Reading and knowing your set texts well is vitally important to doing the best you can in SACs and the exam.
'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, December 2, 2010
2011 STARTS HERE!
Reading and knowing your set texts well is vitally important to doing the best you can in SACs and the exam.
Monday, November 15, 2010
An Historical Moment
Aung San Suu Kyi. An incredible person. An inspiration. Isolated and exiled, yet her voice has never been quashed. May her dream for freedom and democracy in Burma come true.
Monday, September 13, 2010
The exam is on the way!
The VCE English exam will take place on the 28th of October. Reflecting on your learning in regards to the Context is a good beginning point for revision of the Creating and Presenting Area of Study.
We can do some of this collaboratively by using the web tools at our disposal. One such tool we have at our disposal is our Encountering Conflict wallwisher page. Take some time to look over our initial comments and build upon the discussion drawing from your personal understanding of the Context that you have developed over the year.
Make comments about:
- general issues and topics that you have come across during your exploration of the Context
- parts of the set texts that highlighted conflict at work in peoples' lives
- the impact of conflict on different groups of people
- the types of conflict that exist in society
- what is fair and unfair in our world
- events in the set texts that made you think differently about things
- information/ideas in the set text that taught you something new
- recent conflicts dominating the news
- etc
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Themes and Ideas Presented in The Rugmaker
People can survive conflict
1. Two guards unlock the gate, then motioned me through. After 10 steps, after 100, I did not look around still expecting to be shot. Page 202, Najaf escapes the Taliban
2. “Why have I had this good fortune? Why?” page 252, Najaf wonders why he was lucky enough to survive the conflicts in his life
3. “Your mother has survived a terrible wound, but she too will survive, thank god.” Page 16
By Nick, Erin and Brogen
1. Two guards unlock the gate, then motioned me through. After 10 steps, after 100, I did not look around still expecting to be shot. Page 202, Najaf escapes the Taliban
2. “Why have I had this good fortune? Why?” page 252, Najaf wonders why he was lucky enough to survive the conflicts in his life
3. “Your mother has survived a terrible wound, but she too will survive, thank god.” Page 16
By Nick, Erin and Brogen
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Exploring the Context - The Secret River and Beyond
I think one of the most predominant conflicts in the Secret River is the Internal Conflict within the characters’ own selves. The book told us that the whole Thornhill family used to steal things that are worth something so that they could buy food to eat. It told us that everyone was feeling guilty upon doing such shameful things but there was nothing they could do to help it. Also, after Thornhill married Sally, there was a time when they had to steal other peoples’ belongings such as eggs, chicken, and the lumber at Thornhill’s workplace. The book told us that they were battling with themselves, wether what they were doing were right or wrong, which I think was a very important part of the story.
Poverty can drive people to do things that they normally would not do like some of the characters in the Secret River. In Third world countries such as Burma, Sudan, Uzbekistan, (etc.), living in itself is a challenge for the people. Food is scarce and the government are not lending them a hand like what they do in a first world country. We’re lucky to be in Australia. If you don’t have a job, the government gives you money; if you can’t buy a house, you can always go to the banks and ask for a loan. But what about the people in third world countries? A family eating 3 meals a day would be considered extremely lucky. Even getting a house is already a dream come true for them. So it is not surprising to see that crimes such as stealing are very high in these regions of the world since the first priority is to live.
http://www.photovault.com/Link/People/o/vPoverty3rdW/POVVolume01.html
By anonymous student
Poverty can drive people to do things that they normally would not do like some of the characters in the Secret River. In Third world countries such as Burma, Sudan, Uzbekistan, (etc.), living in itself is a challenge for the people. Food is scarce and the government are not lending them a hand like what they do in a first world country. We’re lucky to be in Australia. If you don’t have a job, the government gives you money; if you can’t buy a house, you can always go to the banks and ask for a loan. But what about the people in third world countries? A family eating 3 meals a day would be considered extremely lucky. Even getting a house is already a dream come true for them. So it is not surprising to see that crimes such as stealing are very high in these regions of the world since the first priority is to live.
http://www.photovault.com/Link/People/o/vPoverty3rdW/POVVolume01.html
By anonymous student
Encountering the Context
The culture conflict between the blacks and whites in the text shows Thornhill does try to communicate with the Aboriginals but the language barrier between them is too different. Thornhill’s ‘ownership’ of the land is in terms of his white background, but Smasher Sullivan and all the other neighbours take a completely racist approach. They see the blacks as thieves and animals, they will whip or kill the blacks to protect themselves. Blackwood has a different approach, he says, “live and let live”, take some land and give something in return.
By anonymous student
By anonymous student
Encountering the Context - The Secret River and beyond
Cultural Conflict
- Racism to the aborigines
Smasher Sullivan being racist to the Aborigines throughout the book.
First, Racism is bad; it’s no good putting down people for the colour of their skin, what they believe in, or killing someone in a ‘race war’ because their grandmother’s grandfather was indigenous.
It’s like the war with the Taliban, the biggest terrorists in the world – The United States - invade their country trying to free the people of the Taliban, but the Taliban keep growing in numbers.
This could be because of religious beliefs or beliefs that America is out to take their oil considering they supply some of the worlds oil and that the Taliban are out to defend it, that is one possibility how the Taliban keep getting more numbers.
By Andrew
- Racism to the aborigines
Smasher Sullivan being racist to the Aborigines throughout the book.
First, Racism is bad; it’s no good putting down people for the colour of their skin, what they believe in, or killing someone in a ‘race war’ because their grandmother’s grandfather was indigenous.
It’s like the war with the Taliban, the biggest terrorists in the world – The United States - invade their country trying to free the people of the Taliban, but the Taliban keep growing in numbers.
This could be because of religious beliefs or beliefs that America is out to take their oil considering they supply some of the worlds oil and that the Taliban are out to defend it, that is one possibility how the Taliban keep getting more numbers.
By Andrew
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