Chapter 15 – Texts in Context

Cultural Context – North Korea:

1. Why is Mi-ran enthusiastic about her new job as a kindergarten teacher?

A: She is now a member of the educated and respectable class, which is a big step up from being a
miner’s daughter.

2. Why is the accordion called the people’s instrument’?

A: It is portable enough to take on marches or to workplaces so that rousing music can be played to
motivate the workers.

3. What is the accordion used for in Mi-ran’s classroom?

A: It is used to play familiar patriotic songs so that the children can sing them.

4. What is the message of the song ‘We have Nothing to Envy in the World’?

A: The message of the song is that North Korean children should be very happy with their lives. They
have nothing to fear as they are completely protected by the Workers’ party and their ‘father’.

5. The photograph shows a group of children posing under the portraits of Kim il-sung and his son
Kim Jong-il, taken in 2011. What strikes you about the fact that there is an accordion in the photo?

A: It indicates that some things haven’t changed since 1994 and that that accordion is still a powerful
cultural symbol in North Korea.

6. Even though Mi-ran can’t sing very well, how do her students feel about her and why?

A: They adore her because she is so enthusiastic about her teaching.

7. ‘She loved her job.’ What is it that enables the party to use people like Mi-ran to promote their
message?

A: She sincerely loves her work and doesn’t question the content of what she is teaching because
she doesn’t know anything else.

8. In the first example question from the first-grade maths book what cultural message is being
taught to the children?

A: The children are being taught that Kim il-sung is worthy of all Korean children singing anthems to
praise him.
9. What cultural messages are being taught in the second example question?

A: The children are being taught that young girls should be involved in war against hostile nations.
They are also being taught that the Japanese are an enemy and they are thieves.

10. What underlying cultural messages are being taught in the third example question?

A: The underlying messages are that the Korean People’s Army is all-powerful because it can
successfully kill thirty American soldiers and that Americans are also the enemy.

11. Using the back-of-the-book dictionary, write down the meanings of these words:

11a) Ideological: Relating to a system of ideas that forms the basis of a political movement.

11b) Copious: Large in number, abundant

11c) Revere: To regard with respect and admiration.

Historical Context – Women:

1. How does Mr Grey react to Sybylla’s performance?

A: He is thrilled by her talent and amazed that she has had no training or experience. He feels she
could make a fortune on stage.

2. How does Sybylla feel about the reaction of both male guests?

A: Her self-confidence is boosted. She feels flattered and pleased with herself. She even feels that
she might not be bad-looking.

3. At breakfast the next day when gran has returned, what comment does Mr Grey make about
Sybylla’s talent?

A: The world is being robbed of her talent and that it is wasted in the bush.

4. How does gran react to Mr Grey’s suggestion that he will pay for Sybylla to be trained under the
best elocution and singing masters in Sydney?

A: She thinks it is nonsense because she can’t imagine what Sybylla would do with these skills
afterwards.

5. The conflict between gran and Mr Grey begins when he says that Sybylla would ‘Go on the stage,
of course’ . What is gran’s attitude towards Sybylla being an actress?
A: She is outraged because she considers actresses to be vile, low, brazen hussies who associate with
‘vile, bad men’. She would prefer to see Sybylla ‘ struck dead’ or go into a convent.

6. The only time Sybylla speaks in this extract is when she says, ‘I will never be a bold, bad, actress,
grannie.’ What impression do you get of Sybylla’s character from this paragraph?

A: Sybylla displays a quiet sense of humour when she deliberately emphasises the words ‘bold’ and
‘bad. She also knows when to be quiet and let others do the arguing for her.

7. How does Mr Grey go on to counteract gran’s outburst against acting?

A: He says that the stage is no longer a low profession and that it would be a sin to rob Sybylla of a
‘brilliant career’.

8. What values and attitudes does gran display when she talks about girls who want to have careers?

A: She believes that girls should just want to be good wives and mothers and that this is what God
intended. She believes that having a career just leads to girls gadding about and ruining body and
soul.

9. At what point does the conflict between gran and Mr Grey end?

A: It ends when gran thumps her fist on the table and everyone falls into a complete and profound
silence.

10. Since the book was written, how do you think the attitude of Australian society has changed
women having a career?

A: Having a career is now considered to be normal for women; equal opportunity laws have been
introduced to prevent discrimination; women can take up a wider range of careers than in the past.

Social context – Family:

1. Why is Richard anxious at the start of the extract?

A: He feels he still had so much to teach Dan.

2. In the first paragraph, what is humorous about the three things Richard wants to teach Dan?

A: They are humorous because they are all obvious dangers and it is really too late to teach them at
the last minute.
3. ‘I remembered how gormless I was at 18.’ What does this reveal about the real reason for
Richard’s anxiety?

A: He is frightened that his son will be as ignorant as he was himself at the same age.

4. Each time Dan walks to the car, Richard ‘spouted out another pieces of helpful information.’
Explain how, one by one, these pieces of advice build up a mood of desperation?

A: The advice is becoming increasingly bizarre, ridiculous and illogical. Richard jumps wildly from
funnel-webs to storing mayonnaise, from emus to filing documents, and from electrical problems to
yappy dogs.

5. How does Dan’s mother, Debra, react to his departure?

A: She is everyone with maternal feelings and tries to give him everything in the house isn’t nailed
down.

6. What is amusing about the objects she chooses?

A: They all belong to Richard and they are his best things. Her choices, such as a circular saw, are also
totally impractical for a student.

7. What simile does Richard use to describe Debra’s behaviour? Is the comparison effective?

A: The simile is, ‘It was like watching a demented salesman at Harvey Norman.’ Yes, it is effective
because it highlights how bizarre it is to give so much away.

8. Overall, what aspect of family relationships is Dan having to deal with in this extract?

A: He has to deal with over-protective parents who are terrified that something will happen to him
and are expressing their stress and anxiety in silly ways.

9. How does Dan manage the situation?

A: He ignores them as best he can by continuing to pack. At various times he tries to put them off
and reassure them that he’s fine.

10. Richard Glover writes about himself and Debra with gentle irony. Explain the irony in the last
paragraph.

A: The irony is that he wishes Debra would control herself and calm down, when in fact he is
behaving with exactly the same panic and anxiety.
11. The social context of this extract is family life. What particular aspect of family life does it
explore?

A: It explores the stage when parents have to adjust to their children leaving home.

Language, Conjunctions and Relative Pronouns:

1. After

Mi-ran brought out her accordion.

The children were in their assigned seats.

A: Mi-ran brought out her accordion after the children were in their assigned seats.

2. Because

The children were taught not be afraid.

The government would protect them.

A: The children were taught not to be afraid because the government would protect them.

3. Although

Mi-ran did not have much musical talent.

The children loved to hear her sing.

A: Although Mi-ran did not have much musical talent, the children loved to hear her sing.

4. Unless

Sybylla would never have a brilliant career.

She went to the city to act.

A: Sybylla would never have a brilliant career unless she want to the city to act.

5. When

Grannie became angry.

Everard suggested an acting career for Sybylla.

A: When Everard suggested an acting career for Sybylla, Grannie became angry.

6. Before
Sybylla could become an entertainer on stage.

She needed training in elocution and singing.

A: Before Sybylla could become an entertainer on stage, she needed training in elocution and
singing.

7. As

Dan continued to pack his belongings.

His father tried to give him more advice.

A: Dan continued to pack his belongings as his father tried to give him more advice.