Rising Water Review

Sheer Disappointment

Well known Australian author Tim Winton’s Rising Water was a complete disappointment which put many to sleep. The play is set on a harbour in Perth, which consists of three boats each belonging to three different characters who have settled at the harbour escaping their previous lives and unwilling to take the risk of moving on. It is Australia Day and each character is wishing to go on with their lives as normal but when a young English drunken backpacker arrives the past they wish to escape from surfaces and all hell breaks loose.

The main character, Baxter (John Howard) whose boat is situated in the middle is an emotionally damaged person whose good intentions in the past have backfired on him leaving him alienated from the rest of society. He soon finds himself separated from his family and lives out to live on the sea where he can be alone and hide out from the rest of the world. On the left of Baxter is Col (Geoff Kelso) who is an ex accountant Col who was forced to leave after being involved in corrupt workings with others. Col’s witty jokes and outspoken nature bring a sense of humor to the much needed play, and it could be said that he is the only character keeping the play alive! On the right of Baxter is businesswoman and supposedly lesbian Jackie (Alison Whyte) who is attempting to leave her pitfall life behind her. Recovering from alcohol addiction, she lives a private life and doesn’t give too much away about herself but likes to pry in the business of others.

It is when completely wasted English backpacker Dee (Claire Lovering) arrives on the mariner that the past stories of the other three characters are revealed. Her racial comments are in indication of the racism that surrounds the nation of Australia. In saying this however, as the play unfolds we discover the truth behind Dee’s actions and why she acts so brutal and heartless towards others.

Watching the play, I found that after a while the sets and the atmosphere surrounding it was boring and the play was no longer engaging. Staring at three boats, a pier and four characters after 2 hours can tend to make you sleepy. As well as this, there was a pointless young boy who every now and again would row his boat across the sea and at one point in time Dee was awkwardly lying at the back of Baxter’s boat asleep whilst the play continued. More atmosphere from the characters and the sets was needed, which would have made the play one to remember, but unfortunately Winton forgot to leave that part out as he was producing the play.

Despite the negativities of the play, the lighting, sound effects and special effects of the play were done incredibly well and I applaud Winton for this. The part when Dee was underwater was done extremely well and it made the play more engaging.

I would not recommend this play to young children or teenagers as I believe adults can relate to it better and may enjoy it more. In saying this however, the play was a disappointment and could have been so much better with just a few changes. Tim Winton should just stick to writing novels, as this is obviously what he is best suited to.

Lyrics

Eminem Mockingbird Lyrics:
[Intro]
Yeah
I know sometimes things may not always make sense to you right now
But hey, what'd daddy always tell you?
Straighten up little soldier
Stiffen up that upper lip
What'chu crying about?
You got me...?

[Verse 1]
Hailie, I know u miss your mom
And I know u miss your dad when I'm gone
But I'm tryin' to give you the life that I never had
I can see your sad
Even when you smile
Even when you laugh
I can see it in your eyes
Deep inside you wanna cry
Cuz you're scared
I ain't there,
Daddy's with you in your prayers
No more cryin'
Wipe them tears
Daddy's here
No more nightmares
We gonna pull together through it
We gon' do it
Lainie's uncle's crazy ain't he, yeah
But he loves you girl and you better know it
We're all we got in this world
When it spins
When it swirls
When it whirls
When it twirls
Two little beautiful girls
Lookin' puzzled, in a daze
I know it's confusing you
Daddy's always on the move
Mama's always on the news
I try to keep you sheltered from it
But somehow it seems, the harder that I try to do that
The more it backfires on me
All the things, growin' up
As daddy, daddy had to see
Daddy don't want you to see
But you see just as much as he did
We did not plan it to be this way,
Your mother and me
But things have got so bad between us
I don't see us ever being
Together ever again
Like we used to be like when we was teenagers
But then of course
Everything always happen for a reason
I guess it was never meant to be
But it's just something
We have no control over
And that's what destiny is
But no more worries
Rest your head and go to sleep
[ Find more Lyrics on http://mp3lyrics.org/bP ]
Maybe one day we'll wake up
And this will all just be a dream

[Chorus]
Now hush little baby don't you cry
Every thing's gonna be all right
Stiffin' that upper lip up little lady I told ya
Daddy's here to hold ya through the night
I know mommy's not here right now and we don't know why
We fear how we feel inside, it may seem a little crazy
Pretty baby but I promise, Mama's gon' be alright

[Verse two]
It's funny,
I remember back one year when daddy had no money
Mommy wrapped the Christmas presents up
And stuck 'em under the tree
And said some of 'em were from me,
Cuz daddy couldn't buy 'em
I'll never forget that Christmas
I sat up the whole night crying
Cuz daddy felt like a bum,
See daddy had a job, but his job
Was to keep the food on the table for you and mom
And at the time every house that we lived in
Either kept getting broken into and robbed or shot up on the block
And your mom, was saving money for you in a jar
Tryna to start a piggy bank for you
So you could go to college
Almost had a thousand dollars
'Till someone broke in and stole it
And I know it hurt so bad it broke your mamma's heart
And it seemed like everything was just starting to fall apart
Mom and dad was arguing a lot
So mama moved back on to Chalmers in a flat
One bedroom apartment
And dad moved back to the other side of 8 mile on Novara
And that's when daddy went to California with his CD
And met Dr. Dre and flew you and Mama out to see me,
But daddy had to work, you and mama had to leave me,
Then you started seeing daddy on the TV
And mama didn't like it
And you and Lainnie were too young to understand it
Papa was a rollin' stone, mama developed a habit
And it all happened too fast for either one of us to grab it
I'm just sorry you were there and had to witness it firsthand
Cuz all I ever wanted to do was just make you proud
Now I'm sittin' in this empty house,
Just reminiscing. Looking at your baby pictures it just tricks me out
To see how much you both have grown it's almost like you're sisters now
Wow, guess you pretty much are and daddy's still here
Lainnie I'm talking to you too daddy's still here
I like the sound of that, yeah
It's got a ring to it don't it
Shhh, mama's only gone for the moment

[Chorus]
Now hush little baby don't you cry
Every thing's gonna be all right
Stiffin' that upper lip up little lady I told ya
Daddy's here to hold ya through the night
I know mommy's not here right now and we don't know why
We fear how we feel inside, it may seem a little crazy
Pretty baby but I promise, mama's gon' be alright

[End chorus]
And if you ask me to, daddy's gonna buy you a mocking bird
I'ma give you the world, I'ma buy a diamond ring for you,
I'ma sing for you, I'll do anything for you to see you smile
And if that mockingbird don't sing and that ring don't shine
I'ma break that birdie's neck, I'll go back to the jeweler
Who sold it to ya
And make him eat every carat
Don't fuck with Dad (ha ha)


Eminem - Mockingbird (Video)

I admire this song predominantly due to the fact that the words are real, as Eminem has written the song based on his life. Eminem explains his great love and devotion for his daughter Hailie. He genially feels less of a man for not providing for his family at times and depriving Haile for what he thinks she deserves. Eminem often refers to Hailie in his songs but this song in particular focuses on Hailie as the subject. I have no doubt in my mind that the experiences in this song are true and I somewhat feel sorry for Eminem that he feels the way he does. I also feel sorry for Hailie that she has grown up in such a harsh world as Emimen describes it. I also love the fact that Eminem considers his adopted daughter Lainie, who is his ex-wife Kim’s niece as one of his own daughters. I truly believe Eminem loves his daughter as evident in this song despite all the public negativity he receives in regards to his personality and music. This song is truly admiring as it shows how money and fame did not get in the way of Eminem’s love for his daughter.  

Favourite Scene

Discuss a favourite scene from a film. What is it about the sequence that makes it memorable for you?

My favourite scene from a film would be the final scene from titanic when the boat is sinking. It is one of the best filmed scenes I know. The soft sound of the violin is playing at one point in the background during the scene to indicate the sheer sadness and despair the people are faced with as they prepare for death and watch their loved ones die. In addition to this there are film cuts from different groups of people preparing for death such as an old couple cuddling up in bed together and a mother laying her two children to sleep to steer them form the darkness that follows.

In regards to the lighting, the film is set at night which adds to the danger and despair of the scene. If the scene was set in daylight, the scene would not have had that dangerous and dark effect.

 The costumes in the scene and throughout the film represent the class you are in. Ranging from first to third class, where first class costumes are generally expensive suits and second and third class are generally raged, old clothes.

 Lastly and most importantly the most extraordinary part of the scene is the last few minutes of the sinking before it has completely vanished under the sea. There are several different camera angles on people, the boat and certain objects. The camera angle is taken from up above the boat so the viewers also feel like they are falling too, which adds to the greatness of the scene. Even just seeing the boat, vertically as appose to horizontal and floating like we had throughout the movie, captures the remarkable use of camera angles. Overall it was a fantastic scene and everyone should watch the movie at some point in their life.

Psycho

On the last week of term one, we watched a 1960s film directed by Alfred Hitchcock called Psycho. It was nothing like we had watched in Literature before as it is a horror/thriller movie. It was a famous film back in the 1960s and it was enjoyed by several different age groups at the time.

Why was it such a famous film?

The film was such a popular one in the 1960s due to two main reasons. Firstly due to its horror and mysterious nature that keeps the audience in suspense the entire movie. The excellent use of thriller music to reflect the horror scenes such as when a door was opening slightly or when the woman was getting stabled in the shower was done extremely affectively. In addition to this, the movie was a famous one due to the fact that no other movie had been done like Psycho before. The stabbings, the chilling music and the unique storyline with a major twist revealed at the end, were all original ideas that Hitchcock incorporated brilliantly in his film. Psycho was a brand new type of movie, which is why it was enjoyed by thousands of people in the 1960s. Nowadays, all the horror techniques Hitchcock used in his film such as the frightening music and the stabbings are quite common in horror films, and have even been improved to add to the horror nature.

Why did/didn’t enjoy the film?

I did really enjoy this movie. I thought it was the best movie we had watched in literature so far. I didn’t like it just for its horror nature, but because of its storyline. The major twist at the end of the movie was something I would have never expected.  I knew there was something suspicious about the mum, but I wasn’t sure what it was. I like the fact that Norman Bates appeared all innocent, but as the movie unfolded we witness his disturbing nature. I thought the characters were very well acted out, compared to most films, especially Norman Bates. I would defiantly watch this movie again.

What is Psycho really about?

On the surface, Psycho is about the main character Marion Crane and how she flees her home town with $40,000 she has stolen that she was meant to bank by her employer. After long hours of driving she stops at Bates Motel, where she stays the night. The hotel is run by Norman Bates who appears to be dominated by his mother.  Crane is suspiciously murdered at night whilst in the shower. The movie then focuses on the friends of Crane attempting to get behind the murder of crane and unlock the truth, to discover if Bates really is the attacker or not.

Psycho however, could have different interpretations on what the movie is really about and the hidden themes that the movie explores.  Psycho focuses on the main theme of the subconscious battle between good and evil that everyone is faced with. When Crane steels the money, we automatically perceive her as the evil character. But the audience are also compelled to sympathize with her actions. Crane needs the money to marry her lover Sam Loomis who has to give most of his money away due to ‘spousal support’, so they cannot afford a wedding.  This is why the audience may feel obligated to see the good in Crane’s actions and sympathize with her.

In addition to the character of Crane, the audience feel obligated to see the good in Bates also, as well as the bad. When we are first introduced to Bates, we feel sympathetic towards him due to his loneliness and take a liking to his charming nature. It is not until the movie unfolds that we discover Bates disturbing and suspicious nature, especially when he hides the dead body of Crane. When it is later discovered that it was Bates who killed Crane, whilst controlled by his mothers thoughts and actions, due to his split personality the audience feel obligated to feel sympathetic towards him. Although he is a murder, he had a disorder and needs help, which is where the good and evil aspect is explored.

Another deeper theme that was explored was the male and female gender. Although this themes only was apparent in the beginning it is still worthy to recall. In most films it is the male that is going the wrong and is perceived as the ‘bad guy,’ and the woman is generally the innocent one. In the beginning of Psycho, it is the opposite way around. With Crane acting as the ‘bad guy’ by steeling and running away with the money, and Bates acting all sweet and innocent as he converses with Crane in the Motel, comforting her and offering her food. It is later discovered that Bates is in fact the ‘bad guy’ however.

How did Psycho break the conventions at the time?

Psycho broke the conventions at the time the movie was filmed due to several reasons. This includes its unique storyline, as it was unlike any other that had been produced at the time. Nobody had ever seen a horror film like Psycho before. In addition to this, Hitchcock’s excellent use of camera angles was nothing like ever seen before. He brilliantly captured several different angles of the characters faces, such as Bates jaw line as he looks comes closer to Sam Loomis in the Motel as they are looking at papers. As well as this, whilst Crane’s is in her car fleeing from her town, there are several different close up views of her driving the car, but the camera is shot directly on her face, as appose to the side of her body like several movies do. Lastly, the shower scene where Crane gets murdered is one of the most famous scenes at the time. Hitchcock cleverly incorporates the music, the black shadow of the attacker and the camera angles, to produce a successful and powerful scene, which haunted people severely at the time. The rapid camera shots from the attacker then back to Crane, as well as the daunting music, was what made the scene so famous. Psycho has been credited for forming the classic model of horror films that followed after the 1960s

Short movie clips

Today in class we watched three very unusual clips from three very different movies. They were nothing like I had seen before, but I can’t say they were at the top of my favourite list of movies. Although they were all very unique in their own way, which amazed me, they were not the type of movies I would attempt watching in the future.

The first clip we watched was from the movie “Don’t look now,” directed by Nicolas Borg. In this scene there were several juxtapositions between the husband and wife inside the house and the two children playing outside. The girl playing with the ball and the boy riding his bike captures the innocence of children as well as the ignorance their young age results in. I commend the director for his quick change of scenes, as he does throughout this clip.  As the daughter throws her ball in the lake, the husband simultaneously throws the cigarettes to his wife, and then as the ball hits the water, the father knocks water on his protector. What truly amazes me was that as soon as the ink began to run from the pictures, caused by the spill of the water, the father instantly knew his daughter had drown. I believe this is due to the fact that the ink colour was red, which is the colour of blood and death so the father instantly knew something was wrong, and ran to her rescue. Throughout the time it takes the father to go under water to retrieve his daughter, the mother is inside looking at pictures, unaware of the suffering that surrounds her. In addition to this, as the daughter is dying the ink continues to drip more severely, which as well as blood, could symbolise the girl’s death in her red coat. The dramatic weeping from the father as he holds his daughter in his arms symbolises his anguish, which reveals the unpleasant nature of the film.

The second clip we watched was from the movies “Umbrellas of Cherbourg,” directed by Michel Legrand. This clip was the first time I had ever seen a movie that is sung the whole way through. I actually never thought there was anything possible. I truly believe that is movie would have been a good one had it not been sung and if it were in English. The story was engaging, from what we viewed and we could get a good sense of the love between the couple. The way they look into each other’s eyes symbolises there heartache of having to leave each other. What makes the movie truly heartbreaking was how the girl did not wait for the man and moved on with her life. If she really did love him she should have waited. In the final clip, we get a feel of the tensions between the couple, as the man clearly still resents the woman despite the many years that have passed and the fact that he has also moved on. It was disappointing to see the man not what anything to do with his daughter or want to be with the woman again, but then again I give credit to the script writers of the movie as a good love story always ends in heartbreak.

The last clip we watched was from a French movie called “Bande A Parte,” directed by Jean Luc Godard. I found this clip to be quite humorous as pose to interesting, as I thought it was quite random for three people to just get up from their seats and start dancing in a cafe.  I did however believe it was a very courageous act to express one’s talent publically like that. Not many people would just stand up and begin dancing the way those there people did, so the scene highlights the fact that you should not be afraid to show others what you’re made of and unleash your hidden talents, and in a public place is the best place to do it. The dance itself is believed to be quite a popular one in Paris, and nobody had publically come out and performed it like that before. I did not particularly like the dance, as it was very repetitive and the music became annoying to listen to after a while. Out of all the clips this would have to be my least favourite.

They’re not your husband

Plot:

The story is about a controlling and unloving husband named Earl who is embarrassed to call a woman named Doreen his wife.  Doreen works night shifts as a waitress, while Earl is a salesman. When two men enter the coffee shop and begin talking about Doreen’s weight amongst themselves, Earl overhears there remarks and is extremely embarrassed.. He forces his wife to undergo a strict diet to lose the weight. After she has lost the weight she is a completely different woman, and is hardly recognised by her friends. Towards the end of the story, Earl asks another man what he thinks of Doreen and her new body. The man barely looks at Doreen, but focuses his attention on the other waitress. He does not find Doreen attractive, but Earl needs immediate approval from the man to say that she looks good. The man never comments on Doreen and her

Characters:

The main characters in the story are Doreen and Earl. Earl is a controlling and very forceful husband. He forces his wife to lose weight for his own pleasure and ego. He has no respect or love for his wife, which is evident when he forces her to diet. If he was a devoted and loving husband, he should have stood up for his wife when the men were making fun of her weight. Instead, he hid away in shame and embarrassment. Even at the end of the novel, he needed someone else’s approval of his wife’s new body. He should have approved of his wife’s body in the first place and loved her for who she was, not how she looked.

Doreen is an obedient and respectful wife who bows down to her husband. She does as she is told, regardless if she feels uncomfortable. When Earl suggests that she go on a diet, Doreen proclaims that “I’ve never felt it was a problem before.” She felt she looked ok they way she was, but kept quiet and made her husband happy and went on the diet. When she is caught eating bacon and eggs by Earl and he abuses her she says “I’ll try again.” She does not want to continue with the diet, but she does, in fear of what her husband will do to her. Doreen represents a wife that does not speak up in the marriage, but is rather a subordinate.

Style of writing:

This story is a very different one compared to the other stories we have read in class. The style of writing is very modern and get’s straight to the point. There are not many describing words to set the scene, characters or mood of the story. The writer just tells you how it is. He does not get into the characters emotions, and he does not really capture what they are feeling. We understand what the characters are like, but we do not understand why they act the way they do. Most stories we have read, we can understand the characters quite well, but this story does not go into depth about the characters. The writer uses much more dialogue compared to other stories we have read in class, which highlights that he does not focus too much on the scene or the characters emotions. Lastly, the writer does not dwell too much on why things happen, but rather focuses on getting the plot of the story across to the audience.

Opinion:

Overall I quite liked the story. It wasn’t the best story I have ever read but I think it was the best story we have read in class so far. I enjoyed it because it was modern, and it was not a complicated story to red. The story did not get too court up in describing the setting and emotions of the characters. I liked the two very different characters, and I found that they can represent a couple this day and age. Although I did not personally like the character Earl, as I thought he was very arrogant and abusive and if that were my husband I would have left him right away, but I found his character made the story interesting. Above all, it was not a story written in the twenty years ago, and it used a modern setting which was what I enjoyed most about it.

Odour of Chrysanthemums

Comment on setting. How does the author depict the people’s surroundings?

The setting in the story is not very beautiful and splendid, and it as actually the opposite. The town is very lifeless and there is a dangerous amount of damage to the environment. The author depicts the town as one that would not very pleasant to live in. The author wishes for his audience to dislike the town, by his of well sort out use of adjectives. The author wishes for the audience to dislike the train coming through town as he describes it as “clanking, stumbling” by, causing much disturbance to the town. The author describes the goodness of nature as one that is dyeing and has no life left in it. The author writes that the “withered oak leaves dropped noiselessly,” which implies that the nature which is supposed to be beautiful is shrivelled and lifeless. The author describes the fields as “dreary and forsaken,” which doesn’t give a healthy atmosphere to the environment.  The author writes that there were “twiggy apple trees, winter-crack trees and ragged cabbages.”  This reconfirms the fact that the environment is suffering and the food that grows in the area is not receiving the care they deserve, due to the state of the environment. Lastly the Chrysanthemums flowers which are meant to be beautiful and have a lovely smell to them, “hung dishevelled.”  Also, just like the title they brought a dreadful odour to the flowers, and throughout the whole town.

What are the people like in the extract?

How the people in the town act and feel is a direct result of the insufferable nature in which they live in. Their frustrated and disappointed emotions they feel on a day to day basis are caused by the fact that they are not happy with the environment they live in. Their environment is not a blissful one; therefore their lives are not blissful. Firstly, when the writer introduces the reader to the first sign of human life, it is a woman who is startled by the forceful train coming through town. The woman “stood insignificantly trapped between the jolting black wagons and the hedge.” This implies that the woman is feeling very small irrelevant compared to the train. It is almost like the people in the town are unworthy of being shown.

Next, the writer introduces the readers to the minors. He writes the “minors, single, trailing and in groups passed like shadows diverging home.” This statement about the minors says that they are just a mass of identical people. They are not individuals, like the idea in the film called Walkabout. This statement also suggests that because they are so dirty from working a long day in the Brinsley Colliery, they are black, just like the shadows. This highlights the unhappiness of the town to have to work in such a place, and come home in such a gruesome state.

Lastly, and most importantly, the writer gives the reader’s an insight of a family’s life, which appears to be a very a very unhappy and depressing one.  The writer describes the mother’s mouth as “closed with disillusionment.” This is due to the fact that the mother is unhappy about her life due to the environment she lives in. She is unhappy with the fact that she has to raise a son in such an awful environment. She also regrets living in such a place, as she has not only ruined her life, but her sons also. Her son senses her depression, which makes him disappointed and frustrated. He is not happy where he lives, and wishes he could live somewhere else, and be a happy, normal child. The writer states that the boy “advanced slowly, with resentful, taciturn movement.” He resents his other for raising him in such an awful place, and he is unhappy with his life. Lastly, the father of the family works at the mines and is not around his family, and isn’t there to support them through their hardship. He comes home from work all dirty and tired and probably does not feel like doing much with his family which creates a unhappy environment.

What is the overall theme or Message of the extract?

The overall theme to the story is appreciate the environment and place you live in, because there is always someone out there who is worse off than you.  The town the people live in is a very unhappy and lifeless town. There is no sense of belonging or happiness. The writer wants the reader to get a feel of the unhealthy environment, and to appreciate what they have. The relationship between the mother and the son is very bitter and there is not much love between them. This is due to their unhappy environment. The father works long hours in the mines and doesn’t get to see his family much which also adds to the unhappiness of the family. In addition to this the story explores the theme of poverty, and not having enough money to support your family. The boy wears old second hand clothes that “were evidently cut down from a man’s clothes,” as the mother cannot afford to buy him many clothes. This adds to their predicament and causes them to be unhappy and bitter towards each other.

Place this story in its context.  What was happening in the world at this time? (1911)

In the year 1911, when the story was set, there were particular events going on throughout the world that may have added to the lifeless and poor environment of the town. This included the Great Unrest. Around the time of the year 1911, the world’s coal industry was reliant on the Walsh to maintain and produce it. The Great Unrest was a time when workers, especially minors, were being abused. This occurred from the early 1800’s right up until 1911. The minors worked in poor conditions and they had low wages. In addition to this, Liberal leader Lloyd brought in an eight hour work day for minors.

The Great unrest is linked to the story because one of the reasons of the family’s unhappiness is because they do not see their dad and husband enough. He is out working in the mines. Being a minor is a tough job, and requires a lot of energy and strength. When the man comes home from work he probably is tired and grumpy, which causes a bitter environment between the family. In addition to this, the coal in the air may cause pollution, causing plants and flowers to die, making the down lifeless and damaged. This is a direct result of the poor environment of the town, and the unhappiness of the family.

My opinion about the story:

Once again, this wasn’t the best story I have read, but the writing was very capturing and detailed. The writer has put much time and effort into the words chosen to describe the ghastly town so the reader get’s a feel of what the town is like. The reader has sure convinced me that I don’t want to live in a town like that. I really enjoyed reading the adjectives the writer has used to describe certain things. Some words I have never heard of before, but they were very captivating.

 

Walkabout 1971

Comment on what point/s you think the film makers are trying to make

The point the film makers are trying to convey, is the significant contrast between the city life and the outback life of the indigenous. 

The film makers use the brick walls as a way to symbolise the separation between the two kinds of people. One side is completely closed off and isolated from the other, by the walls. Everybody is oblivious as to what exactly is on the other side, as the walls clearly divide the two kinds of people. In addition to this, the walls surround the city, and represent the fact that nobody is open with one another. Everybody lives their own lives and everybody keeps to themselves. The city people do not live openly and freely like the indigenous in the outback do. The outback is a place where there are no walls or barriers blocking one another. Everybody is one, and everybody is family.

The film makers use the close up shot of the city people’s legs to indicate the fact that city people don’t show themselves fully. The viewer’s never get to see their real self. We only get to see a half person – just like we only got to see half of their body in the film. The legs also represent the fact that city people are just a mass of people, and not individuals. They are a mass of wonderers, heading in the same direction with no purpose. In addition to this, they are all robots who mimic each other. The way they walk and the way they dress is exactly the same. We can see this by the school environment, the marching soldiers and people heading off to work.

The many tall, large buildings in the film indicate that the buildings dominate the people. They play a big part in the city, and there isn’t any room for anything else. There is one image where the father of the family is sitting on a bench, and a massive building is surrounding him. He looks very insignificant and small, compared to the building. This indicates that the buildings are the main attractions in the city, and are extremely significant to city life. Beneath all of the buildings and walls we get a small glimpse of the botanical gardens, and the trees within it. Only the trees have labels on them, which take away their natural beauty, and make them unoriginal. We also get a glimpse of the mother of the family watering a few of her pot plants. There is not much nature reviled in their big house. This little indication of nature in the city is very different to the outback. The indigenous are surrounded by the beauty of nature. They appreciate the nature around them. Their habitat is very different to the city, but they still call it home.

The family of four consisting of the father, mother, teen daughter and young boy, represent the little communication the city people have amongst each other. The mother and father’s relationship is very cold, and there is no love and affection for one another. This is similar to the children and father’s relationship. The father does not talk to his children much, and pays little attention of them. This sought of ill communication is very different to that in the outback from the indigenous. They communicate quite openly with their friends, family and even strangers. They do not usually express their disappointment or anguish to one another, as the family tend to do.

My opinion about the movie
I didn't particularly like this movie either. From the ten minutes that we watched we didn't really get much. All we saw was a lot of legs, walls and buildings which didn't really interest me. I liked the idea however, of the meaning behind the walls, legs and buildings, I thought that was a very clever idea, but it was boring to watch. I'm sure if we continued the movie I would have enjoyed it, but the beginning of it was not very entertaining.

Superman and Paula Brown's New Snowsuit (1955)

Setting:

The language used to establish the setting in the following places was:

Bedroom:

The language used in the setting of the girl’s bedroom implies that her bedroom is the place she can always dream of Superman, and flying with him. It is where she can be part of her own world, flying with Superman, as nobody else would understand. The narrator has described one of her windows as a great place to “look over to the lights of Boston that blazed and blinked far across the darkening water.” The view of Boston from the window in her bedroom, gives her an insight as to what it would feel like flying outside with Superman. Her bedroom is very special to her, as it brings Superman into her world. In addition to this her room is a place where she can lie and think about past events, which were not pleasant. This is evident when she describes herself in her bedroom as feeling “alone in bed, feeing the black shadow creeping up the underside of the world like a flood title,” when no one would believe that she didn’t push Paula.

School:

The language used to describe the school, implies that it is not very big or prestige, according to its explanation and location. The writer tells of the school as being “a red-brick building, set back from the main highway on a black tar street, surrounded by barren gravel playgrounds.” Despite the size and detailing of the school, that doesn’t stop the girl and David and Sheldon from playing Superman together. The school has open space where they can fly around and be just like superman.

Airport:

The language used to describe the airport, gives the reader the impression that, in a way, the planes represent Superman, shooting off into the sky from the runway. I believe the girl sees the airport as Superman’s home, where he sleeps and rests, and when she sees a plane take off in the night sky, she thinks of Superman doing the same. She describes the airport as “my Mecca, my Jerusalem.” ‘Mecca’ is a meeting site in Islam, just like the airport is like Superman’s meeting place, so once again, the airport is special to her as it symbolises Superman. After she watches the airport from her window, she goes to bed and dreams of superman and the vision of the airport helps her do so.

Narrator’s House:

The language used to establish the setting of the narrator’s house seems to imply that it is a small type of house, and nothing out of the ordinary. The house comes across as a very dark and icy with not much heating or lighting to make it homey. She describes the window-panes as “fringed with frost,” and her house comes across small, as when her Uncle Frank swung her in the air, her “head nearly grazed the ceiling.” The house does not come across as a very bright and comforting either, or a where you would feel safe in. The writer gives us the impression that the house wouldn’t be very appealing to live in, as she does not describe it as very comforting.

Paula Brown’s House:

The language used to establish the setting of Paula Brown’s place implies that it is a place where the children gather and have fun – and just be kids. There is much oppression and disappointment going on around them at the moment that they are not fully aware of a Paula’s house seems to be the place where the children have the most fun and escape from the harsh realities of the adult world. Firstly, Paula used her house to celebrate her “annual birthday party”. She invited all her friends and everybody had fun, escape the tragedies of war. Once again, the children played “Chinese Tag,” outside of Paula’s house. This was another way that the children could be together, and get away from the horrid images and broadcasts of the war.

My opinion about the story:
I did not particularly like the story. I found it to be quite boring and I wouldn't read it again. I much preferred the way Snowdrops went about incorporating the child in the adult world. I didn't like the way the story was written, I thought the choice of words was not all that great.  

Reading History

The Baby Sitters Club Series:

The  Little Sister series  is about a girl names Karen, who has a different adventure in every novel. Whether it getting a new pony or winning the spelling contest. I used to read them when I was between the ages 6-8.  There are many in the series and I have read most of them.I enjoyed reading them because Karen is a very family orientated person, like myself and I could relate to her.

Max Remy Superspy Series:

The Max Remy Superspy series is about a girl named Max Remy, who is a spy and completes missions around the world, destroying evil. Her and her friend Linden, who works with her, are always equipped with a new set of gadgets for every mission, and a thrown into the great big world, ready to fight evil.  I read them when I was 11 and 12 years old, and have read the series about four times except the last two.  I love them for the action, and how Linden and Max work so well as a team.

Alex Rider Series:

  The Alex Rider Series are similar to the Max Remy series, except it is a 14 year old boy who  eventually follows in his Uncle’s footsteps and becomes a spy also.  After his Uncle, who was a spy dies; Alex is determined to unlock the secret behind his death. From them onwards, he works for a spy agency and completes a new mission on every book.  I read the series when I was 11 and 12 years old and have read the series about five times. I love the series, because Anthony Horowitz, the author, keeps you in suspense the whole novel!

Looking for Alibrandi:

 Looking for Alibrandi is about the character Josie, trying to find who she is, buy breaking free from her family traditions and cultures, and becoming an individual. I read it for the first time in year nine when we studied it in English.  I enjoyed the novel , because I could relate to Josie and her Italian background, and the pressures she receives from her family to live up to her Italian traditions. This book made me appreciate my Italian heritage more than I ever have, and it made me think about who I am and where I come from. It made me feel proud about my Italian background.

The Making of Me:

 The Making of Me is about a girl (Tegan Wagner) retelling the story of the time she was raped at a party, and the long and intensive trial that followed.   I read it last year as part of my research for my English oral, and it is different from any book I’ve ever read.    I found the novel to be quite disturbing and horrific at times, but it has made me aware that you can’t trust anyone and  should always be weary of the people around you

Snowdrops

Discuss the snowdrops a symbol or metaphor:

The snowdrops represent the boy and Miss Webster’s fragility throughout the story. Both characters are withered and can break easily, when faced with pain and despair, just like the snowdrops, as you can “see their fragility.” They both have been shoved into a world they are unfamiliar with and must learn to adapt, or else they will continue to fall, and fall until they have hit the ground rock solid, and won’t be able to get back on their feet. Despite this anguish, they are both waiting for the best out of life, and are waiting to blossom into something beautiful and amazing, just like the flowers.

The snowdrops also symbolise the harsh reality of death. Although the story doesn’t clearly outline the theme of death, the story is very much based on it, and how Miss Wester and the boy deal with death. For Miss Webster, despite her best efforts to stay strong for the children, she “continued to cry aloud in the midst of the frightened children,” and fall to her lowest point, just as the snowdrops. For the boy, it was just about understanding the pain of death. Despite all the misery that death brought, is a Rae of hope, that one day their pain and understanding of death will vanish and they will blossom like snowflakes.

The Boy:

The boy in the story is a very curious and imaginative child. He sees the world as this great, big amazing place, which has so much to offer him. He is oblivious to the pain, suffering and death that surround him every day. He is at the age where he thinks life is a happy adventure, and he spends each day waiting for something magical to occur in his life. The boy is naive, and believes what he is told. He doesn’t realise that the world isn’t a fairytale.

The boy get’s mesmerized at the simplest things, such as Bacon. He describes the taste as “new and marvellous.” He even found his mum’s knitting miraculous, as he believed “a row of knitting grew magically behind him.” What he doesn’t realise is he is less mature than some of the kids in his class, and things like bacon, aren’t so extraordinary to them.

Whilst the boy is drawing his robin, the reader’s get a sense of the boy’s maturity at the slightest degree. Just by watching a robin that came to his garden every day, “he knew just how low the bird’s head fitted on his round little body.” He now knew how to draw a complete robin, whereas at Christmas, when he drew his last robin, he didn’t draw it to the best of his ability. It seems as though the boy is coming out of his protective bubble and seeing the world from another light, and noticing the things around him.

It is not until the end of the story that the reader’s truly understand that the boy has matured, and is to a certain degree aware of the pain and death circulating him. He understands that everything isn’t perfect and beautiful, and that the world we live in is not a Utopian society. The boy “began to see their fragility,” meaning the flowers, and finally understood, at that moment that the world wasn’t perfect.

Edmund:

Edmund is far more mature than the boy in the story, and is less naive and sheltered like the boy. He understands that the world is not a perfect place, and people are faced with death at some point in their lives. That’s just how life is. At the end of the novel, when the boy is ecstatic about seeing the snowdrops, and is unaware of the misery around him Edmund notices “it’s a funeral.” He doesn’t see the world for some magical, made-up place where pain and anguish doesn’t exist. Not everything amazes him like it does for the boy, as evident when he told him “it’s only bacon.” To him it is nothing out of the ordinary. Furthermore, Edmund understands the world and what goes on around him, and knows it is not a fairytale.

Miss Webster:

Miss Webster is a lost and fragile woman, due to the death of the Meredith boy. The reader is given the impression that she was involved with the boy, on a personal note in some way. Miss Webster represents the flowers in the story, as she is very delicate and broken, just like them. She is waiting for hope and happiness to come her way, so she can blossom again.

She never wanted to see the flowers because she thought they were beautiful, or because she wanted to make the children happy. She took the children to see the snowdrops only to see the boy’s funeral. She could not be physically at the funeral, possibly because she did not want others knowing about her relationship with the boy, so watching from the gate was her way of being there. It was her way of saying goodbye. “Dressed in a black frock, without any jewellery,” it was like her own funeral by the gate. Even with the children around her, Miss Webster “continued to dry aloud in the midst of the frightened children,” while watching the funeral in her own world.

Opinion about the story:

Overall I quite like the story. I thought it was a great contrast between the child and adult world. I enjoyed the fact that it was like a child trapped inside his own little world, unaware of the sadness that surrounded him. It makes you wonder what children a really feeling and understand at a time like death. What they must be feeling? I think, like the boy they interpret it their own way, but deep inside they understand what is going on around them.