Yr 12 VCE Encountering Conflict Context Blog: Initial Incidents of Conflict In the Secret River

'The pen is mightier than the sword.' Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1839

- Who/what would humans be without conflict?
- How does conflict shape who we are?
- Freedom, peace, justice, equality, love. What do these ideals
mean? In what ways can they be achieved?

Encountering conflict can be difficult. However, it is ultimately worthwhile. Bearing witness, acknowledging conflict, is how humanity can work to grow and evolve in a positive way. This is why your Yr 12 English study of the Context 'Encountering Conflict' is so exciting. You have the opportunity to go on a journey where you can consider the world from many different viewpoints and through many different mediums. You can inspire and be inspired, you can have your say, you can affect change in the world - locally, nationally and globally.

This blog is intended to be a portal that will transport you into a place where you can consider the Context in a way that allows you to share your thinking and ideas. It is designed to let you:

- learn about the set texts; The Secret River by Kate Grenville and The Rugmaker of Mazar-E-Sharif by Najaf Mazari and Robert Hamilton

- go beyond the set texts to develop your thoughts about the Context

- study language features that occur in the set texts

- practise different forms of writing in a forum where you can recieve feedback from teachers, experts and peers.

There are a number of areas for you to access and contribute to in this blog. They are:

- Conflict Concerns: is the blogging space on this home page for general discusssion about the context and set texts. Exploration and challenging discussion about 'Encountering Conflict' is the aim. Also, questions about the course and what you are meant to be doing can be shared here.

- Music Matters: a space to share and comment on music that is relevant to the Context. You can also discuss how the songs might relate to the set context in ideas, themes, values and language features.

- Text Tremors: discuss how written texts have moved and shaped your ideas in regards to the Context.

- Film Flogging: inspire others by sharing your thoughts on how films, documentaries and t.v. shows you have viewed encounter conflict in their narratives. Comment on parallels that may arise between films and the set texts.

- Picture Panic: share images that make you think about the context and the world you live in. Explain how the pictures you encounter represent the idea of 'encountering conflict' and how they impact on your view of life and how it should be lived.

- Prompt Response: respond to prompts that you have been given and that appear in this space to practise writing 'Creating and Presenting' responses. Upload them here for conferencing that will help you hone your skills to meet the criteria for this area of study to the best of your ability in SACs and the exam.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Initial Incidents of Conflict In the Secret River - pp 1-15

STRANGERS by the class:

Thornhill and his family are stuck in Australia, Australia is used by the British as a prison
Thornhill overcomes the conditions on the convict ship by imagining himself back at home
To Thornhill being in NSW seemed worse than dying
Thornhill comes in contact with an Aboriginal, it is his first contact with a native - cultural conflict, fear of what he doesn't understand
The narrative comments that Thornhill had died once he could die again, sentenced to death but got a second chance, how long will it last, also are some things worse than death?
Fear of him and his family being in danger
Thornhill is uncomfortable with surroundings where he has to live
He struggled to survive on the convict ship

Other:
Thornhill faces internal feelings of worthlessness due to his situation
Class conflict - gentry/upper, middle and lower classes portrayed in England
Status and power - Blackwood making his way up from convict to free man and landowner
Conflict between two William Thornhill's - internal/family conflict - Our main character felt like a replacement for his dead brother
Survival - youngest versus oldest in the Thornhill family - survival of the fittest
Environmental conflict - b/w boat and prison versus Australia the country - Australia = a prison without walls