Quotes.

5. How That Quote Will Fit into Your Essay

You must never take the original author’s words and use them in your essay  without  inserting them in quotation marks. Failure to do so leads to ‘plagiarism’ or cheating. Plagiarism occurs when you take someone else’s work and pass it off as your own. You must make sure that you use quotation marks whenever you use evidence from your text.

The following is plagiarism:

Even a single flicker of the eyes could be mistaken for the essential crime that contained all other crimes in itself – thought crime.  (1984, George Orwell)

Using quotation marks however, avoids plagiarism:

Even ‘a single flicker of the eyes’ could be mistaken for ‘the essential crime that contained all other crimes in itself – thought crime.’  (1984, George Orwell)

There are serious consequences for plagiarism. VCAA will penalise students for plagiarism. VCAA uses statistical analysis to compare a student’s work with their General Achievement Test (GAT), and if the cross-referencing indicates that the student is achieving unexpectedly high results with their schoolwork, the student’s school will be notified and consequential actions will be taken.

Plagiarism should not be confused with:

• ‍ Paraphrasing : to reword or rephrase the author’s words
• ‍ Summarising: to give a brief statement about the author’s main points
• ‍ Quoting : to directly copy the author’s words with an indication (via quotation marks) that it is not your original work

Blending Quotations

You should always aim to interweave quotations into your sentences in order to achieve good flow and enhanced readability of your essay. Below is a good example of blending in quotations:

John Proctor deals with his own inner conflict as he is burdened with guilt and shame of his past adulterous actions. Yet during the climatic ending of the play, Proctor honours his principles as he rejects signing a false confession. This situation where Proctor is confronted to ‘sign [himself] to lies’ is a stark epiphany, for he finally acknowledges that he does have ‘some shred of goodness.’ ( The Crucible, Arthur Miller)

There are three main methods in how you can blend quotations into an essay:

1. Adding Words

Broken sentences  are a common mistake made when students aim to integrate quotations into their sentences. Below are examples of broken sentences due to poor integration of a quotation:

‘Solitary as an oyster’. Scrooge is illustrated as a person who is isolated in his own sphere. ( A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens)

Never write a sentence consisting of  only  a quotation. This does not add insight into your argument, nor does it achieve good flow or readability.

Scrooge, ‘solitary as an oyster’, is illustrated as a person who is isolated in his own sphere.  (A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens)

This example is better, however the sentence is still difficult to read. In order to blend quotations into your sentences, try adding in words that will help merge the quotation and your own words together:

Described as being as ‘solitary as an oyster’, Scrooge is illustrated as a person who is isolated in his own sphere.  (A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens)

Scrooge is depicted as a person who is ‘solitary as an oyster’, illustrating that he is isolated in his own sphere.  (A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens)

Tip: If you remove the quotation marks, the sentence should still make sense.

2. Square Brackets ([   ])

These are used when you need to modify the original writer’s words so that the quotation will blend into your essay. This is usually done to:

Change Tense

Authors sometimes write in past  (looked) , present  (look)  or future tense  (will look) . Depending on how you approach your essay, you may choose to write with one of the three tenses. Since your tense may not always match the author’s, you will need to alter particular words.

Original sentence: ‘…puts his arm around Lewis’ shoulder’ ( Cosi, Louis Nowra)

Upon seeing Lewis upset, Roy attempts to cheer him up by ‘put[ting] his arm around Lewis’ shoulder’. ( Cosi, Louis Nowra)

Change Narrative Perspective

The author may write in a first  (I, we) , second  (you)  or third person  (he, she, they)  narrative. Since you will usually write from an outsider’s point of view, you will refer to characters in third person. Thus, it is necessary to replace first and second person pronouns with third person pronouns. Alternatively, you can replace first and second person pronouns with the character’s name.

The original sentence: ‘Only now can I recognise the scene for what it was: a confessional, a privilege that I, through selfishness and sensual addiction, failed to accept…’  (Maestro, Peter Goldsworthy)

When Keller was finally ready to share his brutal past with Paul, the latter disregarded the maestro, as he was too immersed in his own adolescent interests. However, upon reflection, Paul realises that ‘only now can [he] recognise the scene for what it was: a confessional, a privilege that [he], through selfishness and sensual addiction, failed to accept’.  (Maestro, Peter Goldsworthy)

Insert Missing Words

Sometimes, it may be necessary to insert your own words in square brackets so that the quotation will be coherent when incorporated into your sentences.

The original sentence: ‘His heels glow.’ ( Ransom, David Malouf)

Achilles, like Priam, feels a sense of refreshment as highlighted by ‘his heels [which] glow.’ ( Ransom, David Malouf)

It is important to maintain proper grammar while weaving in quotations. The question is: does the punctuation go inside or outside the final quotation mark?

The rule is: If the quoted words end with a full stop (or comma), then the full stop goes inside the quotation marks. If the quoted words do not end with a full stop, then the full stop goes outside the quotation marks.

Original sentence: 'Sagitty’s old place plus another hundred acres that went from the head waters of Darkey Creek all the way down to the river.’ ( The Secret River, Kate Grenville)

Punctuation inside:

During the past decade, Thornhill became the wealthiest man in the area, owning ‘Sagitty’s old place plus another hundred acres that went from the head waters of Darkey Creek all the way down to the river.’ ( The Secret River, Kate Grenville)

Punctuation outside:

During the past decade, Thornhill became the wealthiest man in the area, owning ‘Sagitty’s old place plus another hundred acres’. ( The Secret River, Kate Grenville)

6. There Are Also Other Ways of Using Quotation Marks

Title of text.

When including the title of the text in an essay, use single quotation marks.

Directed by Elia Kazan, ‘On The Waterfront’ unveils the widespread corruption among longshoremen working at New Jersey docks. ( On The Waterfront, Elia Kazan)

Alternatively, you can underline the title of the text instead of using single quotation marks. Many teachers and examiners prefer this option.

Quotation Within a Quotation

When you quote the author who is quoting someone else, then you will need to switch between single and double quotation marks. You firstly need to enclose the author’s words in single quotation marks, and then enclose the words they quote in double quotation marks. If you're following the American standard, you'll need to do this the opposite way - that is, using double quotation marks for the author's words and and then single quotation marks for the quote. We recommend sticking to the preferred Australian style though, which is single and then double.

Original sentence: ‘…something bitter and stringy, too difficult to swallow. “It’s just that – I – um, I hate it…It’s too – it’s too Indian!”’ ( Sticks and Stones and Such-like, Sunil Badami in Growing Up Asian in Australia)

Sunil’s unusual name leads him to believe that it is ‘…something bitter and stringy, too difficult to swallow. “It’s just that – I – um, I hate it…It’s too – it’s too Indian!”’ ( Sticks and Stones and Such-like, Sunil Badami in Growing Up Asian in Australia)

As you can see, the student has quoted the author’s words in single quotation marks. The dialogue used by the author is surrounded by double quotation marks. This demonstrates that the dialogue used in the text still belongs to the author.

Using Quotations to Express Irony

When you wish to express irony, you use quotation marks to illustrate that the implied meaning of the actual word or phrase is different to the normal meaning.

As a young girl, Elaine is a victim of Mrs Smeath and her so called ‘friends’. Her father’s interest in insects and her mother’s lack of housework presents Elaine as an easy bullying target for other girls her age who are fit to fulfill Toronto’s social norms. ( Cat’s Eye,  Margaret Atwood)

In this case, ‘friends’ is written in inverted commas to indicate that Elaine’s peers are not truly her friends but are in fact, bullies.

7. Questions You Must Ask Yourself When Weaving Quotes into Sentences

1.  Does the quote blend into my sentence?

2.  Does my sentence still make sense?

3.  Is it too convoluted for my readers to understand?

4.  Did I use the correct grammar?

8. How To Find Good Quotes

Tip One: Do not go onto Google and type in 'Good quotes for X text', because this is not going to work. These type of quotes are generally the most famous and the most popular quotes because, yes they are good quotes, but does that necessarily mean that it's going to be a good quote in your essay? Probably not. But why? Well, it's because these quotes are the most likely to be overused by students - absolutely every single person who has studied this text before you, and probably every single person who will study this text after you. You want to be unique and original. So, how are you going to find those 'good quotes'? Recognise which quotes are constantly being used and blacklist them. Quotes are constantly used in study guides are generally the ones that will be overused by students. Once you eliminate these quotes, you can then go on to find potentially more subtle quotes that are just as good as the more popular or famous ones. Tip Two: Re-read the book. There is nothing wrong with you going ahead and finding your own quotes. You don't need to find quotes that already exist online or in study guides. Go and find whatever gels with you and whatever you feel like has a lot of meaning to it. I had a friend back in high school who was studying a book by Charles Dickens. I haven't read the book myself, but there was a character who couldn't pronounce the letter S, or he had a lisp of some sort. What my friend did was he found this one word where, throughout the entire book, the guy with the lisp only ever said the S one time and that was a massive thing. So, he used that. This is something that is really unique and original. So, go ahead and try to find your own quotes. Tip Three: Realise that good quotes do not necessarily have to come from the main character. Yes, the main character does often have good quotes associated with whatever they're saying, but just know that you do have minor characters who can say something really relevant and have a really good point too. Their quote is going to be just as strong in your essay as a main character's quote, which will probably be overused and overdone by so many other students. Tip Four: Develop a new interpretation of a famous or popular quote. Most of the time, the really popular quotes are analysed in very much the same way. But if you can offer a new insight into why it's being said or offer a different interpretation, then this is automatically going to create a really good quote that's going to offer a refreshing point of view. For example, if we look at The Great Gatsby , one of the most famous quotes that is constantly being used is, 'He found what a grotesque thing a rose is and how raw the sunlight was upon the scarcely created grass.' What most people will do is they will analyse the part about the 'grotesque thing a rose', because that's the most significant part of the quote that stands out. But what you could do instead, is focus on a section of that quote, for example the 'raw'. Why is the word raw being used? How does the word raw contribute extra meaning to this particular quote? This way you're honing in on a particular section of the quote and really trying to offer something new. This automatically allows you to investigate the quote in a new light. Tip Five: Just remember that the best quotes do not have to be one sentence long. Some of the best quotes tend to be really short phrases or even just one particular word. Teachers actually love it when you can get rid of the excess words that are unnecessary in the sentence, and just hone in on a particular phrase or a particular word to offer an analysis. And also, that way, when you spend so much time analysing and offering insight into such a short phrase or one sentence, it shows how knowledgeable you are about the text and that you don't need to rely on lots and lots of evidence in order to prove your point. Those are my five quick tips on how to find good quotes from your texts!

Need more help with quotes? Learn about 5 Ways You're Using Quotes Wrong .

Resources for texts mentioned/referenced in this blog post:

Comparing: Stasiland and 1984 Study Guide

A Killer Text Guide: Cosi (ebook)

Cosi By Louis Nowra Study Guide

Cosi Study Guide

Growing Up Asian in Australia Study Guide

A Killer Text Guide: On the Waterfront (ebook)

A Killer Text Guide: Ransom (ebook)

Ransom Study Guide

The Crucible by Arthur Miller Study Guide

A Killer Text Guide: The Crucible (ebook)

‍ The Crucible and Year of Wonders Prompts

Comparing: The Crucible and Year of Wonders Study Guide

The Great Gatsby Study Guide

‍ A Killer Text Guide: The Secret River (ebook)

The Secret River by Kate Grenville Study Guide

Bombshells and The Penelopiad are studied as part of VCE English's Comparative. For one of most popular posts on Comparative (also known as Reading and Comparing), check out our Ultimate Guide to VCE Comparative.

1. Introductions

Bombshells is a collection of six monologues written by Joanna Murray-Smith, each featuring one female character who is symbolic of a specific stage in life and role. Together, they are a telling account of the struggles of being a woman in a modern world, and the monologue format allows the author to emphasise how they are simultaneously unique and universally relatable.

The Penelopiad is Margaret Atwood’s retelling of Homer’s Odyssey from Odysseus’ wife Penelope’s point of view. The story is narrated first-person by Penelope who resides in the underworld, but is also peppered with spoken, sung or chanted testimonies from the twelve dead maids of the story who act as a Chorus, a traditional part of ancient Greek theatre. Although the story is old and much-retold, the voice is modern and the author’s messages concerning women and their position in the world and their relationship with men are universal, regardless of the historical period.

3. Characters

The Penelopiad

4. Sample paragraphs

Prompt: How do Bombshells and The Penelopiad emphasise the subtleties of the male-female relationship dynamic?

Introduction

While the narratives of both Bombshells and The Penelopiad are firmly focused on the female perspective of issues relevant to them, the texts also address the male perspective and role in such issues. Like the women, the men created by the authors have instrumental roles in the way the stories play out, which interestingly are sometimes disproportionate to their actual involvement in the plot.

Body paragraph

One of the main differences between the texts, other than the literary format, is the level of dialogue and active participation afforded to the male characters. In The Penelopiad , the male characters arguably largely direct Penelope’s life, from her father essentially selling her into marriage to Odysseus’ life-disrupting departure, return and ‘lies…tricks and… thieving’, not to mention her ‘quite spoiled’ son Telemachus’ will to usurp and disobey his mother. Penelope’s narration gives them large amounts of dialogue and paints them as three-dimensional people in her life, whereas the male characters in Bombshells have barely any dialogue – most of them have none – and yet manage to cause a similar level of turmoil in the female characters. The marriage of Theresa McTerry to her fiancé Ted, for example, sends her into long, capitalised rants heavily punctuated with exclamation marks and profanities; Murray-Smith does not even give Ted a full description. Even without forming the male characters into rich, detailed personas, she still manages to fully showcase the chaos visited upon Theresa by her ill-considered marriage. She draws greater attention to her inner panic and desperation than we see in Penelope, whose voice retains a sense of shocked detachment even when crying or suffering. As such, the differing approaches of the authors both showcase the fact that men can wreak significant havoc with women’s lives, and that we do not actually need to know much about the particulars of the men or their acts to comprehend the women’s suffering.

The approaches of Atwood and Murray-Smith towards the level of engagement of their male characters differ significantly, yet both show the full impact of their actions on the lives of their female counterparts. Even when the men are given only cursory mentions, their presence as an agent of change within the story is sufficient for them to dramatically alter the courses of the characters they consort with.

More full sample A+ essays available in our Ultimate VCE English Study Guide Bundle.

It’s very hard to look past the overt feminist overtones of both try – even though these are some of the most interesting parts of the texts and you definitely should discuss them, there is more to them than messages about women. Maybe expand your view to more general ideas about human beings, how we live our lives and the ways we react to situations of duress.

Also consider that these texts are in two different formats; how does the live performance of Bombshells change the way it is perceived? How do the different media of these texts support or emphasise the authors’ messages? What can a monologue do better than a book in terms of transmitting an idea and vice versa?

Want to download this study guide? Click the button below!

Just when you thought you had finally become accustomed to the complicated art of essay writing, VCE decides to throw you a curveball in the form of a reading and comparing essay that addresses not just one, but two texts. Being introduced to a comparative essay for the first time, it is not surprising that many students encounter difficulties in structuring their writing. For one of most popular posts on Comparative (also known as Reading and Comparing), check out our Ultimate Guide to VCE Comparative.

(An accurate representation of the common VCE English student attempting to write a comparative essay)

Luckily, there are quite a few tips and tricks out there that will help you on the journey to a well-structured essay!

What is reading and comparing?

This area of study relates to comparing and contrasting two texts in order to unearth  the common themes, ideas, motifs and issues explored. By drawing upon similarities and differences, we are enabled to gain a more profound comprehension of both texts. However, aside from merely comparing what is presented on the surface of a text, (symbols, characters, motifs, themes etc) it is also imperative that you delve a little deeper. Some questions you might want to ask yourself as you are planning a comparative essay are:

- What message are the authors trying to convey?

- What is the significance of symbols, themes, characterisation and motifs in relation to the texts as a whole?

- What was the setting/context in which the authors wrote their texts?

- Why did the authors choose to write about a specific setting/context? Were they directly involved in the social/political issues explored in the texts themselves?

- What are the main similarities and differences and how can I link them together?

Congratulations! Once you have thoughtfully considered these questions, you are one step closer to piecing together your essay!

Because there's such an emphasis on drawing insightful text connections in this area of study, in the LSG Comparative study guide we show you how to use the CONVERGENT and DIVERGENT strategy to identify unique points of comparison. In the study guide, which has been written by 45+ study scorers, we also explain how to strengthen your comparative discussion through Advanced Essay Paragraph Structures which truly showcase the power of the CONVERGENT and DIVERGENT strategy. I don't discuss the strategy in detail here, but you can check it out in How To Write Killer Comparative. ‍

How to structure your essay

Since the purpose of this task is to evaluate the similarities and differences between two texts, (unless you’ve royally misinterpreted the nature of reading and comparing! ) your body paragraphs will need to address both text A and text B. As with all exceptional VCE essays, I would stress that you DO NOT disregard the significance of beginning your essay with an introduction that neatly and briefly outlines your arguments in relation to the essay topic. You SHOULD also have a conclusion to close your essay, which functions as a summary to the ideas you have conveyed in your body paragraphs.

Although there are a few ways in which to structure a comparative essay, with students generally opting for whichever approach works best for them, I will focus upon two different methods, which I find to be the easiest and most concise.

You can choose to address one text per paragraph and alternate between them, for example:

BP1: Text A (theme/idea 1)

BP2: Text B (theme/idea 1)

BP3: Text A (theme/idea 2)

BP4: Text B (theme/idea 2)

As you can see from the structure above, you would need to refer in your first two paragraphs to a common theme or idea prevalent in both texts, comparing how the texts explore such ideas and drawing upon any similarities or differences, before repeating this pattern in the next two paragraphs. In this structure, it is easiest to solely focus upon text A in body paragraph one and then in body paragraph two to put most of the attention on text B, whilst also comparing it to the elements of text A examined in paragraph 1.

- Easy for the assessor to recognise which text is being discussed since this is a very straightforward structure

- Whilst writing the essay, you won’t be confused about which text you are focusing on in each paragraph

- Limited capacity to go in depth when comparing and contrasting the texts, which may lead the assessor to believe you haven’t really grasped the core concepts of either text

This approach is a bit more complicated than the first and will definitely take practice, patience and perseverance to master.

BP1: Text A and Text B (theme/idea 1)

BP2: Text A and Text B (theme/idea 2)

BP3: Text A and Text B (theme/idea 3)

In the body paragraphs of this structure, the writer will constantly alternate between the texts and a good essay of this form will make it clear which text is being referred to, even if the discussion constantly changes from text A to text B. Within each paragraph, the writer will consistently use comparative language to contrast both texts. Typically, each paragraph will place emphasis on a different theme or idea.

- This is a more sophisticated structure than the former; if it is done well, it will highlight to the assessor that you are able to utilise complex structures in a concise way that goes into minute detail when comparing the texts

- Capacity to implement more comparative language

- As you are writing an essay of this form, you might momentarily become sidetracked and confused as you will be constantly changing between referring to text A and text B, thus, it is easier for your ideas to become convoluted, rendering it difficult for the assessor to follow your line of thought.

For more information on essay structures, watch this video:

Useful vocabulary

A key component of structure is not just the layout, but also your choice of vocabulary. Assessors will be looking for key words that prove you are not merely discussing the texts separately in relation to the prompt, but that you are actually able to compare the texts. Some useful terms and expressions include:

Whereas/while/whilst

These texts are dissimilar in that…

These texts are not dissimilar in that…

Alternately…

On the contrary…

Contrarily…

Text A contrasts text B as…

On the other hand…

In a similar fashion to text A, text B…

Both texts…

Both authors…

However, this text takes a different approach…

(This text) parallels/mirrors (the other text) in the sense that…

These texts are alike in the respect that…

Both texts are related as they…

Finally, you have completed that tedious reading and comparing response and I strongly believe that that deserves a sweet treat and a pat on the back.

Although it may have been super challenging, I can assure you that as with everything, the more you practice, the easier it becomes! Consistency is key!

Many students receive feedback from teachers to ‘avoid retelling the story’ along with red scribbles across their essay that state, ‘paragraph needs further development’ or ‘develop your contention further’. It’s a common issue across the VCE cohort and fixing it does take some time and practice. However, keep in mind that it is definitely possible, you just have to understand what exactly what ‘retelling the story’ means!

So, ‘retelling the story’ – it’s pretty much stated right there the phrase – it’s when you are re-describing or repeating the plot based on whichever text you’re writing on. The reason why it is so cringe-worthy is because: 1. you should assume that your teacher or examiner has already read the book before so they don’t need a summary of the events occurring in the text, and 2. you are wasting time by writing something probably a year 8 student could when instead, you should focus your time on providing a comprehensive analysis of the text when responding to your essay topic.

Here is an example of a student who ‘retells the story’ (using Reginald Rose’s  Twelve Angry Men  – “Twelve Angry Men explores the importance of moral responsibility. Discuss.”):

“The importance of moral responsibility is shown through those who fail to possess any sense of decency or righteousness. The 3rd juror has had an estranged relationship with his son for 2 years. He does not get along with his son since the son is disrespectful to his father. This is unlike the 3rd juror, who used to show respect to his elders by calling his father ‘sir’ going up. He is ashamed of his son since his son once ran away from a fight which made the 3rd juror ‘almost thr[o]w up’. As a result of his personal problems with his child, he sees the defendant as another young kid that needs punishment for his wrongdoings. He believes that ‘we’d be better off if we took these tough kids and slapped ’em down before they make trouble, you know?’. Since he is blinded by his own experience, he lacks the moral responsibility required to be a juror on the trial.”

As you can see, the student above has provided a lengthy explanation of the plot, rather than focusing on the keywords. ‘moral responsibility’, ‘decency’ and ‘righteousness’. The student could easily have cut down on the plot details and used the essential events in the play to act as the basis of his/her analysis. So what are the things you can do in order to provide an insightful passage without falling into the trap of this major English student faux pas? Let’s have a look.

Remember that an essay is based on your interpretation of the prompt – that is, whether or not you agree or disagree with the essay topic. Since you are putting forth a contention, it is important that you try to convince the reader of your own point of view. Unfortunately, this is not possible through merely summarising the plot. Try to break down themes, characters, views and values and language construction when elaborating on your contention. By using your own words to explain an idea, you can then successfully use the book as  support  for your reasoning.

Remember that  repeating  the plot is  not the same as  analysing  a plot. Some students rely heavily on quotes, but this in itself can become a repetition of what occurs in the novel. Never simply rely on quotes to tell the reader what you want to say; quotes are there again for support  and so, use quotes as a basis of interpreting your own opinions and views. Keep this in mind,  don’t tell me what I already know, tell me something I’d like to learn . This will force you to write about your own ideas, rather than repeating the author’s words. Concentrate on a specific section of a plot, or a small passage in the novel. Avoid talking about too much at once. If you are able to achieve this, it will prevent you from falling into the path of wanting to write about an overall event of the book, which is inevitably summarising the plot.If you believe that it is absolutely necessary to write about some of the plot in your essay body paragraphs, try to keep it to a minimum. Practice expressing the vital plot points in one phrase, rather than using 2 or 3 sentences to explain what occurs in the book.

Now let’s have a look at the example below. The discussion is based on the same topic sentence as that above however this time, the student has focused on developing their ideas into an insightful exploration:

“The importance of moral responsibility is shown through those who fail to possess any sense of decency or righteousness. The 3rd juror is shown to be someone who is arrogant and narrow-minded as a direct result of a troubled relationship with his own son. Although he is personally unacquainted with the defendant, he draws a parallel between the youngster with his own young son, stating that ‘we’d be better off if we took these tough kids and slapped ’em down before they make trouble, you know?’. It is ironic when he asserts that ‘everybody deserves a fair trial’ since he is the juror that adopts the most prejudice towards the case, thus demonstrating his failure to possess righteousness. His shortcomings are further highlighted through the stage directions whereby he ‘shouts’ and ‘leap(s) into the breach’, displaying his lack of interest in other jurors’ opinions as he is adamant that his view that the defendant is guilty is indeed, correct. Therefore, it is clear through his narrow-mindedness that he has little sense of moral responsibility.”

How can the context of a film be utilised to add complexity to an analysis?

Writing a film analysis can be daunting in comparison to analysing a written text. The task of dissecting a motion picture consisting of dialogue, camera shots and dialogic sound is challenging, but an understanding of a film’s social, cultural and political background can elevate your analysis from standard to spectacular. Thus, before analysing Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 thriller ‘Rear Window’, it is important to consider its cultural, political and social context:

Cultural Context

• The Greenwich Village setting of ‘Rear Window’ is located in Lower West Manhattan, New York, and was known as America’s ‘bohemian capital’ during the 1950s, in which avant-garde artists freely explored unconventional lifestyles.
• Hitchcock’s decision to use Greenwich Village as the backdrop of the film links its image of human suffering to the failed vision of American progressivist culture.
• Despite acting as the main location of progressive culture, such as the beginning of the international gay rights movement, Greenwich Village was also the setting for the broken dreams of its eclectic residents.
• This cyclical nature of hope and defeat can be observed in the film, as the audience can perceive the frustrated songwriter destroying his latest work, and Miss Lonely hearts desperately seeking true love in the seedy bars and gloomy alleyways of the ‘bohemian heaven’.
• Additionally, it is this social radicalism of Jeff’s neighbours that provides the basis for his voyeuristic habits; by portraying their individual eccentricities though their respective apartment windows, Hitchcock offers to Jeff a range of human peculiarities, which he eagerly observes through his ‘portable keyhole’.

Political Context

• ‘Rear Window’ encapsulates the rampant Mccarthyism, and subsequent suspicion, at the time of its release in 1954.
• The fear of Communist influence in the USA led to heightened political repression from the government, and Americans could only prove their loyalty to the country only by offering others’ names to the government.
• As such, Jeff’s insubstantial speculation about Thorwald murdering his bedridden wife is disturbingly reflective of the social strife in 1950s America, as thousands accused their neighbours for treason or subversion without concrete evidence.
• Along with heightened political surveillance followed the allure of voyeurism; just as Jeff is contained to his wheelchair, and can merely gaze through his rear window into his wider world - the courtyard, so were Americans during the Cold War; expected to only ‘gaze’, and leave all the ‘involvement and engagement to the politicians’.

Social Context

• The suburban setting of‘Rear Window’ reinforces the sense of confinement and suspicion rampant during the 1950s.
• After WWII ended in 1952, millions of US soldiers returned to a multitude of suburban homes built using mass production techniques, all overwhelmingly close to another. The Greenwich Village of ‘Rear Window’ is an example of one of these suburbs.
• The crowded Greenwich Village apartment complex of the film acts as an effective narrative device, as Hitchcock employs the physical proximity of the apartments to reinforce the overwhelming sense of voyeurism and paranoia amongst neighbours.

How to Analyse a Scene

The Film’s Opening Sequence:

As the blinds roll up to reveal the apartment complex, a medium shot of the wide-open windows of each apartment immediately convey to the audience an environment of an uncomfortable openness. However, despite this, the separation of each apartment by brick walls as a separate entity on its own serves as a symbol of the widespread suspicion characteristic of the McCarthyian era. Within the frame of the main window, the windows of each apartment act as mini frames within the big frame, multiplying the sense of voyeurism present in the shot.

Although seemingly insignificant, the brown tabby cat that runs across the steps of Greenwich Village represents freedom and individual autonomy, later comparable to the character of Lisa in the film. The compounding sense of surveillance during the 1950s add more meaning to the freedom symbolised by the cat, which can then be contrasted to the suppressed independence of the protagonist, who is seen invalid in a wheelchair in the next shot:

By this extreme close-up shot of Jeff sleeping in his wheelchair during the opening sequence, Hitchcock immediately places the viewer in an uncomfortable position as the original and ultimate voyeur, surpassing the intimate boundaries of the protagonist. The camera’s focus on the beads of sweat on Jeff’s forehead signify the intense heat of summer in Greenwich Village, confirmed by the following close up shot of 94F on the thermometer:

The stifling temperature of the season foreshadows imminent tension about to unfold in the film, as does the following close-up shot:

The slow panning from Jeff’s head to his broken left leg in a cast, in tandem with the ominous, epitaph-like words, ‘Here lie the broken bones of L.B Jefferies’, increase the impending sense of tragedy.

Jeff’s profession as a photographer becomes gradually more evident, as the camera slowly pans from focusing on Jeff’s injury to around his room. This close shot of a destroyed, seemingly irreparable camera, literally reflects the cyclic nature of broken dreams characteristic of Greenwich Village, and also signifies that Jeff too has been hurt (literally) by radical pursuits in his progression. It is important to note that Jeff’s room is plain and lacks any decorative sophistication, establishing his character as a simple, ‘everyday’ American man.

The only things adorning Jeff’s small room are his many photographs, all taken by himself. Despite varying in size and setting, they all share a single point of similarity; they all focus on sights of destruction, such as the race car crash or the remains of a volcanic eruption. The framed nature of these photographs signify Jeff’s appreciation for tragic devastation, establishing further doom in the film by lending a darker note to his voyeuristic tendencies.

The last photograph the camera focuses on in the opening sequence is the picture taken by Jeff of an elegant woman, who bears a striking resemblance to Lisa.

This image of ‘Lisa’ in the negative literally symbolises Jeff’s negative perception of his girlfriend Lisa at the beginning of the film. In contrast, the following shot of ‘Lisa’ in the ‘positive’ foreshadows the development of the film, as he begins to perceive Lisa as a possible life partner:

Want to save this for later? Download a PDF version of this blog here .

Updated 08/01/2021

For a detailed guide on Language Analysis, including how to prepare for your SAC and exam, check out our Ultimate Guide to VCE Language Analysis .

Often, beginning a Language Analysis essay can be tough. How do you start? Do you even need to write an introduction? There are many answers to these questions- some say that because an introduction is not explicitly worth any marks, you don’t need to bother. However, an introduction can be a great way to organise your thoughts and make sure you set up your analysis properly…as long as you don’t waste a lot of time writing unnecessary sentences. 

If you'd like to see exactly what goes into an A+ Analysing Argument response, from the introduction to body paragraphs and beyond, check out our How To Write A Killer Language Analysis ebook!

You can use a simple, easy to remember formula that will help you to identify the key aspects of the piece very early on, and this will show your examiner that you know exactly what you’re talking about- all you have to do is to remember the acronym "CDFASTCAT”.

Here is a breakdown of each aspect and its importance:

This gives the audience some background information on the issue, and “sets the scene” for the article or text. In ANY language analysis article/piece you come across (whether it be in the exam or in practice), there is always a box with the context of the article explained. ALWAYS read it and let it influence your analysis. If you exemplify consideration of the information provided to you in your analysis, you will show a deeper understanding of the issue, and your analysis will be more accurate and detailed. Aim to demonstrate that you understand why the article was written, and its surrounding circumstances.

This gives the article a wider context, and helps the audience understand why the author may have a certain viewpoint. It is also good practice to properly reference the article in your analysis, which includes the date, author, source and title.

The form of a Language Analysis text can vary, from newspaper articles, blogs, comics or even speeches. Each form has its own set of conventions which can help you identify language techniques, and can change the way the message is communicated to the audience. For example, in a speech, the speaker is more likely to directly address their audience than the editor of a newspaper may in an editorial.

When writing a Language Analysis essay (or any essay for that matter), always refer to the author by either their full name, their surname only, or a title and a surname - NEVER by their first name alone. For example: 'Lyle Shelton', 'Mr. Lyle Shelton', 'Mr. Shelton' and 'Shelton' are all okay to use in your essay. However, you would never use 'Lyle' on its own.

The source of a text can influence your understanding of the audience. For example, an article written on a blog about gardening is likely to have a different audience to a financial journal. Including the source is also an important so that the article is properly referenced.

Including the title in the introduction is critical to properly introducing the article. Remember to analyse major techniques in the title if there are any during the body of your essay!

Contention ‍

Identifying the author’s contention can be the most difficult aspect of Language Analysis for many students. The trick is to ask yourself the question 'What is the author’s argument?' If you want to break it down even further, try asking 'What does the author want to change/why/what is it like now/what do they want it to be?'

Depending on the audience, different techniques and appeals may work in different ways. For example, an appeal to the hip-pocket nerve is more likely to have an effect on single parents who are struggling financially than it is on young children or very wealthy people.

You should not include a tone word in your introduction as the author’s tone will shift throughout the text. However, identifying the tone early on is important so that you can later acknowledge any tonal shifts.

Often, articles will include some sort of graphic; it is important that you acknowledge this in your introduction and give a brief description of the image - enough so your analysis can be read and understood on its own. The description of the image is the equivalent of an embedded quote from an article; both are used to provide evidence to support your analysis.

10 Things to Look for in Cartoons is a great resource to help you learn what to look for in graphics. Don't be put-off by the name; you don't need to be studying cartoons specifically in order to learn heaps from this blog post.

If you follow the CDFASTCAT approach, your Language Analysis introductions will become easy to write, straight to the point and full of all the most important information - good luck! ☺

• Historical Context

1. Historical Context

To understand the works of Franklin and Ziegler, we are going to take a look at the historical contexts in which the texts were written. By doing this, we’ll establish a proper understanding of some of the language and concepts that you might have experienced in class. The three specific historical contexts that we will address are life in 1950s London , uncovering the enigma of DNA as well as 19th-century rural life in Australia . As you continue to read this study guide, you may wish to refer back to this section if you find some of the terminologies and references confusing!

Life in 1950s London (Photograph 51)

Photograph 51 is set during the 1950s in London. This was a challenging time for everyone, largely due to Britain’s impaired economy after the war, as well as the financial obligations of the nation to the United States. An iconic local feature of this time was the fact that the government encouraged everyone in the nation to grow food for themselves and their communities. Everywhere you looked, land was being used to farm crops! Indeed, people would grow food everywhere that they could because government rations were strictly enforced and the 1950s was a decade marked by the struggle for parents to find enough food for themselves and their children. This was a difficult situation in which to live and work. However, in this time after the Second World War, Britain experienced changes on a scale never experienced by the country before. The war had cost Britain its status as a nation of monumental power, and in the 1950s the nation was looking to rebuild itself. This was a period of enthusiasm and optimism, in which many technological and scientific developments were made. Computers became more sophisticated, and humanity deeply desired to explore the workings of the world.

Nonetheless, during this time of hope and progress, women were remarkably undervalued , and female professionals were often treated with contempt. We are provided with a snapshot of what this looked like in Photograph 51 . As a Jewish woman in the 1950s, Rosalind Franklin is depicted as a target for prejudice in the world around her. For example, she is not permitted to dine with her male colleagues at lunch, which renders her unable to engage in meaningful conversations with her colleagues and debate about their research and ideas. Additionally, despite the fact that she is just as qualified as Wilkins, he continually ignores her qualifications and achievements. We see this as he refers to her with the patronising nickname ‘Rosy’, which underscores the reality that he sees her as inferior to him. It is evident that the professional world was a challenging place for women and minorities during the 1950s in London. However, Rosalind Franklin was willing to persist with her important scientific work in this formidable social setting.

19th Century Rural Life in Australia (My Brilliant Career)

My Brilliant Career was published in 1901. This was the year when the Commonwealth of Australia was formed, as the colonies of Western Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and New South Wales united as one nation. The text is set in areas around Goulburn in Australia in the 1890s, which is around 195 kilometres - or a two-hour drive - in the South-West direction of Sydney. To put it bluntly: Australia was a challenging place to live in in the 1890s. Take a moment to consider the harsh realities of life in this time and place. During this time, most of Australia was a rural environment and this was an era in which Australians were confronted with drought, economic hardships and high unemployment rates. Indeed, the period of prosperity during the 1850s gold rush was, unfortunately, coming to a close, international investment in Australia was devastatingly declining and the price of wool and wheat was dropping at a dangerous pace. The dire economic situation was certainly not helped by the long drought, which created a distressing situation for the agricultural industry. As we see in the text, Sybylla’s father is a dairy farmer, and her family lived through this unbearable summer heat, the harsh drought and the pain caused by dying livestock. Miles Franklin convincingly uses Sybylla and her family to illustrate the extent to which the adversity of the time had an impact on everyone and the fact that nobody could escape it.

During this period, many women had to take up jobs to support their families, due to the turbulent economic times. Having said that, this was a challenging environment for a woman to pursue a career. Marriage was seen as the only appropriate venture for a woman, and women were expected to marry as soon as they were able to. It was basically unthinkable for a woman to work and pursue a career unless she was working while she waited to be able to depend upon a husband for support. Those who chose not to marry were treated poorly by the world around them. In particular, women could be traded and bartered as labour, and we see when Sylblla becomes a governess to repay her family’s debt.

During this challenging time, it was becoming increasingly common for young women in Australia to publish books, with Miles Franklin being one of them. Nevertheless, Miles Franklin - officially born Stella Franklin - ensured that ‘Miss’ was excluded from her name on the cover of her text. Presumably, she did not want her readers to assume that My Brilliant Career was written by a woman, as this may have harmed sales. Despite this, it is undeniable that social perspectives surrounding gender roles were gradually shifting towards permitting women greater rights within society. For instance, women were eventually granted the right to vote in federal elections in Australia when the Franchise Act was passed in 1902. We see such a progressive attitude represented in the text through Sybylla. Despite the social expectations placed upon her, Sybylla has aspirations for her future. As part of her aspirations, she must choose between the traditional route of marriage to Harry Beecham or her plans to pursue a career. Through this, we see that Miles Franklin welcomes the potentiality for increased social freedom for women to pursue meaningful occupations. In defiance of what society expected of her, she wanted to do something with her life and have a meaningful career! Much like many women of the day in rural Australia, pursuing such a path was no easy task and she faced much opposition.

2. Plot Summaries

We’re now going to take a quick look at the plots of My Brilliant Career and Photograph 51 . However, I cannot overemphasise the importance of setting aside the time to read these texts in detail and annotate them for yourself. You may wish to use these summaries to refresh your memory about the plot, or to stay on track if you get lost or confused while you read! We’ll provide you with a general overview of what happens, with a particular focus on the key events in each text.

Summary: My Brilliant Career

My Brilliant Career is an Australian literary classic by Stella 'Miles' Franklin which is set in rural New South Wales in the late nineteenth century. The story is presented in an autobiographical format and depicts the life and travels of Sybylla Melvyn and her family. The novel is written in a fairly free-flowing format, which Sybylla unapologetically explains is the result of her life being unstructured and lacking a plot. At times you may be frustrated with Sybylla’s pessimism and cynicism . At other times, you may hold back tears as you reflect on the adverse circumstances she faces as she pursues her goals and strives to find purpose in her life.

The novel commences with Sybylla and her family living in Bruggabong. Sybylla is content with her life here, with the freedom to roam around and ride horses as she pleases. However, as the first chapter comes to a close, we are told that Sybylla’s father, Dick Melvyn, intends to sell his stations and move his family to Possum Gully. He hopes that Possum Gully will present him with greater financial opportunities through trading farm animals. Sybylla is frustrated by the move and perceives her family’s new home as boring and monotonous. At the same time, life is hard for her mother, who becomes increasingly critical of Sybylla who seems to be developing into a rebellious child. Dick inflicts a great deal of pain upon his family, as he spends too much time in town, loses money with every sale and becomes an alcoholic. The drought certainly doesn’t simplify matters, with the scorching heat taking a toll on Sybylla, her family and their animals.

Eventually, we learn that Sybylla’s grandmother has decided to take Sybylla to live with her in Caddagat. Sybylla enthusiastically agrees and celebrates the opportunity to experience life in a different location away from the difficulties of Possum Gully. Whilst in Caddagat, she lives with Grandma Bosser, Aunt Helen and Uncle Jay-Jay. During her time there, several men approach Sybylla with an interest in marrying her. The first is Everard Grey, a wealthy lawyer from Sydney with a keen interest in the performing arts. She is denied the opportunity to travel with him and he neglects her upon hearing this news. Frank Hawden, a farmhand to the family, is attracted to Sybylla, but she sharply rejects him due to his unsophisticated demeanour. Finally, she meets Harold Beecham of Five-Bob Downs. They enjoy spending time together and he brings out Sybylla’s playful side. They eventually become engaged. However, Sybylla never intends to marry him and only agrees to the engagement on the condition that it is kept a secret between the two of them. She shares to her audience that she intends to break off the engagement as a means of stirring up and confronting Harold. Eventually, Harold is forced to leave Five-Bob Downs due to his financial misfortune resulting in the loss of his property. However, he and Sybylla agree to maintain their engagement and commit to marrying after a few years. Having said that, Sybylla never really has any intention of marrying Harold, for she views marriage as restrictive and unnecessary controlling of her freedom to pursue her own life.

Shortly after Harold’s departure, Sybylla is confronted with the news that her father’s debt to Peter M’Swat means that she will be required to travel to Barney’s Gap to work as a governess for the M’Swat children. It would be an understatement to say that Sybylla is dissatisfied with this new state of affairs! She absolutely hates working for the M’Swat family! She finds that the house is filthy, the children are disobedient and she has very minimal personal space. All she wants is to go back and live with Grandma Bossier and Aunt Helen. However, her mother denies her this privilege, for she must repay her father’s debt. The experience at Barney’s Gap becomes so bad for her that she develops an illness due to the emotional strain that she experiences. Accordingly, Mr. M’Swat sends her back home to Possum Gully to be with her family.

Sybylla hardly receives a warm welcome from her parents. Her mother continually treats her as ungrateful, and her father’s drinking has had a significant impact on his demeanour. Her younger sister, Gertie, is sent off to live in Caddagat, and Sybylla feels as if Grandma Bossier, Aunt Helen and Uncle Jay-Jay have forgotten about her. To make matters worse, she feels as if Harold Beecham, who has been unable to return to Five-Bob Downs, is falling in love with Gertie. Eventually, Harold travels to Possum Gully. Sybylla is expecting her to ask Dick for permission to marry Gertie. But to her surprise, he actually intends to ask Sybyllla if she will marry him, even though she made it clear through her letters that she had no intention of doing so. For fear of hurting him and due to her view of marriage as restrictive, she rejects Harold again and sends him on his way.

And that’s basically the story! Sybylla concludes with some reflections on her position and purpose in life. She sees her purpose as completing the monotonous tasks that nobody wants to complete and she is thankful for the opportunity to earn her living through hard labour. Overall, we know that her ambition was to become an author, and this book is her final product as she writes about her various experiences.

Summary: Photograph 51

Photograph 51 is a play by Anna Ziegler which tells the story of the discovery of the structure of DNA. The title takes its name from the photograph taken by Raymond Gosling and Rosalind Franklin at King’s College in 1952. The play has been constructed by Ziegler with a bit of artistic license, and she herself admits that she has modified timelines, altered facts and events, and recreated characters. If we take a step back and look at the big picture, we have a great representation of events that makes some bold statements about injustice within the scientific community and society at large.

It is important to mention that this play is full of characters who break the fourth wall - a performance convention in which we usually imagine that there is a wall that separates characters from the audience when we watch a television show, movie or play. Ziegler has deliberately constructed this play in a manner where the characters that feature in the play provide commentary on the events to the audience. And this is how we start, with Rosalind directly speaking to the audience alongside Wilkins, Watson, Crick, Caspar and Gosling. Rosalind shares that the play will be about ‘powerful’ scientists accomplishing incredible feats. Shortly after this, our story begins (with frequent interruptions from the male scientists who want to bicker with each other and give their own commentary on the events).

Rosalind arrives at King’s College in London to work in the field of genetics. However, much to her surprise and dissatisfaction, she is told that she will be working on uncovering the structure of DNA. She also learns that she will be working with a doctoral student, Gosling, under the direction of Wilkins. Wilkins and Rosalind clearly don’t get along, and they are often fighting about something! Meanwhile, Gosling is clearly lower in the chain of hierarchy and awkwardly tries to have a say in matters.

Now, pay attention to this part, because it will be important for the end. Shortly after her arrival at King’s College, Rosalind goes to see a production of Shakespeare’s comedy, The Winter’s Tale . Ziegler doesn’t get into the details, but basically, this play features King Leontes and Hermione, his wife. Leontes murders Hermione upon suspecting her of unfaithfulness. In The Winter’s Tale , Leontes is able to pray Hermione back to life! Why is this significant to Photograph 51 ? Just remember for now that Rosalind can’t seem to remember who played Hermione in the London production, whilst she can recall who played Leontes. We may say that this represents the misogyny that Rosalind has internalised after facing a life of sexism from the world around her.

As Rosalind and Gosling work closely on taking photographs of DNA, Gosling urges her to go home and rest on several occasions. She refuses, as she wants to persist in her work! He also pleads with her to be careful around the beam, but she is reluctant to listen. It is clear that she disregards her health and well-being because she is fixated on the task at hand.

We are introduced to two other scientists, Watson and Crick, who are also competing in the race to discover the structure of DNA. Another character, Caspar, is introduced around this time. He’s a PhD student who is captivated by Rosalind’s work and writes to her for assistance with his research. He eventually finishes his PhD and obtains a fellowship at King’s College where he develops a close relationship with Rosalind.

Over the course of the play, Wilkins works progressively closer with Watson and Crick, and eventually shares Rosalind’s Photograph 51 with them. This image, having been captured and developed by Rosalind and Gosling, was crucial to their discovery of the double helical structure of DNA. Watson and Crick are also able to access Rosalind’s unpublished paper which details all of her findings.

Rosalind and Caspar are having dinner together and Rosalind admits to the audience that she has feelings for Caspar. However, she does not share this information with him. During this time, Rosalind has some pain in her stomach and it is revealed that she has cancer, with two tumours in her ovaries. It is likely that this came about due to her close work with X-rays. She becomes very sick and eventually dies at the age of thirty-seven.

We are informed that Watson, Crick and Wilkins all receive the Nobel prize for their work on uncovering the structure of DNA. Meanwhile, Rosalind receives no credit, even though her research was what helped them with their breakthrough.

In the final moments of the play, Rosalind and Wilkins talk about The Winter’s Tale . Wilkins shares that he saw her entering the theatre on the day when she saw the play, but he decided not to enter with her. He regrets this and it is clear that he has lived a life full of regret. Wilkins wishes he could bring Rosalind back to life, just as Leontes does with Hermione in Shakespeare’s play. However, he regrets that this is not possible and must carry on his life with guilt and regret for the decisions he has made and the way that he has treated Rosalind.

3. Themes, Motifs and Key Ideas

Through discussing themes, motifs and key ideas, we’ll gain a clearer understanding of some super important ideas to bring out in your essays. Remember that, when it comes to themes, there’s a whole host of ways you can express your ideas - but this is what I’d suggest as the most impressive method to blow away the VCAA examiners. We’ll be adhering to the CONVERGENT and DIVERGENT strategy. While this study guide doesn’t go into too much detail about using LSG’s CONVERGENT and DIVERGENT strategy , I’d highly recommend you familiarise yourself with it by reading LSG's How To Write A Killer Comparative .

CONVERGENT: Yearning

Within Photograph 51 and My Brilliant Career , we are presented with characters with profound ambitions to overcome adverse circumstances. Indeed, both texts featured major and minor characters, who yearn to overcome their circumstances and make the most of their unfortunate situations. At the conclusion of My Brilliant Career , Sybylla questions the nature of 'vain ambition'. She reflects on the inevitability of death, and that all will die, regardless of one’s status as a 'king or slave'. Ultimately, Sybylla wants to be 'true' to herself, and in striving to do so, she finds contentment. Likewise, Rosalind is satisfied with 'painstakingly' trying to accomplish success by discovering the truth in her work. She is highly diligent, for she wants to discover the truth, and she will not permit herself to make a mistake. In doing so, she '[pays] attention to every detail'. However, as part of this, Watson and Crick are able to take advantage of her, and ultimately achieve success at her expense.

Rather insightfully, Caspar reflects that 'the things we want but can’t have are probably the things that define us'. This reflects the reality for characters across both texts. In particular, Rosalind has a deep 'yearning' for various things throughout Photograph 51 . This is not strictly for success in her research, for she admits that she yearns for friendships, peace, to be able to sleep well at night and for a deeper relationship with Caspar. Rosalind works diligently with her research, admitting that she doesn’t believe in 'laziness'. She regularly stays up all night, which likely contributes to her significant health complications. At the same time, this has an impact on her ability to form meaningful relationships with the people around her. Ultimately, she is not able to attain any of her aspirations, for her life is cut short by her unfortunate death. Likewise, Crick acknowledges that his ambitions in the scientific community have negatively impacted his relationship with his wife. Whilst he may have started out with the desire to 'support [his] family, to do science, to make some small difference in the world', it is clear that he became overwhelmed with his desire for success, and this has cost him dearly.

One of the most significant characters with aspirations in My Brilliant Career is Dick Melvyn. He clearly possesses great ambition at the beginning of the text, which motivates him to move his family from Bruggabrong to Possum Gully. However, this ambition for financial prosperity turns him into a man who is 'a slave of drink', as well as someone who is overall 'careless' and 'bedraggled in his personal appearance'. Indeed, his ambition has taken a challenging toll on him and the life of his family. Unlike Dick Melvyn, who has been harshly impacted by his ambition for success, the M’Swat family seem to be genuinely supportive of their children, and others outside of their family. This is evident in their care for the Melvyn family in their time of financial need. It is evident that a desire for success and 'the possession of money' does not necessarily lead to ruin.

DIVERGENT: Selflessness

The leading characters in My Brilliant Career and Photograph 51 differ in the extent to which they display selflessness as they approach life. Whilst Sybylla’s perception of her circumstances may not be entirely accurate, we can see that she approaches her despairing circumstances with ultimate altruism that leads her to neglect her own desires and focus on how she can be useful in serving the needs of others. At the conclusion of the text, Sybylla sees that she is most suited to 'wait about common public-houses to look after [her] father when he is inebriated'. She seems to be content to submit to her circumstances in order to look after the needs of her family. In contrast, Rosalind seems to be limited in her capacity to discern the needs of others, and the fact that others also require resources to complete their work. This is highlighted when Wilkins complains that 'she’s keeping [him] from [his] work'. Indeed, she seems to hoard 'all the best equipment'. Whilst Wilkins may be exaggerating the extent of the situation, this still highlights Rosalind's uncharitable approach to her work.

At the heart of these differences are the contrasting worldviews of the leading characters, and the way in which they each find meaning in life. Rosalind ultimately views society as opposed to her, and her response to this is to stand her ground tenaciously. She finds meaning in persevering and avoiding mistakes at all costs. In this approach to her world, she is able to justify her occasional cruel treatment of the men around her. On the other hand, Sybylla finds purpose in being able to fulfil a functioning role in the society around her. By the time the novel reaches its conclusion, she has essentially given up fighting for any of her own interests and seems to be content in serving the needs of those around her. This is evident when she rejects Harold for the final time. She notes that Harold is like a ' child pleading for a dangerous toy', and that '[her] refusal was for his good'. In doing so, she demonstrates selflessness, for she genuinely believes that she is acting in Harold’s best interest. The key contrast between Rosalind rejecting the assistance of Wilkins and Sybylla refusing to marry Harold is that Rosalind isolates herself and rejects others because she sees other people as unreliable, and sees that she will 'work best' if she works 'alone', whereas Sybylla rejects Harold for she believes she is acting for his good.

4. Sample Essay Breakdown

As with all our essay topic breakdowns, we'll follow LSG's THINK and EXECUTE strategy , as taught in our How To Write A Killer Text Response study guide. The LSG's THINK and EXECUTE strategy follows three steps in the THINK phase:

A nalyse ‍ B rainstorm ‍ C reate a Plan

Learn more about this technique in this video:

This ‘discuss’ topic prompts us to evaluate the topic in light of My Brilliant Career and Photograph 51 and reach a conclusion. This is also a theme-based topic, relating to perception and self-awareness. Accordingly, it would be wise to ‘discuss’ how key themes CONVERGE and DIVERGE across our texts. With our given theme, we will need to consider what we mean by ‘perception’, how it occurs in both texts, and the conclusions we can draw from this that will feature in our analysis.

In order to address this topic, we need to consider the notion of perception and how this connects with self-awareness. Crucially, the topic prompts us to consider where characters think they have perceived their situation accurately, when in reality they have actually accepted a form of illusion or false perception. We want to broadly consider where this occurs, which will enable us to group characters together later on. We also want to address the reality that something usually occurs to cause a person to realise that they have been perceiving their reality incorrectly.

We will approach this topic with a chronological structure . This means that we are going to broadly consider 1) the behaviour of characters with a false perception of reality, 2) the nature of crises that cause someone to confront their perception of their world, and 3) how characters respond to such crises.

As we think of examples to include in each of our paragraphs, we need to also be considering CONVERGENT and DIVERGENT points of comparison. We can base these around the themes from the Themes, Motifs and Key Ideas section of LSG's Photograph 51 & My Brilliant Career study guide.

Paragraph 1: Living with a false perception of reality

• At this point, we should discuss the CONVERGENT ideas analysed in the Themes, Motifs and Key Ideas section of LSG's Photograph 51 & My Brilliant Career study guide. We should make sure that we focus on Sybylla and Rosalind at the beginning of their respective texts. In particular, we can focus on the naivety of Sybylla and how this connects to her as an unreliable narrator, as well as how Rosalind’s steadfast determination causes her to lose sight of reality.
• On top of this, we also want to draw connections between the themes and the minor characters of the texts. We mustn’t limit our discussion to one that centres solely around Sybylla and Rosalind, so we’ll take a look at Harold’s relationship with Sybylla, as well as Watson and Crick’s publication of false data.

Paragraph 2: Crises that confront a false perception of reality

• Now we want to focus on the ‘middle’ sections of each of our texts. Take note: ‘middle’ doesn’t necessarily have to be exactly halfway through the book. However, it should be around the point where there is a significant turn of events. My Brilliant Career actually has a few of these, but we’ll focus on Sybylla having to travel to Barney’s Gap. In Photograph 51 , we’ll discuss Rosalind’s discovery of her cancer diagnosis.
• As we trace our secondary characters, we’ll look at Harold’s financial troubles, as well as Watson and Crick’s ridicule due to their flawed model.

Paragraph 3: Responding to crises and evaluating a false perception of reality

• As we conclude our essay, we want to discuss the impacts of the crises on our characters. For Sybylla, we’ll talk about how she continues in her naivety. However, the crisis does prompt Sybylla to evaluate some of her values. For Rosalind, she doesn’t really change her ways, however, it does give her more urgency. These are some of the DIVERGENT ideas that will feature in our discussion. We also need to address Watson and Crick, who end up taking an even more cunning approach to their work, which results in them achieving international recognition for their research.

Want to see the the fully written and annotated version of the essay we've just planned here? Check our A Killer Comparative Guide: Photograph 51 & My Brilliant Career. Not only can you find the full version of this essay, there are also 4 other (5 in total) full, A+ essays fully annotated, as well as more themes, analysed quotes, exploration of different interpretations and lenses and more!!

The following is an excerpt from our study guide, I am Malala and Pride , available for purchase here .

Plot overview

I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai is a memoir of the eponymous Pakistani schoolgirl and activist. Yousafzai grows up in Pakistan’s Swat Valley with parents who were unconditionally supportive of her education. However, Pakistan is strongly under the control of the Taliban, an extremist group who opposes education for girls. On the other hand, Yousafzai’s family practice Islam in a peaceful and egalitarian manner.

Tracing how decades of global, geopolitical movements have produced these conditions, Yousafzai recounts the rise of the Taliban and her increasingly dangerous journey to school each day. The geopolitical histories trace back decades to the military rule of General Zia in the 1980s. Since then, turbulent domestic politics combined with a volatile, ever-evolving relationship with America (which, importantly, is partly America’s fault) has allowed the Taliban to rise to power. The post-9/11 period and the ‘War on Terror’ are important milestones here, since these are the years in which Yousafzai grows up. 

As the Taliban continue to deny women and girls their freedoms, Yousafzai becomes an outspoken activist, made all the more prominent by the BBC and the New York Times. Because of her fame, nationally and internationally, she becomes a target and is shot in the head by Taliban gunmen when she is just 15. The memoir starts here in its prologue, before going back in time to catch us up. Indeed, Yousafzai is now well-known everywhere for this incident. 

The remainder of the book traces her recovery, and reaffirms her commitment to fighting for girls’ education. Even though she now lives in Birmingham, England, she has persevered through many setbacks to keep up the good fight - now on a uniquely far-reaching international platform. 

Pride , directed by Matthew Warchus, is a film exploring the 1984-85 miners’ strike in Britain. In particular, it explored how an unlikely ally, the Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM) organisation, was able to provide solidarity and support despite their differences. 

At the time, many members of London’s LGBT community had difficult coming out experiences, made all the more difficult by stigma and dominating views of masculinity - they perceived miners in their hometowns as part of that problem. However, activist Mark Ashton saw an opportunity to help a group in need, and a group that was experiencing similar political pressures as themselves, particularly at the hands of Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. 

While the National Union of Mineworkers is initially reluctant to take LGSM’s money, Mark is able to connect directly with Dai Donovan, who represents miners from the Welsh village Onllwyn. Over time, LSGM is able to build relationships with locals, who gradually warm to their presence as well. Solidarity - the idea that anybody’s fight against injustice is everybody’s fight against injustice - is an important part of what makes this partnership tick. Their campaign culminates in the Pits and Perverts concert, which raises thousands of pounds. 

The ending is a bittersweet one though - the mineworkers’ union finds this too controversial, rejects further support and ultimately loses the strike, while the queer activists return to their own struggles with identity and belonging. However, the campaign forged lasting bonds between these activists and miners, who show up in their own display of solidarity at the next year’s Pride March. 

Themes, Ideas, and Key Messages 

At LSG, we use the CONVERGENT and DIVERGENT strategy to help us easily find points of similarity and difference. This is particularly important when it comes to essay writing, because you want to know that you're coming up with unique comparative points (compared to the rest of the Victorian cohort!). I don't discuss this strategy in detail here, but if you're interested, check out my How To Write A Killer Comparative . I use this strategy throughout my discussion of themes above and in the next section, Essay Topic Breakdown.

Similarities (CONVERGENT Ideas)

Identity and Perspective : Before even considering the activism that is featured in each text, it’s worth unpacking the individual identities of the main characters, and the complexities that come with them. Both texts see characters juggle and negotiate tensions within their identity - in particular, other people who share the identity don’t always see eye to eye with them. In I Am Malala , Yousafzai often finds herself at odds with other practitioners of Islam, especially the more extreme Taliban who would oppose her belief in girls’ education. Likewise, queer activists in Pride ’s LGSM draw incredulity from their peers, who bristle at the idea of supporting the mineworkers. However, not only are these characters able to overcome these tensions, but their personal identities give them a perspective that feeds back into their activism - they actually draw on their identity in their fight for justice. Yousafzai acknowledges that Muslims “don’t [all] agree” (Chapter 7), but she firmly believes that “education for females not just males is one of our Islamic rights” (Chapter 23). Her fight is informed by, rather than separate from, her faith. In the film, personal identity also acts as a springboard for activism. For example, the collaborative and highly successful Pits and Perverts fundraiser came about as a result of the “long and honourable tradition in the gay community [of] when somebody calls you a name…you take it and you own it”. Queerness is mobilised to fundraise for the miners, rather than silenced or excluded as others might have it. 

Injustice and Activism : As we explored in the context sections (and as we’ve been exploring throughout), a fight for justice is fundamentally at the heart of both texts. In the film and the memoir alike, we see conservative agendas disempowering certain groups. Yousafzai recounts how pre-existing sexism in Pakistan, where girls found “no point in going to school just to end up cooking, cleaning and bringing up children” (Chapter 3), was exacerbated by the Taliban who closed schools altogether. They would even vandalise and destroy schools - “by the end of 2008, around 400 schools had been destroyed” (Chapter 11). Yousafzai’s fight is really about equality and human rights. The miners and LGSM are fighting their own injustices and inequalities in the film - Prime Minister Thatcher had been closing down mines and stripping miners of their livelihoods. Not only that, but she’d used pretty brutal tactics, calling in the police and withholding income support for newly-unemployed miners who struggled to feed their families through the winter. 

Women’s Education : This isn't the principal fight in Pride , but there are moments where it definitely shines through. In particular, we first meet Sian as a young housewife, but by the end of the film Jonathan had encouraged her to return to school, and we know that she goes onto become the first female MP of her district. Through the strike, she discovered her own passion for trade unionism, and education hugely empowered her to take that passion further. This is particularly important given how much the strike affects men and women alike - consider the significance of ‘Bread and Roses’. In the memoir, the importance of women’s education is a much more central element. As Yousafzai points out, “going to school wasn’t just a way of passing time, it was our future” (Chapter 11). In both texts, education helps people (and women in particular) forge relationships and futures for themselves, and for one another. 

Differences (DIVERGENT Ideas)

Now it's your turn! Here are some questions to get you thinking about the differences between the two texts:

• Activism: what forms of activism are there? how effective can activism be? how are these ideas portrayed in the two texts?
• Solidarity: what does solidarity mean? what are the ways in which people can show solidarity? how are these ideas portrayed in the two texts?

Whenever you get a new essay topic, you can use LSG’s THINK and EXECUTE strategy , a technique to help you write better VCE essays. This essay topic breakdown will focus on the THINK part of the strategy. If you’re unfamiliar with this strategy, then check it out in How To Write A Killer Text Response . 

Within the THINK strategy, we have 3 steps, or ABC. These ABC components are:

Step 1: A nalyse

Step 2: B rainstorm

Step 3: C reate a Plan

Theme-Based Prompt: Compare how the two texts explore injustice.

This is a theme-based prompt. Both texts have a pretty clear focus on this idea of ‘injustice’, so it’s an important theme to have thought about beforehand. This prompt is quite broad, so you could potentially include a wide range of thoughts and opinions about injustice—you might want to consider angles like who is affected, what its impacts are and what actions can reasonably be taken against it. Also because of how broad this prompt is, try to find answers to these questions from within the texts, but phrase them in a way that doesn’t necessarily refer to a text. This will help you keep your ideas flexible for both texts when the time comes to write. 

I think those angles are a reasonable starting point for brainstorming. In the memoir, Yousafzai and her peers—Pakistani schoolgirls—are the most affected, while the injustices portrayed in the film affect coal miners and the LGBTQ+ community. All of these groups are disempowered and disenfranchised by injustice, and this is an important impact. Note that this is something you can say about both texts, which is exactly how we were trying to phrase our answers.

In terms of taking action against injustice, there’s a wide range of measures across the texts—speaking out, writing for news outlets, organising large-scale fundraisers etc.—and the key takeaway from that might be how diverse these measures are, the different outcomes they generate and whether or not they’re effective. 

Step 3: Create a plan

Because this theme has a lot of rich overlaps between texts, it’s best to integrate discussion of both texts into every paragraph. When we do this for a theme-based prompt, especially a prompt with just one theme, that means every paragraph uncovers a new angle or dimension from both texts about the theme. Learn more about Integrated Text Discussion in How To Write A Killer Comparative .

P1: Injustice is framed as limiting people’s power—we can look at marginalised groups in both texts, from the schoolgirls of Yousafzai’s Pakistan, or the miners and the queer folk from the film.

P2: It’s also something that must be fought. Because it has such a detrimental impact, there is a need for those groups to stand up for themselves and for each other. 

P3: In so doing, injustice may take time to overcome, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t fight it. Not all activism can be instantly, wildly successful—partial successes along the way are usually more frequent.

Our contention will try to string those three ideas together: injustice in any society involves some experiencing marginalisation and powerlessness that others do not experience (P1), and it is something that must be fought (P2), even if this is a time-consuming process (P3). Have a go at writing your own essay now if you’d like, or read a free preview of our I am Malala and Pride study guide below!

A Killer Comparative Guide: I am Malala and Pride

How to Write a Killer Comparative Ebook

The Ultimate Guide to VCE Comparative

A Guide to Structuring a Reading and Comparing Essay

Reading and Comparing Essays

‍ How to get A+ in Reading and Comparing

Compare the Pair: A guide to Structuring a Reading and Comparing essay

Metalanguage is language that describes language. The simplest way to explain this is to focus on part 3 of the English exam – Language Analysis. In Language Analysis, we look at the author’s writing and label particular phrases with persuasive techniques such as: symbolism, imagery or personification. Through our description of the way an author writes (via the words ‘symbolism’, ‘imagery’ or ‘personification’), we have effectively used language that describes language. For a detailed discussion, see  What is metalanguage?

• Protagonist
• False protagonist
• Secondary character
• Supporting character
• Major character
• Minor character
• Philosophical
• Non-fiction
• Short stories

Language form

• ProseIambic pentameter
• Blank verse

Narrative mode

• First person view
• Second person view
• Third person view
• Third person objective
• Third person
• Third person omnipresent
• Third person limited
• Alternating narrative view
• Stream-of-consciousness
• Linear narrative
• Nonlinear narrative

Narrative tense

• Anti-climax
• Trope-cliché
• Turning point
• Geographical

Other literary techniques

• Active voice
• Alliteration
• Ambivalence
• Bildungsroman
• Characterisation
• Cliffhanger
• Colloquialism
• Complex sentence
• Compound sentence
• Connotation
• English (American)
• English (Australian)
• Flash forward
• Foreshadowing
• Juxtaposition
• Onomatopoeia
• Passive voice
• Periphrasis
• Personification
• Positioning
• Simple sentence

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An Ultimate Guide to Comparing The Hate Race and Charlie's Country

Maxine Clarke’s The Hate Race and Rolf de Heer’s Charlie’s Country depict a society divided by race and cultural values, revealing the difficulties faced by people of colour in navigating a world characterised by social conflicts and hostility. In their respective texts, Clarke and De Heer portray race relations as inequitable and imbalanced, as the racialised ‘others’ struggle in negotiating the norms - which conceptualise ‘normality’ and ‘naturalness’ - in multicultural Australia.

Clarke’s anecdotal recount of her childhood experience as an Afro-Caribbean woman represents a system of values that disenfranchises individuals based on their ethnicity and race. Her agency is undermined by the entitled sense of power exhibited by her white peers, which sometimes manifests in the forms of bullying and vicious victimisation. 

Likewise, de Heer’s film portrays an Indigenous community suffering from the consequences of European domination, as exemplified in the protagonist Charlie’s struggles. Under the Intervention, the community is robbed of their rights to the land, their freedom to maintain Indigenous practices, and, most importantly, their self-sovereignty. Hence, the film underscores the dangers of racial prejudice and alludes to its lingering impacts on Indigenous communities in Australia.

Notes: If you enjoy this blog, don't miss out on our upcoming $5 Crucible & Dressmaker lecture by Ella Waldman (50 in English, 99.85 ATAR) to learn how to write a perfect scorer in the exam. See bottom corner of this page!

The Hate Race:

Maxine Clarke's memoir, The Hate Race, delves into her life as a Jamaican descendant in Kellyville, Sydney. Born to Mathias and Cleopatra, immigrants from Jamaica and descendants of African slaves, Clarke's experiences provide a rare, poignant insight into growing up black in Australia.

Their journey of migration paints a vivid backdrop to the narrative, contextualising Bordy's view that racism is "treating people differently" because of their origins. Clarke further alludes to the racial battles fought by her grandparents in post-war Britain, touching upon their struggles with xenophobia and exploitation, which left a deep impact on their lives.

This memoir reveals the deep-seated and institutionalized racism in Australia's education system that Clarke faced growing up, leaving a profound mark on her self-identity. It elucidates the diverse forms of racism and their consequences on the individual, making Clarke's story a crucial read for understanding racial dynamics in Australian society.

Charlie’s Country: 

Set in Ramingining, a community impacted by the Intervention, De Heer’s film, Charlie’s Country, elucidates the danger of cultural ignorance and racism in Australian society. 

The protagonist Charlie, an Indigenous elder, witnesses the destructive changes brought to his community by the Intervention. Despite the government’s efforts to improve his people’s wellbeing and safety, Charlie finds himself, and others, homeless, unemployed, and impoverished. Most importantly, he sees his people dispossessed and deprived of their Indigenous identity by European domination.

Charlie is frustrated by these changes and carries out many attempts at rebellion. He fails, however, and comes to realise that he must accept European influences while encouraging the next generations to appreciate their Indigenous heritage. Nevertheless, underlying Charlie’s rebelliousness is a profound desire for harmony between Europeans and the Indigenous people, as conveyed through his treasured photograph of himself dancing for the Queen. Therefore, de Heer communicates the hope that peace and mutual understanding will be achieved between these two cultures, as well as many others that make up Australian society.

SETTING - ‘THE WORLDS OF THE TEXTS’

Clarke’s The Hate Race is set in a liminal period of social change, based on the impacts of the Whitlam Government’s anti-discrimination laws on Australian contempory society. Gogh Whitlam, from the outset, is referred to as “the new sensible Australian prime minister”, lauded for his dismantling of the “last vestiges of the White Australia Policy”. The Racial Discrimination Act was passed in 1975, effectively criminalising acts of discrimination based on the race and identity of individuals.

The author also makes references to the fight for land rights of the First Nations people. She presents a dual narrative that depicts the tensions between the colonial against the Aboriginal history. The ignorance of some of Aboriginal history is noted, and Clarke criticises the perception that society holds towards people of colour in Australia, a country with a “black history”. 

In 1996, John Howard, formerly the leader of the Liberal opposition, became the prime minister and employed policies that starkly differ from his predecessors. Anti-immigration sentiments were spread, exacerbating the division between different races (enabled also by Pauline Hanson’s anti-Asian rhetoric). 

In 2007, the Howard Government introduced the Intervention to limit rates of child sexual abuse among Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory, including the community of Ramingining where Charlie’s Country is set. The lives of Indigenous people in these communities were heavily regulated, with bans on alcohol and weapons, restrictions on land and property ownership, and reductions in welfare payments.

Whilst aiming to protect Indigenous communities from the effects of violence, the Intervention damaged many aspects of the communities' lives. They were disempowered and prevented from upholding traditional practices, such as the settling of disputes by Indigenous elders. They also lost their freedom, dignity, and identity, being constantly monitored by police officers and forced to adopt European culture. Thus, the Intervention has reinforced the cultural conflict between the Europeans and the Indigenous people and brought disastrous consequences to many Indigenous communities.

Racism and Discrimination

Both Maxine Beneba Clarke’s memoir 'The Hate Race' and Rolf de Heer’s film 'Charlie’s Country' elucidate the despair and sense of isolation experienced by individuals ostracised by society. Clarke vividly captures the cyclical nature of Maxine’s racial prejudice, which seeps into her psyche, fuelling a sense of inadequacy. De Heer, on the other hand, cleverly veils Charlie’s exclusion under the guise of governmental support and reconciliation. Both protagonists, due to their experiences, internalise the anxiety brought about by discrimination. Clarke’s evocative detailing of Maxine’s physical reactions to racial microaggressions symbolises the psychological entrapment victims of discrimination often face. De Heer’s visual imagery – Charlie behind bars - symbolises the physical and psychological entrapment experienced by indigenous populations, portraying him as a mistreated soul in an oppressive system.

Charlie’s Country:

• Charlie and Luke’s greetings near the opening establish the division between “black[s]” and “white[s]”. Despite the good-natured tone of their exchange, Charlie’s use of the English word “white bastard” demonstrates his awareness of the assumed inequality between those of different skin colours. Such discrimination comes to characterise laws and law enforcement in Australia, evident in Luke’s claim that “black fella[s] … take advantage of you” upon arresting Charlie. Thus, for Indigenous people under European domination, race ceases to be a source of pride and becomes instead a target for humiliation and injustice.
• De Heer underscores how racial prejudice blinds many Europeans to the sufferings of Indigenous communities. In the court scene, Charlie’s lengthy speech before the magistrate, delivered in his native tongue, shows how these innumerable sufferings can only be understood by the Indigenous people. Consequently, many Europeans are ignorant of the hardships that they inflict, as shown by the magistrate’s indifference.
• The photograph of Charlie dancing for the Queen communicates the hope that harmony will be achieved between Europeans and the Indigenous people in Australia.

The Hate Race

• The Ute driver's derogatory shout and the shop attendant's seemingly innocent comment both spark the same visceral reaction in Maxine: a "chest-tightening feeling...that can't-think freeze." This underlines the traumatic impact that both overt and covert racism can inflict on individuals. The former is an outright act of hate, while the latter is a more subtle, albeit equally damaging, display of racial stereotyping. Maxine’s physical reactions—her fear, her dry tongue, the gasping for breath—demonstrate the raw emotional toll of these encounters. It is a reminder of how racism can invade everyday experiences, leaving a person feeling vulnerable and "naked."
• Maxine's intent, as she explains in her acknowledgements, is to "show the lasting impact of living in a brown body in Australia in the eighties and nineties on one child.” This ambition is achieved through her vivid illustrations of everyday instances of both overt and institutionalized racism. The negative experiences she depicts underscore how racism, casual or otherwise, erodes one's sense of self and security, thereby revealing its extreme toll.
• The interaction between Carlita and Maxine highlights the pernicious nature of racial prejudice, ingrained even in children. Carlita's blunt accusation of Maxine being "brown" and "greedy" reveals an insidious stereotype tied to her skin color. The fact that Mrs. Allen praises her daughter's "honesty" further perpetuates this toxic ideology, sending a message to Maxine that her brownness is a deficiency. When Maxine retaliates, it's she who's made to apologize, underscoring the unfair power dynamic often present in racially charged situations. This pattern continues throughout her childhood, further pushing Maxine into a vulnerable position where she is often cast as the troublemaker.

The intricate tapestry of identities woven in both texts depict the struggle of the protagonists to belong in a world that seeks to alienate them. Both Maxine and Charlie resort to self-destructive tendencies as a means to navigate their disorienting realities. Maxine’s fantasy of 'becoming white' and her subsequent self-harm underscore the psychological trauma and loathing rooted in racial discrimination. The destruction of Charlie’s identity through dehumanising processes, notably his head-shaving scene, further amplifies the effects of racial prejudice on one’s sense of self. These narratives represent the tragic outcomes when individuals are forced to adapt to oppressive societal standards and norms.

Charlie’s Country

• De Heer portrays the ways in which European laws and intervention rob the Indigenous people of their identity and dignity. Charlie is forced to bear the title of a “recreational shooter” rather than “hunter”, as his Indigenous way of life is rejected.
• De Heer propounds that an individual can derive strength from an assurance in their identity. Having returned to his “Mother Country”, Charlie at once declares, “I have my own supermarket”, thus transitioning from a state of dispossession to that of possession. This highlights Charlie’s ability to regain his agency through reconnecting to his Indigenous heritage, as accentuated by the low-angle shot which presents him as dominant in his environment.
• Maxine becomes frustrated by her peers' focus on her racial differences. Most of their comments centre around her ethnicity and skin colour, contributing to a feeling of alienation: "Maxine is not Australian. Maxine is brown... Maxine is brown. She is brown. She has brown skin." Yet, Jennifer's comments provide a stark contrast. She praises Maxine's abilities and affirms their friendship, a validation that Maxine values greatly. This juxtaposition reveals Maxine's yearning for recognition beyond her skin colour. 
• The Cabbage Patch doll, a birthday gift from her mother, becomes a source of shame for Maxine who deems it as “ugly”. This sentiment mirrors the societal perception that favours the white aesthetic, normalising it as desirable and associating the colour black with inferiority. The scorn from her peers, particularly from Susana and Carlita, further emphasizes this bias. The derogatory remarks about the doll, and by extension about Maxine herself, highlight the disturbing reality of racial prejudice infiltrating the innocence of childhood.
• Maxine's attempts at self-erasure present a poignant illustration of the intense psychological toll of racial prejudice. She strives to "claw [her] way out of [her] skin," manifesting as self-harm, which is indicative of her deep-seated desire to escape her racial identity. This behaviour reflects her struggle with internalized racism, stemming from societal whitewashing and negative racial representation. Despite her father's attempts to help, and visits with the school counsellor, Maxine finds herself trapped in a cycle of self-destructive behaviour, marking the severity of her "unfathomable brokenness." This deeply unsettling account is a stark reminder of how racism can inflict lasting psychological harm, leading to serious consequences like self-harm and mental health issues.

Power and Alienation

Power dynamics and their influence on the lives of the marginalized are central to both narratives. 'The Hate Race' captures Maxine succumbing to the torment of bullies, resorting to racial slurs to find acceptance amongst her peers. Contrarily, 'Charlie’s Country' centres on the titular character’s defiance against the racial profiling enacted by White power. Maxine’s misguided retaliation results in her adopting the tactics of her oppressors, whereas Charlie’s defiance becomes a testament to his strength. While Maxine’s attempt to conform leads to the perpetuation of racial prejudice, Charlie’s resistance subverts the portrayal of minorities as powerless. This divergence emphasizes the different strategies adopted by individuals to resist racism and maintain their cultural identities.

• De Heer demonstrates that the Intervention controls the lives of Indigenous people with restrictions rather than liberties. Numerous prohibitions, including alcohol and weapon bans, characterise the life of Ramingining after the Intervention. Consequently, they are denied the freedom to practise Indigenous traditions, such as hunting and spear-making. 
• De Heer shows that the Intervention reinforces European dominance by disempowering the Indigenous people, as apparent in Charlie's meeting with Errol, where Charlie is depicted sitting lower than the police officer. This position symbolises the power imbalance between Europeans and the Indigenous people, asserting the former's superiority and the latter's powerlessness. 
• Clarke persistently underscores the dynamics at play between individuals who possess authority – the ethical arbiters – and those who find themselves in positions of vulnerability. She argues that the trauma experienced by the young girls is compounded when individuals with the capacity to assist fail to take action. As Clarke articulates: "When an incident of name-calling is reported to a teacher - 'Blackie', 'Monkey girls', 'Golliwog' - the response is a gaze of exasperation, an unspoken question: 'Do you genuinely expect me to intervene?'". The repercussion of such indifference, Clarke posits, is a behavioural adaptation: the aggrieved party, when faced with a future grievance, will seek out a different authority figure.

Trauma and Memories

The crippling effects of past trauma and the struggle to reconcile with one’s history are explored extensively in both narratives. Clarke’s 'The Hate Race' conveys the disintegration of Maxine’s sense of self, leading to her obsession with physical self-harm and erasure. Similarly, Charlie's descent into substance abuse parallels the dehumanisation he experiences, his erosion of self reflective of his systemic disenfranchisement. The authors successfully highlight the enduring effects of racial prejudice on individuals, leading to a fragmented sense of self and a profound loss of agency.

De Heer propounds that the past can both bring both healing and pain. Charlie’s reconnection to his ancestors’ lifestyle facilitates therapeutic impacts, as he is revitalised upon returning to his “Mother Country”. This is reinforced by his ability to fish and forage for bush foods, which are sources of nourishment unattainable to him in the built-up world. Accordingly, de Heer suggests that by suppressing Indigenous traditions and practices, the Intervention severely damages the lives of Indigenous communities. This is apparent as the health of Ramingining deteriorates due to Western junk food and drugs despite the government’s promise of improved community wellbeing. 

• Charlie’s speech before the magistrate alludes to the perpetual sufferings experienced by Indigenous communities due to colonialism and unjust laws. By reinforcing these pains, the Intervention leaves enduring damages upon the Indigenous people.
• Clarke delves into Maxine's desperate attempt to eschew her identity by fabricating an issue often associated with 'pretty white girls,' an eating disorder . This is a manifestation of 'un-becoming yourself,' which is essentially adopting a different persona. Maxine's affinity for 'artifice' reveals her desire to step into other lives, to act as though she was not herself. This portrayal signifies her struggle to grapple with her identity in a society that consistently ostracizes her due to her racial background.
• The doctor's reading, which outlines a common medical condition among blacks, results in a new wave of trauma for Maxine, reminding her of her racial origins . Maxine's internal dialogue, marked by sentence fragments, italics, and a conversational tone, reveals her painful introspection as she confronts her ethnic roots. Transported in her mind to Jamaica, she faces the harsh reality of her lineage as the descendants of African slaves. The phrase "most commonly occurring in blacks" further reinforces the betrayal she feels from her own skin color, as if her history is asserting itself without her consent (171). This moment underscores her constant struggle with racial identity in a society that fails to accept her.

Alienation and Belonging

The dichotomy of alienation and belonging is aptly illustrated in the narratives of Maxine and Charlie, both victims of cultural displacement. The protagonists' sense of exclusion is contextualised within their shared history of cultural segregation. Both narratives explore the dual effects of past trauma on individuals; it can either empower resistance against dominant power structures or further marginalize individuals. Clarke and De Heer depict characters whose experiences of displacement and dispossession provoke diverse reactions.

• By contrasting Charlie’s energetic dance with “[his] country” against his fragile figure as he lies in a modern hospital, de Heer symbolically conveys how a sense of alienation robs Charlie of his strength. 
• Under the Intervention, the Indigenous people were outcasts in their own land. Charlie lacks a “house” and a “job” through which he can find a sense of belonging and self-worth in society. Conversely, the police officers and government officials live in well-built facilities, ignorant of the privileges that they have over those who are rightly entitled to the land.
• A sense of belonging provides meaning: After learning that Albert will be sent to Darwin hospital, Charlie grieves that the sick man will die “a long way from [his] country”. In overlooking the fact that Albert can receive better treatment in Darwin, Charlie’s sorrow conveys how connection to the land is an essential part of his people’s existence, and that separation from their country renders both their life and death meaningless.
• Maxine's encounters with television and her expressive dance routine serve as a reflection and an outlet for her racial and cultural identity. The representations of Black individuals on TV programs such as "The Cosby Show" and artists like Whitney Houston offer a counter-narrative to her daily experiences of racial marginalization and provide her with powerful figures who exude confidence and grace.
• Conversely, Maxine's original dance performance, a raw expression of emotion and cultural identity, is viewed with incredulity by her mother and met with surprising indifference by her classmates, suggesting a disconnect between her inner experiences and the external perceptions of those around her. This contrast underscores the complexity of expressing one's cultural and racial identity within a context that is often dismissive or indifferent to these experiences.
• In her confrontation with Bhagita, Maxine reveals her internal struggle with identity and her ability to exhibit the same cruelty inflicted upon her. As Bhagita questions her new hairstyle, Maxine, overtaken by shame, adopts the role of the bully and belittles Bhagita's hair and Sikh faith. Her transformation earns the perverse 'respect' of her usual tormentors, reflecting the disturbing effects of internalized racism. Ultimately, Maxine's horror at her own behavior leads her to a physical reaction of disgust, symbolizing her realization of the degradation she has inflicted upon her own dignity and self-respect.

Repercussions of Colonialism

Both narratives vividly portray the detrimental impacts of colonialism. The narratives of 'The Hate Race' and 'Charlie’s Country' elucidate the complexities of racism, identity, trauma, power, and alienation. Authors Clarke and de Heer adeptly illustrate the despair and isolation felt by those ostracised by society. The cyclical structure of Clarke’s memoir amplifies protagonist Maxine’s ongoing battle with racial prejudice, while de Heer reveals Charlie’s subtle exclusion, masked by a veneer of government support.

Maxine’s internalisation of racial prejudice is conveyed through the contrast of a ute driver’s overt racial slurs and a shop attendant’s covert racist remarks. By referring to Maxine as “you people”, she is isolated and marginalised, characterising people of colour as lesser beings compared to domineering cultures. Charlie’s experience mirrors Maxine’s, but his ostracism is further underscored by his physical entrapment. De Heer’s prolonged mise-en-scene of Charlie behind prison bars symbolises his physical and psychological confinement in a system built by a white society. The intertwined examples of racism and discrimination experienced by Maxine and Charlie paint a stark critique against marginalisation, where language and power are weaponised to isolate and victimise the powerless. Experiencing such exclusion, both Maxine and Charlie demonstrate self-destructive tendencies as a means of invisibility. Clarke captures the psychologically damaging effects of racial discrimination through Maxine’s self-effacing tendencies. Her yearning to erase her cultural identity evolves into acts of self-harm, indicating the magnitude of her self-loathing. In contrast, Charlie is physically disempowered and resorts to substance abuse to cope with his forced assimilation. Maxine’s and Charlie’s self-destructive behaviours exemplify the harmful effects of escapism, with Maxine’s being a product of socialisation and Charlie’s being a reluctant survival tactic.

Both 'The Hate Race' and 'Charlie’s Country' reveal the detrimental impacts of colonialism on indigenous populations, challenging the depiction of imperialists as superior. Clarke underscores the harmful consequences of xenophobic sentiments, while de Heer highlights the eroding effects of colonialism on Indigenous communities and their traditions. Both authors condemn the negative repercussions of colonialism, particularly on the lived experiences of indigenous communities.

Both narratives present the realities of migration and displacement, effectively stripping away a sense of belonging. De Heer uses Charlie's marginalised living conditions as a symbol of division, while Clarke illustrates the segregation of Indigenous individuals through the collective ignorance of a small

Co-written with Vy Vu -- Past Student.

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Maxine Beneba Clarke’s memoir The Hate Race is the story of an Australian childhood blighted by racism

Maxine beneba clarke lays bare the horrors of growing up black on the outskirts of sydney, to parents of west indian heritage..

June 29, 2017

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Maxine Beneba Clarke was born and raised in the Sydney suburbs. Her parents – a mathematician and an actress – emigrated to Australia from England in the 1970s.

After success on her school’s debating team as a teenager, Clarke finds herself being interviewed as an entrant for the Lions Club Youth of the Year competition.

“Where are you from, Maxine?” asks one of her interviewers, so she takes a deep, patient breath and replies: Kellyville, Sydney.

“The woman smiled, as if mildly amused that I didn’t understand … ‘Where were your parents born, I mean, sweetheart?’”

What follows is like a scene from a nightmare in which one finds oneself scarily unable to communicate even the most simple information to one’s interlocutor.

Clarke writes: “‘My dad was born in Jamaica, my mum’s from Guyana,’ I said curtly but politely. ‘You mum’s from Ghana? I have an old friend who lived there for a while.’ Frank wrote something down on a notepad. ‘No, she’s from Guyana,’ I corrected him. ‘You must mean Ghana.’ Frank shook his head, smiling. ‘Guyana, in the West Indies,’ I said. ‘You have those striking African looks!’ he responded. ‘I very much doubt your mum’s from India.’ He and Susan chuckled.”

Compared with some of the more bile-filled attacks Clarke recounts in this memoir – the ute driver on a sleepy suburban road who slows down to scream at her to drown her own child; the vile names she's called by her classmates; the anonymous hate mail someone covertly slips between the pages of her school textbooks week-in, week-out for months – this example of small-minded ignorance might seem fairly benign, but The Hate Race expertly illustrates how racism is a one-sided war of attrition: "Somewhere along the line we give up counting," Clarke writes. "Somewhere along the line, we just give in. Somewhere along the line, we stop reporting. Somewhere along the line, we die a little."

It’s heartbreaking to read of Clarke’s school counsellor dismissing racist abuse as “a little bit of teasing”, a woman who immediately becomes more “businesslike” when Clarke tries claiming she has an eating disorder instead (the kind of issue associated with “pretty white girls”), “as if here was an actual real problem”.

But as I read, I was ashamed of the impotence, and of the indulgence, of my distress. “I don’t want sympathy,” rails Clarke internally when another mum on the school run attempts to comfort her after the encounter with the man in the ute, “I want to un-hear what I just heard, un-experience what just happened. If racism is a shortcoming of the heart, then experiencing it is an assault on the mind.”

At times, it’s an outright attack on her sanity. Those around her deconstruct and reconstruct her identity, trapping her at every turn as she’s reduced to stereotypes both negative and positive. “It’s in your blood. You folks are built for it,” her sports teacher tells her, confused by her slow times running track. “What if I just needed coaching?” Clarke ponders; if she was good at running she’d be doing something “a real black person could do”.

One of the most interesting responses I came across to Jordan Peele's recent race-relations horror Get Out was a black viewer explaining how perfectly the sustained tension of the film replicated what it meant to go about one's day-to-day business as a black man in the United States: always vigilant, no more than one moment away from being attacked, verbally or physically.

Clarke’s extraordinary memoir achieves something similar. As she takes pains to point out at the end, in many ways her upbringing was “privileged”, but this is a book “about a very specific aspect of my childhood: interactions and misunderstandings around race and ethnicity”, the structure of which draws on oral storytelling traditions – “That folklore way West Indians always have of weaving a tale. This is how it happened – or else what’s a story for” – which is poignantly set against the colonial, white history of denying non-white narratives.

The only book in her school library about Jamaica contains a single page, “a footnote” at the end, about the slave trade; and what the children are taught about Australia’s own indigenous people is little short of lies: “Captain Phillip tried hard to be friendly but the Aborigines were violent and hostile,” reads their history textbook.

For all the horrors within its pages, The Hate Race is as elegantly written as its subject is important.

Clarke’s voice is rich, resonant and uncompromising, impossible to ignore.

Lucy Scholes is an independent journalist based in London.

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Year 12 - English Text - Comparison - The Hate Race & Charlie's Country: Comparison

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Gender, Race, and Specific Social Class Stratification in “The Hate U Give” Essay

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The Hate U Give is a 2018 American drama film based on the 2017 novel by Angie Thomas. The film explores critical issues associated with race, gender, and social class stratification. It follows the story of Starr, a high school student, who sees how a police officer kills her unarmed friend (Tillman, 2018). Starr has to juggle her racial, gender, and class identity while navigating the aftermath. The social stratification of class, race, and gender depicted in The Hate U Give represents inequality in modern society since the same issues are persistent nowadays.

The story takes place in a primarily African American setting, a neighborhood called Garden Heights. The events alternate between Starr’s two worlds: the poor, mostly black neighborhood where she resides and the rich, predominantly white private school that she attends. Two major examples of social inequalities in the movie are racial profiling associated with police brutality and education inequity. These inequalities can be attributed to social structures and norms such as systemic racism, prejudice, and discrimination. The film shows how the police are more prone to use excessive force when dealing with black people. On the other hand, the movie depicts the difference between the education available at the predominantly white school and the educational opportunities blacks have. Possible social structures or norms that could have contributed to these inequalities include racism and institutionalized discrimination.

Symbolic interactionism can be used to explain social inequalities in the movie. This theory focuses on how individuals communicate with one another and how their interaction creates meaning in their lives (Charmaz et al., 2019). An example of symbolic interactionism can be seen in how Starr and her family treat each other and the different expectations they have based on race. Starr’s family interacts differently with police officers based on their race, and this creates an unequal sense of safety.

The movie portrays the social stratification of class, race, and gender in a way that sheds light on inequality in society. Starr, as a young black woman from a lower-class background, finds herself navigating a world with two very different sets of rules. Her family and community are subject to systemic racism and poverty, and she experiences prejudice, being forced to interact with wealthy white peers at her prep school. Starr must grapple with her identity as a black woman while trying to make sense of the racial and class tensions between her two worlds. The movie serves as a powerful reminder of the impact of inequality and the need for social action to create a more just world.

To conclude, The Hate U Give portrays significant disparities in social stratification based on class, race, and gender and represents the ongoing inequality in modern society. Starr’s experiences growing up in Garden Heights illustrate the harsh realities of poverty and the power dynamics of race, class, and gender. The movie highlights how class, race, and gender intersect to shape Starr’s life and brings to the forefront the systemic inequalities that exist in society.

Charmaz, K., Harris, S. R., & Irvine, L. (2019). The social self and everyday life: Understanding the world through symbolic interactionism . Wiley Blackwell.

Tillman, G. (2018). The hate u give [film]. Fox 2000 Pictures.

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IvyPanda. (2024, May 28). Gender, Race, and Specific Social Class Stratification in "The Hate U Give". https://ivypanda.com/essays/gender-race-and-specific-social-class-stratification-in-the-hate-u-give/

"Gender, Race, and Specific Social Class Stratification in "The Hate U Give"." IvyPanda , 28 May 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/gender-race-and-specific-social-class-stratification-in-the-hate-u-give/.

IvyPanda . (2024) 'Gender, Race, and Specific Social Class Stratification in "The Hate U Give"'. 28 May.

IvyPanda . 2024. "Gender, Race, and Specific Social Class Stratification in "The Hate U Give"." May 28, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/gender-race-and-specific-social-class-stratification-in-the-hate-u-give/.

1. IvyPanda . "Gender, Race, and Specific Social Class Stratification in "The Hate U Give"." May 28, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/gender-race-and-specific-social-class-stratification-in-the-hate-u-give/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Gender, Race, and Specific Social Class Stratification in "The Hate U Give"." May 28, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/gender-race-and-specific-social-class-stratification-in-the-hate-u-give/.

45 arrests over NI race hate disorder as PSNI still reviewing 3,500 hours of footage from £3.5m operation

Riot police in Belfast during the violence (Photo by Kevin Scott)

The PSNI has said it spent over £3.5m last month dealing with the race hate disorder across Northern Ireland, as police recorded more than 400 race hate crimes this year compared to last year.

Currently, 45 people have been arrested and 35 charged, including an 11-year-old boy, amid violence and disorder across Northern Ireland which followed anti-immigration rallies in response to the stabbing of three girls in Southport, England.

In the past year, early operational figures show the PSNI recorded 409 additional race hate crime incidents when compared to 2023 — an increase of over a third.

The main reports concern criminal damage and arson, with criminal damage accounting for nearly half of all race hate crimes.

Watch: Cars burn during night of disorder in south Belfast

However, the clearance rate - the rate of which crimes are charged - remains around 10%, something the PSNI called “challenging”, with 40% of race hate crimes having no suspect.

Shortly after the race hate disorder, the PSNI launched Operation Efnull which in total has cost the force over £3m due to overtime, air support assistance, and mutual aid.

Last month, the PSNI requested assistance from Police Scotland with around 120 officers travelling to Northern Ireland.

The additional officers remained in Northern Ireland for around 3-4 days, but have all since returned to Scotland.

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Speaking at an operation update press conference today, PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said the investigation is still ongoing and is still in pursuit of several individuals responsible for attacking people and property during the disorder.

“To date we have arrested 45 individuals, 35 of whom have been charged with offences linked to these incidents, including those for inciting the disorder we have seen through their online activity,” he said.

“The investigation team are working through over 3,500 hours of CCTV and Body Worn Video footage and we are determined that persons who are attacking homes and businesses, involved in public disorder and intimidating members of the minority ethnic communities will be brought before the courts.”

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton update on race hate attacks in Northern Ireland

ACC Singleton also said there was a “culture of fear” on both sides - from victims and those who wish to report perpetrators about contacting police with information.

He also reiterated there was “no doubt” of a paramilitary influence on the disorder, but said he did not believe the disorder was organised by paramilitary groups.

“Our assessment has remained the same from the start, paramilitary organisations are not directing or controlling what has happened, but there are people involved who are themselves paramilitaries or addicted or sympathetic to paramilitaries,” he added.

“I think if you look at the disorder of the organisation, it would point to them not being involved - there would have been much bigger numbers. But they certainly haven’t taken any steps to stop what has happened.”

ACC Singleton said a quarter of the victims of race hate crimes in Northern Ireland are repeat victims of crime and the PSNI is continuing to work with third parties and community groups to keep them safe.

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“In terms of our plan going forward to tackle hate crime is to increase reporting and to increase our already very high standard of service we have in handling hate crimes - which has already been recognised as one of the best in the UK,” he said.

“Improving outcomes is really important to us, but there has to be more we can do in this space which is why we’re reiterating the role of Crimestoppers.

“Our job is also not getting any easier and certainly what has happened in the last month in terms of financial resources has compounded that.”

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The Hate Race

By maxine beneba clarke, the hate race quotes and analysis.

You tell a teacher someone is calling you names. Blackie. Monkey girl. Golliwog. The teacher stares at you, exasperated, as if to say: Do you really expect me to do something about it? The next time you have a grievance, you look for a different teacher. This is how it changes us. This how we're altered. Maxine Beneba Clarke, p. 33

Throughout her memoir, Clarke comments on the everyday racism she endures as a Black minority growing up in 1980s Australia. With her anecdotes, Clarke paints a damning portrait of a time and place when racial insensitivity was widespread. As a child, Clarke is taunted mercilessly, and to make matters worse, many teachers provide no support. In this passage, she comments on how this lack of positive leadership from teachers shows students they can get away with their racist bullying because no one will discipline them.

"You're so sensitive , Maxine," the playground duty teacher would say when I complained. "Just ignore them darling, okay?" I learned to stay quiet. I learned that nobody much cared. I learned that it was probably my fault anyway, and that what they were doing to me was perfectly okay. This is how it alters us. Teacher and Clarke, p. 75

In a similar passage to the one above, Clarke relates an instance in which she sought help from an authority figure on the playground. Rather than seek a resolution among the students, the playground duty teacher implicitly sided with the racist bullies, minimizing Clarke's lived experience by accusing her of being overly sensitive. Clarke comments on how an experience like this had the power to alter her, making her believe her racial difference—rather than the people who dehumanized her—was the problem.

"Your sister," he said, "she's going to be a champion, Clarkey. Runs like the wind. It's in the blood. You folks are built for it!" Mr. Spencer, p. 143

Providing another example of everyday racism, Clarke writes of how she entered high school to discover that her sister's reputation as an excellent runner affected how the running coach saw her. In this passage, Mr. Spencer speaks in a way that he intends to be encouraging, but he is oblivious to the casually racist content of what he is saying. By suggesting that Clarke and her sister are biologically predisposed to being athletic because of their heritage, Spencer is evoking a racist trope. Rather than question this authority figure's assertion, Clarke trusts he could be right and tries hard to meet his unrealistic expectations.

"Various patois or creoles are spoken. These patois developed as a result of West African slaves mixing their native languages with English." I thought of my grandparents, the lyrical poetic way they spoke English, their voices singing down the phone receiver at me as if each syllable was a pitch-perfect note, carefully selected from a scale they alone were attuned to. Surely such beautiful language could not be the result of such a horrible history. My grandparents had never spoken of this. They would surely have told us all. Textbook quote and Clarke, p. 111

In grade six, Clarke creates a poster-board project about Jamaica. While researching the country in the library, Clarke discovers that her Jamaican grandparents' unique way of speaking results from their ancestors having been plantation slaves. In this passage, Clarke comments on how her adolescent mind couldn't comprehend the irony of such a beautiful patois being the consequence of such an unpleasant history.

I always knew what answer to give. I knew. I knew exactly what I was. I was Coon. I was Jungle Bunny. I was Monkey Girl. I was Gorilla. I was Lubra Lips. I was Nigger. I was Blackie, or Golliwog. I was Tar Baby. ... I was Sooty, Boong, Thick Lips. Somewhere along the line we give up counting. Clarke, p. 155

When commenting on her time in high school, Clarke relates the story of how a bully named Lachlan Jones developed a harassment tactic that involved making Clarke insult herself before she would be allowed to pass by him. In this passage, Clarke lists the many hurtful names bullies call her and force her to call herself, all of which are designed to dehumanize and exoticize her. Clarke says she gives up counting the names somewhere along the way. By this she implies the slurs are so ubiquitous that she eventually gives up resisting and lets them wash over her.

"Fuck off, you black bitch," the ute driver screams from the open window. "Go on, fuck off. You make me sick, you fucken black slut. Go drown your kid! You should go drown your fucken kid. Fuck off, will you!" Racist Stranger, p. vi

In the prologue, Clarke is an adult in the present day, out walking with her baby daughter in a stroller. Suddenly a man pulls up beside her in an SUV and shouts racist abuse at her. In this passage, Clarke reports the man's extremely violent language as he demands that she drown her own child. The startling incident shows how Clarke, as a Black woman in Australia, never knows when she is going to become the target of a racist stranger.

I'm also thankful the bloke in the ute couldn't see the baby: her beautiful caramel skin, her to-die-for medium brown eyes, the light brown ringlet curls starting to dance their way across her little fat head. I know that this, too, might add fuel to the fire. Clarke, p. vii

Later in the prologue, when the racist stranger accelerates away and Clarke turns a corner, Clarke sits down on a low wall to calm herself. She reflects in this passage on her gratitude for the fact the racist driver couldn't see her mixed-race daughter. Knowing that white supremacists have issues with "race mixing," Clarke understands that the sight of a light-skinned baby could have made the unhinged stranger even more aggressive.

There are myriad ways of telling it. The young black wunderkind, the son of a cane-cutter with the god-knew-how-it-happened first-class degree in pure mathematics. Gough Whitlam, the sensible new Australian prime minister, dismantling the last vestiges of the White Australia Policy. That fool English politician Enoch Powell, and his rivers of blood anti-immigration nonsense. Clarke, p. 3

Early in the memoir, Clarke introduces the major theme of storytelling by acknowledging that there are many ways to tell a story. In this passage, she gives a bird's-eye view of events that led to her being born in Australia. In her telling, Clarke will focus on the social mobility afforded to her father because of his mathematics Ph.D., how Australia looked progressive and welcoming because of Labor Prime Minister Gough Whitlam's political reforms, and how anti-Black rhetoric in the UK pushed her parents to seek somewhere safer to raise their children. However, Clarke acknowledges that this is merely one version of her story, and she is telling it because it aligns with her theory of how the world works.

Every second Saturday morning, my father picked us up and drove us out of Ryde, where he shared a place with the woman he'd been secretly seeing for several years. We would be invited just for the day; he would drop us back home in the afternoon. Dad's new partner was softly spoken and demure. She had shoulder-length blonde hair and vague green eyes, and wore long flowing skirts that brushed against her calves. Dad's new partner wasn't a patch on my mum. Clarke, p. 252

In the last chapter of her memoir, Clarke caps off her high school years with the bitter memory of her father leaving her mother for another woman. In this passage, Clarke comments on how her and her siblings' relationship with their father was strained afterward, their occasional visits only lasting a day. Without overtly stating her race, Clarke also describes her father's new partner in a way that implies the woman is white—a complicated additional layer of Bordy's betrayal.

My children's early ancestors were part of the Atlantic slave trade. They were dragged screaming from their homes in West Africa and chained by their necks and ankles, deep in the moldy hulls of slave ships—destined to become free labor for the New World. If slaves were lucky, they died in transit to the Caribbean—bodies thrown overboard, washed clean of the blood, sweat and feces in which they'd slept most of the harrowing journey. If they survived, they found themselves mid-nightmare: put to work on the harshest plantations on earth, at the hands of some of the cruelest masters in the history of the Atlantic slave trade. My children are the descendants of those unbroken. Clarke, p. 256

In the epilogue, Clarke returns to her present-day life, detailing an anecdote in which a white petrol station attendant makes her feel uncomfortable by referring to her as "you people." Clarke concludes her memoir by asserting her and her children's heritage as descendants of West African slaves. In this passage, she repeats a paragraph from the prologue that details the injustices those ancestors endured as they fought for survival. Clarke references this legacy of being "unbroken" to suggest that her children, no matter what forms of racism they encounter while growing up, are strong enough to persevere because they are descended from people who lived through some of the worst treatment imaginable.

The Hate Race Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Hate Race is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

where does cleopatra fit into the Maxiens experience of racism

Check out everyday and overt racism below:

https://www.gradesaver.com/the-hate-race/study-guide/themes

how does her mother impact her identity

Clarke depicts Cleopatra as elegant, supportive, level-headed, and good-humored. When her husband leaves her to live with his mistress, Cleopatra perseveres, making ends meet and eventually changing the locks so Bordy knows he isn't entitled to...

when in the novel does Maxine get angry

I thinks she first gets angry at school over the racism directed towards her. Really, nothing is done about it. The book mainly follows Maxine in her school life, describing the things she went through from an early age. She started school when...

Study Guide for The Hate Race

The Hate Race study guide contains a biography of Maxine Beneba Clarke, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The Hate Race
• The Hate Race Summary
• Character List

Essays for The Hate Race

The Hate Race essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Hate Race by Maxine Beneba Clarke.

• Comparing 'Othello' and 'The Hate Race': Whether Identity Is a Source of Strength or Downfall

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James Carville: Kamala Harris’s Best Strategy to Defeat Trump

By James Carville

Mr. Carville is a veteran of Democratic presidential campaigns, leading Bill Clinton’s in 1992. He is a consultant to American Bridge, a Democratic super PAC, and a co-host of the “Politics War Room” podcast.

I hate to say it, but Donald Trump remains the singular most recognized name in the United States. Since he moseyed down that golden escalator in 2015, he has dominated the American airwaves and algorithms. Whether they hate him or love him, people know exactly what Mr. Trump’s shtick is.

This is why, despite every terrible consequence of his presidency, Mr. Trump’s approval rating has never much strayed from the mid- to low 40s for nearly a decade. No matter his divisive policies, Covid, the indictments, who his No. 2 was or whatever bile he spewed on social media, the jury of public opinion on Donald Trump is settled.

This is precisely Vice President Kamala Harris’s greatest political advantage in the next two months.

Since the early 1990s, political history has shown us that when a popular incumbent president is not on the ballot, we have a de facto change election. If Bill Clinton prevailed in 1992 on a message of change versus more of the same, if Barack Obama won in 2008 on the audacity of hope and even if Mr. Trump eked it out in 2016 on a blank promise to revive a relic of America, 2024 will be won by who is fresh and who is rotten. It’s quite simple: The shepherd of tomorrow wins the sheep.

But what’s not simple: We have an incumbent vice president running against a former president in a change election. From Labor Day to Election Day, to clinch victory and drive a nail into Mr. Trump’s political career, there are three imperatives Ms. Harris must pursue successfully to become the certified fresh candidate at the ballot box in November.

1. Help Mr. Trump hurt himself in the debate(s).

If there’s one thing Americans love, it’s a train wreck. That’s why we’re addicted to “Dance Moms” and the “Real Housewives” franchise. Just over two months ago, we witnessed one in real time, and it led to the humane revolt against a sitting president’s re-election campaign by his own party. I guarantee a lot of voters are salivating for a second round. Only this time, Mr. Trump must be the train wreck, and it’s on Ms. Harris to lay the tracks.

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