REVISION

MODULE A
- Her language affirms, confirm, challenges, disrupts out thinking about who we are in
Australia and how much we value our original peoples and custodians of this land.

Rubric Breakdown
- Investigate the links between language, culture and identity and the assumptions and
beliefs about individuals about individuals and groups
- Consider how language reflects and shapes an individuals or group identity
- Consider how texts impact on the way an individual or a community sees themselves
- Select a prescribed text and consider how it and a range of other textual materials explore
identity
- Understand cultural perspectives
- Consider the texts that affirm, ignore, reveal, challenge or disrupt prevailing assumptions
and beliefs about individuals and groups?
- No relates material will be required in the examination

Unpacking the marking rubric on exam paper

1st dot pint

- Demonstrate understanding of how ideas about language, identity and culture are
expressed through texts.
- What are the key ideas about language, culture and identity which the question requires
you to explore.
- For example, community identity, culture perspectives, representation of culture and
identity.
- Which 3 poems would best suit these ideas?

2nd Dot Point

- Demonstrated understanding of how language is used to shape meaning about individuals
and/or cultural groups
- Identify and analyse the different language features of the poems you have chosen.
- How do the language features used by Cobby Eckerman create or shape the meaning
which is taken from the poems about culture and identity?
- What meaning do you take from those language features?
- What evidence from the poems will you use to demonstrate this?

3rd Dot Point

- Organise, develop and express ideas using language appropriate to audience, purpose and
form.
- This is your ability to write
- How you organise your ideas, structure your response
- How you answer the question, develop a thesis and substantiate your thesis with sell-
selected and appropriate evidence
 - How clear and confident you are in expressing your ideas and knowledge as your answer
the questions.

How does the language of poetry both shape and individual or a community’s culture and
identity and also reflect it?

Exam tips
- Always spend the allocated time on the question. DON’T GO OVER
- Spend 5 mins planning
- Unpack question before commencing
- Best poems to suit
- Module
Unpack questions
Expose to a range of questions
Write often
Textual detail

Poetry has its own distinctive language. Rich and complex meaning.

Does the poem: Affirm, challenge, disrupt, shape, question?

 REVISION!
Tips for the exams
- Read the questions
- Deconstruct questions and figure out which of the rubric concepts are being referred to or
could be used to respond to it
- Decide the order you want to attempt the paper
- Read the unseen texts
- Mentally elect the examples you will be using for short answer questions

Deconstructing a question
 Concept/s from the rubric
 Prescribed focus/es that relates to the concept/s
 An audience impact statement
E.g.
How has voice been employed in the text to ignite new ideas on individual experiences?
Concept- Individual and collective human experience
Prescribed focus- Voice
Audience impact- Ignite new ideas
Response
Individual experience are projected through the voices that have bene manipulated in a text. In
turn, composers are able to ignite new ideas and perspectives on the human experience for the
reader.
E.g.
Evaluate how important compassion is as a human quality. Make close reference to your
prescribed text.
Concept- Human qualities and emotions
Prescribed focus- Compassion
Audience impact- Catalyse personal reflection

General Form Techniques General Language Techniques

 Plot  Voice
 Linear, nonlinear, flashbacks,  Tone, diction, dialect, colloquialism
flashforwards, foreshadowing, plot  Figurative language
twists  Personification, metaphor, simile,
 Genre symbolism, hyperbole
 Jargon, clichés  Contrast
 Narration and Perspective  Juxtaposition, oxymoron
 First, second, third persons  Imagery and synaesthesia
 Dialogue  Tactile, gustatory, visual, auditory,
 Setting olfactory
 Scene  Repetition
 Structure  Anaphora, refrain
 Characterisation  Humour
 Archetypes, caricatures  Irony, pun, sarcasm, satire
 Intertextuality
 Allusions, quotations, parody

General rule:
Number of quotes/examples= number of marks- 1

Concluding synthesis
While Text a) OR Idea a) suggests *this*, Text b) or Idea b) suggests *that*. Nevertheless, both
texts or both perspectives share *audience impact*
Writing conclusions- Step by Step!
1. Reinforce your judgement on the question.
a. Can be one or two sentences long.
2. Summarise the key themes and ideas.
3. Audience impact linking sentence.

Visual techniques
Technique Definition
Angles/lines ‘direction’ of an image based on the angles or lines within it
Body Language Facial expressions, body language and gestures used to show character’s attitudes,
moods or personality.
Close-up shot
Visual vector line

Response to short answer

1. Technique, how it explores individual experience. Contrast, technique collective human
experience.
2. Use two examples on how it represents loss
3. Explain how poet uses features of language- technique, is it figurative language, emotive
language..
4. How the text makes knows of the complications of human conflict. POINT on how the text is
based on human conflict, continue on with examples and techniques x2.
5. Explain how the writer demonstrates emotions arising from challenges experienced. Point-
writer explores challenging experiences through EXAMPLE & TECHNIQUE x 2.
6. Structure; Intro- based on how each text communicates and contrast human expereinces.
Para 1- how text 1 does so, examples and techniques. Para 2- same as para 1. Para 3-
Sum of both.

Billy Elliot Essay:

- Effectively communicate to the extent of how Billy Elliot invites audience to reconsider (All
audience impacts) the specific human experience
- Good examples
- Good structure.

Module A Essay:
- Analyse how ideas about language, identity and culture are expressed through ‘Inside my
mother’
- Reinforces the importance of language, identity and culture.

Module B Essay:
- Effectively personal response based on relevant, detailed textual knowledge. – how the text
effects the audience, what is the audience impact.
- How does the text explore distinctive qualities and what are the effects and meanings.
Based on the text and audience.
 COMMON MODULE: ‘BILLY
ELLIOT’
Rubric Breakdown
“Individual and collective human experiences. Human qualities and emotions. Anomalies, paradoxes ad
inconsistencies in human behaviour and motivations, to see the world differently, to challenge assumptions,
ignite new ideas or reflect personally. Role of storytelling throughout time to express and reflect particular
lives and cultures.
Examine “how context, purpose, structure, stylistic, grammatical feature and form shape meaning.”
Audience impact
 See the world differently
 Introducing new perspectives and outlooks
 Challenge assumptions?
 Confronting existing notions, beliefs and attitudes
 Ignite new ideas?
 Inspiring and/or stimulating ways of thinking and understanding
 Catalyse personal reflection?
 Encouraging deep introspection
Individual and collective human experiences
 Encompasses the personal or private (self) and group or the public (self-amongst others)
 Both are interrelated and invariably impact one another
 Individual- pertaining to a single person having a unique relatable experience
 Collective- pertaining to multiple persons sharing a common experience.
Human qualities and emotions
● Responses to these facets of human experiences.
● Can be those we relate to, overlook and/or are afraid of acknowledging.
● Qualities- encompasses broader characteristics. E.g. compassion, bravery, independence, maturity,
ambition
● Emotions- refers to more specific responses i.e feelings, happiness, anger, pain, joy, hope, grief

Anomalies, paradoxes and inconsistencies in human behaviour and motivations.

 Portrayal of human experiences are complex.
Motivations- driving forces that determine human actions.
Intrinsic motivation- Billy Elliot’s personal passion for ballet drives his defiance of familial,
gendered and socioeconomic expectations.
Behaviour- refers to how humans act on those motivations.
Motivation determines behaviour which is determined by motivation.
Anomalies- something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected. The titular
character Billy Elliot’s passion for balled being unexpected and deviant.
Paradoxes- a person or thing that combines contradictory features or qualities
Inconsistencies- things of which fail to remain constant

Role of storytelling to express and reflect particular lives and cultures.

● Storytelling as an agent for communication.
● Providing a window into experiences that may or may not align with our own.
● Culture- the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society.
○ This includes experiences shaped from social class, gender, nationality, race and lifestyle

Themes:
 1. Struggle with adversity
2. Search of identity
3. Pursuit of dreams

Examples and Analysis

The most significant example of the struggle with adversity presented in the film is Billy himself.
Theme Example Analysis Rubric terms Audience impact
Struggle Scene where The use of full shot camera Collective Influences the
with Jackie is angle represents the symbolic audience to
adversity destroying the representation of the mother empathises with the
piano caring for the family even text, in which they
though she is not physically gain a deeper
there. Also represents the appreciation for the
important motif of music as the text as it conveys a
piano is seen to assist him in the deeper recognition of
struggles he faces. the hardships that
> Demonstrates the collective collective individuals
experience of struggle with may face.
adversity as the family needs to
destroy such a deep connection
to essentially survive.
Struggle Following the Long shot indicates the Illustrates Audience gain an
with scene where compositional juxtaposition that insight of how the
adversity Billy finds his indicates one of the key struggle with
grandma in the tensions within the film, between adversity can be
field, it is noticed Billy’s creative spirit and his experienced
that there is a oppressive struggle with collectively, even
group of police adversity. Also illustrates the when it is not
in the collective struggle that is specifically noticed.
background. experienced by the community.

Struggle The scene The use of slow motion editing Emotions, Encourages the
with where Billy’s techniques captures the fall and anomaly audience to feel
adversity coach is yelling hurt emotions of Billy that his coach empathy for Billy,
at Billy during causes as he expresses his which results in the
stereotypical assumptions of males
training, “Jesus audience challenging
being good at boxing. It suggest the
Christ Elliot, an anomaly will be experienced by the norm of
you’re a Billy as he does not show any stereotyping boys due
disgrace to them interest or motivation in boxing. to the appreciation
blokes, your that is reflected with
father and the Billy.
tradition of this
boxing ring.”
Struggle Begging of the Mid shot examines his facial Presents Introduces and
with film, scene expression that displays the emotions and challenges the
adversity where he finds human emotions of wariness qualities of audience view as
his grandma in and scared that he is responsibility gain a new
the field experiencing. Demonstrates his and perspectives on a
responsibility for his grandma compassion. young male caring for
and the compassion and mature Behaviour. his grandma.
behaviour he has. Displays Audience gain an
struggle with adversity as he is a appreciation of the
young child that has to care for
an elder.
Pursuit Opening scene Close up shot clearly Encompasses Ignites new idea of
of where billy plays establishes the symbolic subjective importance that music
dreams the record importance of music and individual plays in one’s life.
player foreshadowing a key focus of experience
the film, the world of music and
 dance. It also introduces and
highlights the important motif of
music that links to Billy’s life.
Pursuit The scene Illustrates the triumph of Billy Encompasses Challenges the
of where Billy pursuing his dreams. The use of Individual audience ways of
dreams plays the main the full shot camera angle with experience thinking as it
character for the Billy being the salient image, introduces the
performance of captures the gran leap of Billy, success of a male
‘swan lake’ at demonstrating that he has succeeding in a
the Theatre reached his dream of becoming commonly
Royal in London a professional dancer. stereotyped female
Significance of this scene sport.
symbolises the flight of Billy’s
struggle to achieve his dream
has finally come to an end.
 Module A: ‘Inside My Mother’
Rubric Breakdown
 Conceptual focus on identity and culture
 Requires one text
 All based on gaining new understandings from a variety of sources.

Purpose
 To renew and enrich our understanding of particular lives and cultures
 To challenge our assumptions and preconceived notions
 To provide a voice for those who may otherwise have been marginalised, ignored and
silenced in dominating literary narratives.

Language has the power to both reflect and shape individual and collective identity. How their
responses to written, spoken, audio and visual texts can shape their self-perception. Consider the
impact texts have on shaping a sense of identity for individuals and/or communities. How
language can be used to affirm, ignore, reveal, challenge or disrupt prevailing assumptions
regarding themselves, individuals and cultural groups.

Investigate texts and examine how the form reflects our ideas of culture, identity, individual’s
and/or communities.

Culture relates to an individual’s beliefs and values shared with a group. Culture is complex and
comes in multiple ways.

Language, identity and culture

Language= Systems of communication shared and used by a group of people
Identity= A person’s conception and expression of their individuality or affiliation with a group
Culture= A way of life of a particular group of people at a certain time and place
Inform and influence
Perspectives= the views which are expressed within a text by the composer
Perceptions= The views which are gained by the responder
Self-perception= How we view and understand ourselves
Audience impact
Module A has a single audience impact statement.
“Affirm, ignore, reveal, challenge or disrupt prevailing assumptions and beliefs.”
Keep these six concepts in mind. Responses need to intergrade these words!
Strengthening analysis
Use relevant concepts to support the themes you are exploring in your body paragraphs and to
gear your analysis towards the module.

Key themes
Assimilation Marginalisation
Bilingualism/Multilingualism Multiculturalism
Class Norms
Discrimination Power/Authority
Diversity Prejudice
Empowerment/ Disempowerment Race
Gender Stereotypes
Family Status
Inequality

Examples, Analysis, Audience impact

Example Analysis Audience impact
‘Leaves’
“I crawled there once and sat/
in his shade he did not know
me/ yet he gave me leaves”
‘Leaves’
“Will the leaves turn golden/
and seeding grass sway/ to
console me?”
‘Unearth’
“Let’s dig up the soil and
excavate the past”
‘Unearth’
“The constant loss of breath is
the legacy/ there is blood on
the truth”
‘Trance’
“a whisper inside her trance/
the sound of instinct”
Use of metaphor for “leaves” implies Reveals the truth about how the history of
knowledge, although sense of lost connection Australia has resulted in the loss of
and unknown, presents spirit of kinship is indigenous culture within their own
shared. community.
Also represents though disconnection between
two, relationship to him is dependent on which
she desires to become part of her father and
culture.
Repetition of “leaves”- aging knowledge, stores Reveals the truth on how the past has
memories. caused pain and loss of culture to the
Rhetorical question- she is grieving due to the nation.
damage of attachment with her nation, only
through the connection with nation will she feel
the needed comfort to self-identity.
Imperative verb- actively calls upon the Challenges the audience to reflect and
audience to take action to reflect on nations examine the past, ignites individual and
disconnected history collective identity.
Connection to community and country, aids in
individual and collective identity
Emotive language- there is a restriction on the Reveals the truth of the past, which ignites
ability of young people to express nation past, a new understanding of nations truth.
affecting own community identity and cultural Ignites individual and collective identity
perspectives.
Illustrates there is death in conflict, destroying
community link and collective identity.
Denial of dark history
The use of symbolism in “trance” and “instinct” Through this, the audience gain a deeper
represents the external world working into her understanding of how culture provides
state of connection to spiritual aspects of spiritual awareness and can assist in
aboriginal culture. It emphasises on the individual identity.
connection to the spiritual intangible nature of
aboriginal culture.
 MODULE B: ‘CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN
THE NIGHT TIME’
Purpose
● To explore complex ideas represented in texts in greater depth.
● To engage us in ideas that have relevance today (universality).
● To enable us to better understand the importance of literature, even more so in a contemporary
society like ours.

If you don’t admire at least SOMETHING about the text, you’ve missed the point of the
module.

Rubric Breakdown:
Particular ideas and characteristics...establish its distinctive qualities
• Your texts are especially unique which make them fit for studying!
– Distinctive- characteristic of one person or thing, and so serving to distinguish it from others
Synonyms for distinctive- Distinguishable, Particular, Unique, Remarkable, Noteworthy,
Idiosyncratic
Portray people, ideas, settings and situations
• These aspects are depicted in a text in order to illustrate an image.
• They also intersect and operate with one another; to understand people, we need to understand
the settings they are in. To understand ideas, we need to see how they play out in different
situations

What Module B will cover

❏ Language forms and features such as characterisation, narration, setting etc.
❏ Context which gives rise to certain representations, portrayals and themes.
❏ Purpose from the composer’s end on conveying these ideas.
❏ Audience impact across time and space.

“Textual integrity”
“The unity of a text; its coherent use of form and language to produce an integrated whole in terms
of meaning and value.”
• A DEAD term, but an ALIVE concept!

Think of Module B is a house!

• What makes a house good?
• What makes it good to live in?
• Will it stand the test of time?

Audience impact
Consider the way texts have timelessness and universality as part of our writing. This was
previously achieved with the idea of textual integrity.
“The unity of a text; its coherent use of form and language to produce an integrated whole in terms
of meaning and value.”

Incorporate these expressions:

 Enduring value
 Ongoing relevance
 Timelessness Universality
 Transcends time and space
  Lasting impact
 Continual significance
 Persisting/sustained influence

Module B thesis:
Most formulaic of the modules BUT needs to be the most ready for adapting:
“Through studying…, we may understand the importance of… through Mark Haddon’s work. In
turn, readers across time may also understand the lasting value of Mark Haddon’s work.

Ultimately, Module B is all about justifying why a text is important and how it can be understood
from many angles and perspectives. Embrace them all to formulate your own!

Informed understanding, knowledge and appreciation

Informed= having or showing knowledge of a subject or situation
Understanding, knowledge= to comprehend and have an awareness of a text’s ideas
Appreciation= Recognition and enjoyment of the valuable qualities of the text
Personal responses to the text in its entirety
Personal response= Demonstrating your own engagement and interest in the text
Distinctive qualities= Characteristic of something, and so serving to distinguish it from others
Portrayal= The way people, ideas, setting and situations intersect and affect one another in the
text.

Incorporating textual integrity

No matter what question you get, remember that you are required to address the fact that your
text is unique and has timelessness as a result.

Personal responses to the text in its entirety

Need to prepare to have an opinion on everything its construction of setting to the composer’s
purpose.

Examples and Analysis

- What are the distinctive qualities and what are the examples.
- Audience impact and impact of example on the text

PURPOSE OF THE TEXT= audience appreciate the coming over age experiences for an
autistic boy but also realises compassion and understanding for those individuals who are
not commonly accepted in our society.
Example Analysis: Effect on text Analysis: Audience Impact
Structure Introduced to the genre, Introduces audience to a new idea
“This is a murder mystery novel” unique as genre of texts are of textual forms, creating audience
never usually stated. Simple to gain a valuable interest in the text
and truncated sentence; due to its unfamiliar element.
implementing crime genre.

“I was excited. When I started
writing my book there was only
one mystery I had to solve. Now
there were two.”
Displays the irony of the text
that was supposed to be
based on a crime novel that
has instead evolved to a
coming of age text.
Audience gain a new perspective of
a text that examines a new form of
narrative structure. Also develop
appreciation for the coming of age
experiences of a boy that is
excluded.
Chap 29
“I find people confusing”
As Christopher’s explains “and
that was why I had Good Days
and Black Days.”
After Christopher answers a
mathematical question his
father’s friend, Rhodri askes,
Rhodri proceeds to laugh at
Christopher’s response.
Christopher states “I don’t like it
when Rhodri laughs at me.’
“Prime number is what is left
when you have taken all the
patters away” p.15
“..but I do not want my name to
mean a story about being kind
and helpful. I want my name to
mean me.”
During the conversation with Mrs
Alexander and Christopher in the
park, Mrs Alexander comments
on Christopher’s mother’s
relationship with Mr Shear, in
which Christopher responds with
“Do you mean that they were
having sex? And Mrs Alexander
said, ‘yes, Christopher.”
Examines the unique novels
structure and form as the
chapter is a digressions of
the previous narrative chap.
The chap reflects insight into
Christopher’s personal
understanding of his mindset.
The implementation of factual
first-person perspective and
orthography emphases on the
extraordinary form of the text.
Underlines Christopher’s
condition to not understand
human emotions and
qualities. However, reignites
the motif of mathematics in
the text, in which Christopher
uses to apply his
understanding of the world
around him.
The use of factual language
and reoccurring motif of
maths, identifies the symbolic
meaning that like Christopher,
prime numbers are unique
and do not fit in with a typical
pattern. It explores that he
does not conform to norms of
the world, in which he wants
to escape from.
Use of truncated sentence
underlines how he values
himself. He understands that
his name may be significant
to someone else, as his name
carries the meaning of Christ,
however, he wants his name
to resemble himself because
it has meaning to him.
Christopher only just
understanding the situation
with his mother and Mr
Shears illustrates the use of
dramatic irony as the
audience understands things
that Christopher does not.
The distinctive form of digressions
invites the audience to a new
understanding of a mindset that they
usually wouldn’t cooperate with,
allows the audience to gain a new
appreciation for this text.
Urges audience to comprehend and
sympathies Christopher’s condition.
Audience gains empathy for the way
Christopher does not comprehend
human emotions and reactions,
resulting in an acceptance for
individuals who are commonly
socially excluded.
This influences the audience to
understand the uniqueness of
Christopher and grasp on how the
mindset of an individual that is
usually not taken perspective of,
works.
Emphasises on the awareness that
society has on the perspectives of
an individual that is commonly
socially excluded.
The audience both gain an
understanding of the reality
surrounding Christopher’s family
and the parents relationship
collapse, while also inviting the
audience to gain a deeper
understanding of his lack of ability to
interpret dialogue and clues about
basic human relationship. Ignites a
new understanding for the coming of
age experience
 MODULE C: CLOSE STUDY OF LITERATURE
To convey ideas with power and increasing precision
Convey= to make an idea, impression and/or feeling known through language
Power= With a strong ability and capacity to achieve a certain effect
Precision= To gain confidence in writing accurately through critical and creative processes
Reflect on the complex and recursive process of writing
Reflect= To think deeply and carefully about something
Complex= Consisting of many different and connected parts
Recursive= Characterised by recurrence and/or repetition

Audience impact
Determine the audience impact in Module C. These suggest by the rubric but you should also
consider your purpose as a writer and what your piece aims to do.
1. To describe the world around them
2. To evoke emotion
3. To share a perspective
4. To share a vision

Directly incorporating the stimuls

In the opening
- Dive right into it and allow it to provide direction for your response
- Make sure you don’t forget about it completely
In the middle
- Draft a “block” which uses the stimulus and decide how you will fit it in the rest of the puzzle
of your responses.
At the end
- Draft your ending first separately
- Write the rest of the piece to ensure it leads to it naturally and logically

Integrating a stimulus in your response

● Brainstorm some buzz words associated with the stimulus to integrate in your response.
● Think of the stimulus as the outlines of the puzzle- the bigger picture remains the same but you
will have to design the way the pieces fit themselves.
● Transform it into motifs, extended metaphors etc.

Creative choice Prescribed Text Quote/Technique Analysis Link to stimulus

5.
 MODULE C: CREATIVE WRITING
Module C is all about the “craft of writing”.
What makes a good creative writing?
 Recognises and works with the economy of words.
 Each sentence (and even word) should have significance and add meaning.
 Balances aspects of fictional writing well (characterisation, setting, imagery, plot etc.)
 Having believable and well-placed narrative frameworks.
 Being judicious about dialogue.
 Has research behind it
 Intention and purpose is subtly expressed, developed but clear.
 MODULE B: CLOSE STUDY OF LITERATURE
Close Study of Literature
Understanding of the Rubric

Now, let’s break it down!

“…students develop an informed understanding, knowledge and appreciation of a
substantial literary text”
At the heart of this module is the close study of one text (or a collection of texts by one composer). The set
texts for Module B are considered substantial literary texts, meaning they have special significance in
literature, for a variety of reasons.

In HSC Standard English Module B, you’re required to develop a thorough understanding of your text and
its significance. Because the set texts for Module B are “substantial literary texts”, they might be a challenge
to read and understand at first.

Therefore, to develop an informed understanding, knowledge and appreciation of the text, you will need to
read it more than once.

“…through their development of considered personal responses to the text in its

entirety, students explore and analyse the particular ideas and characteristics of the
text and understand the ways in which these characteristics establish its distinctive
qualities”
In Close Study of Literature, you won’t just be studying particular parts of the text, but the text as a cohesive
whole.

This is useful as it allows you to think about and understand how the text as a whole is constructed, using
structure, plot, characters and literary techniques, and so on.

You also need to consider how do these features make the text distinctive?

“…engage in the extensive exploration and interpretation of the text and ways
composers portray people, ideas, settings and situations in texts [and] by analysing the
interplay between the ideas, forms and language within the text, students appreciate
how these elements may affect those responding to it”
This part of the rubric is all about how to composer of the text uses language to convey meaning through the
text, and how by doing this, the reader has a personal response.

The exciting thing about texts, and particularly “substantial literary texts”, is that they generally convey a
complex variety of ideas using different literary techniques, form, and through the plot, characters and
overall structure of the text.

This means you have a lot to extensively explore and interpret and should therefore have a lot to say about
the text in your analysis and personal response to and interpretation of the text.

“…students produce critical and creative responses to the text, basing their judgements
on a detailed knowledge of the text and its language features”
In the HSC Standard English Module B, students need to respond critically and creatively, and by doing so,
analyse and assess the way meaning is shaped and conveyed in the text.

So, what does critically and creatively respond mean? Basically, that you can be assessed in a variety of
ways in Module B. This might be an essay, a creative reimagining of your text, a multimodal response, or
something else!

“students express increasingly complex ideas, clearly and cohesively, using appropriate
register, structure and modality. They draft, appraise and refine their own texts”
This one is pretty self-explanatory.

While reading and exploring the text, you will begin to develop your own interpretations and ideas about the
text. The next step is to express these ideas about the text in a clear and cohesive manner, whether in an
essay or creative writing piece or some other format.

This is important because this is how you’ll be assessed for Close Study of Literature internally and in your
HSC Exam.

“students further develop their personal and intellectual connections with, and
enjoyment of the text, enabling them to express their informed personal interpretation
of its significance and meaning”
This is the big one.

Reading the text once and regurgitating arguments you found on the internet is not going to be enough for
Module B. Well, at least, not enough for you to do well in HSC Standard English Module B.

The aim of Close Study of Literature is for you to develop a genuine connection to the text and have your
own personal interpretation and response to the text.

This isn’t something that’s teachable but comes from genuine connection with and reflection on your
response to the text, it’s meaning and significance.
 MODULE A: LANGUAGE, IDENTITY AND CULTURE
Rubric Breakdown
 Conceptual focus on identity and culture
 Requires one text
 All based on gaining new understandings from a variety of sources.

Purpose
 To renew and enrich our understanding of particular lives and cultures
 To challenge our assumptions and preconceived notions
 To provide a voice for those who may otherwise have been marginalised, ignored and
silenced in dominating literary narratives.

Language has the power to both reflect and shape individual and collective identity. How their
responses to written, spoken, audio and visual texts can shape their self-perception. Consider the
impact texts have on shaping a sense of identity for individuals and/or communities. How
language can be used to affirm, ignore, reveal, challenge or disrupt prevailing assumptions
regarding themselves, individuals and cultural groups.

Investigate texts and examine how the form reflects our ideas of culture, identity, individual’s
and/or communities.

Culture relates to an individual’s beliefs and values shared with a group. Culture is complex and
comes in multiple ways.

When Eckerman states that ‘poetry is liberation and medicine’ she uses it as a metaphor to
demonstrate how important and how much it helped her. Poetry to her, would relief and destress
her in the times she needed it.

What are the similarities between the Protagonists’ personal loss and the broader suffering
endured by indigenous Australians.
- The death of the women’s love and the stolen generation.
- Grief, stolen generations- lost connections, forced removal for the purpose of cultural
genocide.
- Loss of culture, language, land, identity
- Change, sudden change in the way that life was lived and experienced
- Survival, unpredictable life changes that have devastating + irreversible outcomes, hunting-
forced removal of children
- Memories + Stories, are the only things left for her and many indigenous people who have
experienced loss of connection.

5 differences between ‘Eyes’ + ‘trance’

1. ‘Eyes’ is only one stanza and one chapter
2. ‘Eyes’ involves a lot of emotive language, ‘trance’ involves a lot of personification
3. ‘Trance’ includes traditional ways while ‘Eyes’ is a domestic modern ways
4.

Connecting her life experiences to the eyes she mentions in her poem.
- Eyes of terror;
Links to fear when she was getting pulled away from family, linking to aboriginal as a whole
- Eyes of submission;
 Domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse, in terms of greater indigenous experience
being forced to segregation, reserves, stolen gen as a whole
- Eyes of shame;
Shame of having her son being taken away from her
- Eyes of wonder;
Tradtional ways, wonder if she will get her son back, all the thoughts of her son, if she will
reunite with her family,
- Eyes of contempt;
Opposite feeling of peace. At some point in her life, she would have questioned why her
mum allowed her to be taken away. Have this feeling towards white people for taking her
away
- Eyes full of compassion;
Compassion towards her traditional land, towards children who have been taking away from
their families, domestic violence
- Eyes filled with rage;
Rage of ‘why us’ ‘why me’, questioning everything

Think about a time in your life where you had to put a façade on to protect yourself.
A situation in my life where I put a façade on was when I lied about my feelings when asked by
someone. I did this to protect myself from getting too emotional, which is essentially protecting
myself from getting hurt. I also did this to make sure the other people don’t see me “weak.”
Age Middle aged 20s
Nationality Middle-eastern, from ethopia
Gender Male
Religion Muslim

Family- A group consisting of two parents and their children living together in a unit; all the
descendants of a common ancestor
Kin- One’s family and relations
Country- A nation with its own government occupying its own territory; an area or region with
regard to its physical features.

Aboriginal definition
- Children learn early that to refer to their ‘family’ is to refer to the extended family. A typical
Aboriginal family might include: mother, father, children, aunts, uncles and cousins,
grandparents and grandchildren.
- The kinship system is a feature of Aboriginal social organisation and family relationships
across Central Australia. It is a complex system that determines how people relate to each
other and their roles, responsibilities and obligation in relation to one another, ceremonial
business and land.
- For Aboriginal people, ‘country’ does not just mean the creeks, rock, outcrops, hill and
waterholes. Country includes all living things. It incorporates people, plants ad animals. It
embraces the season, stories and creation spirits. ‘Country’ is both a place of belonging
and a way of believing.

Understanding these definitions expanded my knowledge by displaying that family isn’t just blood
sisters and brothers. It has made me realise that family is deeper and broader than I originally
thought. It shows the connection that family, kinship and country is built through love and
symbolises tradition and that we are all linked in ways.

What does it mean to be Australian?

- Alcoholics - Vegemite
- Footy - Steve Irwin
- Tradies - Sangas
- Mullets - Koala
- Racist - Outback
- Beach - Slang
- Bogan

Consider the nature of the ‘Australian identity,’ and how it includes or excludes, your personal identity.
The nature of ‘Australian Identity’ is considered to be applied to all Australians. However, reflecting on my own
personal identity, I acknowledged that the ‘Australian Identity’ excludes me and a lot of other individuals. It does
not include who I am as a person,

Compose a written reflection drawing on in class discussion as well as texts studies so far.

Only Ten by Alan Baillie

Hussein experienced similarities and differences in comparison with the stolen generations. Hussein had been
traumatised and experienced things that no child should have experienced during their childhood. He had been
placed into a child solder camp. This is similar to what the stolen generation had experienced as they were
stripped from their family and kinships. These experiences had negative psychological consequences on both
the stolen generation and Hussein. They both experienced a disconnection from their kin and country.

1. What are the challenges of combining public and private life in a way that honours cultural
heritage?
Problems= women that is proud of cultural heritage, proud of where she has come from. She faces
discrimination due to her culture and being a women. Put certain things at risk due to being so public about
private life. Wants to put everything public to acknowledge her culture.

2. What does Burney say about the responsibility she has for representing her people?
Feels as if she needs to make them feel proud, to honour them. It’s a tough challenge. She wants to open the
door for representation for indigenous people to be in high power.

Her speech is important as it is about of putting the pieces back for her culture. To stop the cycle of the gaps that
there are between white and indigenous

Sentence of self
I am a who I am and I do me.
What ‘typically’ Australian qualities are associated with these characters?
VB, alcohol, bucket hats, singlets, cheery attitude, sun, idols (steve Irwin), collective group.

Are these qualities perceived as positive? Why?

These images are positive perspectives of some aspects of Australia, however they are negative as they do not
perceive a real viewpoint of Australia. They only contain the aspects that will perceive Australia as fun, and
joyful, aspects that may be seen as a “dream” rather than reality. It doesn’t acknowledge any true traditional
Australian aspects, as in aboriginal indigenous Australia. In a sene, it may also be negative as it includes
alcohol, however, majority of the world allows alcohol so it would most like be overlooked.

Do these qualities reflect the reality of what it means to be Australian?

These pictures may reflect what it means to be Australian to certain people, yet, may also not reflect the reality
of what it means to be Australian to others. Depending on how an individual’s view what the meaning of being
Australian is, their connection o these photos may differ. Personally, I can reflect to some pictures, as in the
cheerful moments and the beach.

Explain how these images may have influenced perception of Australian identity.
These images may put forth a false image of Australia as it does not portray the Traditional aboriginal Australian
aspects that Australians may identify as. It can put forth images that Australian identity is full of only happy
exciting “bogan’’ moments and alcohol, and although that may sometimes be true, it is not the reality of Australia
identity. These images will influence the audience to create a false image of Australian identity.

Creative Writing Task

Students use one of the images collected last lesson, to create an imaginative piece of writing, which
develops CHARACTER. Through the development of their imaginative writing, each student will develop
character with an authentic Australian Identity.

My eyes can’t stay concentrated on the road. I’m not sure if it’s because of the excitement that’s rushing
through my veins about this gatho that’s about to take place, or because of the buzz of humour that the
guys are making in the back seats of my Toyota Hilux. Finally entering the street that leads to the most
bliss place, the beach, I can’t help but glance at the beauty of nature. In a few more short seconds, I enter
into the parking spot that mentally has my name on it. “Let’s go boys!” Nathan screams as he rushes us all
out of the car. “I’ll grab the beach mat!” shouts Bethany who’s hurrying to the boot so she doesn’t have to
carry anything heavy. As I exit the car, a wave of misty arvo breeze meets my nose that sends a message
of pleasure though my body. I head to the boot to help the others bring the rest of the gear for the arvo onto
the beach. “Grab the other end of the esky, yeah’’ Tim tells me. Effortless thinking. I go to lift the other end
of the oversized esky, forgetting how much VB’s and Coronas we all packed into it, I am surprised by the
heavy weight of it. We continue to walk along the afternoon horizon with the all the essentials for the
afternoon. We find the spot for the night and set up our set that will increase our entertainment. Relaxation
and amusement wonder through the air as we gather around with drinks and

A discursive writing=

List of techniques from Linda Burney speech

- High modality
- Inclusion of history of indigenous
- Inclusion of indigenous culture
- Repetition
- Contrast
- Symbolism
-

Telling the truth

Making sure indigenous people are heard
The pas
Importance of government apology

A discursive= Texts whose primary focus is to explore an idea or variety of topics, these text
involve the discussion of an idea(s) or opinion(s) without the direct intentions of persuading the
reader, listener or viewer to adopt any single point of view. Discursive texts can be humerous or
serious in tone and can have a formal or informal register. They include texts such as feature
articles, creative nonfiction, blogs, personal essay, documentaries, speeches.

Why Is it important for Australia to acknowledge the past of Australian history?

Understanding the history of our nation creates the connection between country and the individuals
included. It is important for Australia to acknowledge the past and the truth of Australian history as it is this
that will build the link to peace between conflict. The past holds the underlying factor of our nations truth
and what has built our nation. Acknowledging the past of Australian history implements the facts that
recognition is healing, recognition of the past will lead us to moving forward and acknowledges the pain and
suffering indigenous people had dealt with.

The pain Australian history has caused is a memory that should never be repeated nor forgotten. The
historical events of pain that Australia has caused included horrific events, however, it can also be
appreciated as a learning curve. Learning from our nations mistakes teaches us all lessons we need to
learn in order to move on. Learning from the past provides the nation with information on how to never
make those same mistakes again.

To heal a wound is to acknowledge, grasp and understand the causation of the pain. This statement can be
implemented into accepting Australian history and the pain it has caused to indigenous people. Accepting
and understanding what Australian history has caused to indigenous people and being empathetic of the
history of pain will allow Australia to proceed to become one united nation. Recognising the pain is to heal
the wound. Being able to successfully acknowledge this pain will essentially allow the nation to move
forward. As Cobeey Eckermann examined, understanding and spreading awareness to the pain of
Australian history, will allow the nation to move forward.

Unravelling the truth of the past creates a layer of trust and compassion that can be felt within the nation.

IN A PARA PRACTICE THE IDEA OF PERSONIFCATION THROUGH A WAY YOU COMMUNICATE

His power echo’s through the his voice and veins, entering your ears, blessing your soul. The
connection he creates with you is an unrelatable bond that only you understand. He relates to you
in ways no one else does. He is always there when you need him, he speaks for your emotions
when your voice is silent. He warms your abilities, sending electricity through your physique when
you being to turn him on. His power, his voice, creates peace within you.

Persuasive Text
What is the issue that is current and relevant to young people today?
Music, and the perceived negative effect it has on the youth. “music/ music festivals should be banned.

What would you like to see change?

That the understanding of music and its positive affect it has on youth.

Music is a universal entity that constructs many meanings and values to individuals. Some may
argue that music is wrongly encouraging the globe, others may argue that it is the soul of what
keeps them alive. However, music is the primary factor that communicates emotions, values and
beliefs, events and many more factors of artist around the world. Music festivals and gathering
surrounding on basis music connects individuals together. Music forms a base for us to come
together as one and relate. Music has been around for many centuries and will continue to live on,
having many impacts on society.

Music overall is a general title that symbolises the body that has the power to create connections
with humans.
 ENGLISH TERM 1
COMMON MODULE- TEXTS AND HUMAN EXPERIENCES
Remember;
Concept Definition
 Individual One person.
 Collective A group, more than one.

 Human qualities Distinctive attributes or characteristics possessed

individual e.g. strong leadership.
 Emotions Strong feelings deriving from an individual’s
circumstances, mood or relationships with others.
 Anomalies Considered ‘abnormal’ and different in relation to
prescribed norms and conventions within a
particular social context.
 Paradoxes Something that on the surface may seem
contradictory.
 Inconsistencies Something that isn’t keeping the same form, it’s
always changing.
 Behaviour The way one conducts themselves and how they
operate. Can be positive or negative.
 Motivation A reason for behaving in a particular way.
 Assumptions A thing that is accepted as true or certain to
happen without proof.

Rubric Breakdown
Important parts:
“Individual and collective human experiences. Human qualities and emotions. Anomalies, paradoxes ad
inconsistencies in human behaviour and motivations, to see the world differently, to challenge assumptions,
ignite new ideas or reflect personally. Role of storytelling throughout time to express and reflect particular
lives and cultures.
Examine “how context, purpose, structure, stylistic, grammatical feature and form shape meaning.”

When texts convey meaning, we are able to gain value from the text. How do your texts invite the
responder to
● See the world differently?
● Challenge assumptions?
● Ignite new ideas?
● Catalyse personal reflection?
Take a moment to reflect. In other words, what impact did the text have on you?

Audience impact
 See the world differently
 Introducing new perspectives and outlooks
 Challenge assumptions?
 Confronting existing notions, beliefs and attitudes
 Ignite new ideas?
 Inspiring and/or stimulating ways of thinking and understanding
 Catalyse personal reflection?
 Encouraging deep introspection
Individual and collective human experiences
 Encompasses the personal or private (self) and group or the public (self-amongst others)
 Both are interrelated and invariably impact one another
 Individual- pertaining to a single person having a unique relatable experience
 Collective- pertaining to multiple persons sharing a common experience.
Human qualities and emotions
● Responses to these facets of human experiences.
● Can be those we relate to, overlook and/or are afraid of acknowledging.
● Qualities- encompasses broader characteristics. E.g. compassion, bravery, independence, maturity,
ambition
● Emotions- refers to more specific responses i.e feelings, happiness, anger, pain, joy, hope, grief

Anomalies, paradoxes and inconsistencies in human behaviour and motivations.

 Portrayal of human experiences are complex.
Motivations- driving forces that determine human actions.
Intrinsic motivation- Billy Elliot’s personal passion for ballet drives his defiance of familial,
gendered and socioeconomic expectations.
Behaviour- refers to how humans act on those motivations.
Motivation determines behaviour which is determined by motivation.
Anomalies- something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected. The titular
character Billy Elliot’s passion for balled being unexpected and deviant.
Paradoxes- a person or thing that combines contradictory features or qualities
Inconsistencies- things of which fail to remain constant

Role of storytelling to express and reflect particular lives and cultures.

● Storytelling as an agent for communication.
● Providing a window into experiences that may or may not align with our own.
● Culture- the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society.
○ This includes experiences shaped from social class, gender, nationality, race and lifestyle

What is a human experience?

Self-thought;
Individual Collective
- Heartbreak - War
- Death - Funeral
- Milestones (birth, first anything) -

Human experiences are experiences of individuals or a group of people (e.g. a family, society, or a
nation) in life. There are a wide range of human experiences which include but go beyond this list:
  Feelings or reactions (momentary or long-term): love, hate, anger, joy, fear, disgust.
 Key milestones or stages: Birth, death, childhood, adulthood, marriage, divorce.
 Culture, belonging and identity
 Conformity and rebellion
 Innocence and guilt, justice
 Freedom and repression
 Education, vocation, work, sport, leisure
 Attraction to a person, idea, group or cause
 Opposition to an idea, cause, political system
 Religious faith or belief
 Extreme events such as an earthquake, avalanche, tsunami
 Regular events such as walking, eating, singing, dancing, discussing ideas.

The word experience seems innately connected to the human condition and it is something we
have each day whether a mundane experience that is repetitive or something new and dramatic
which offers challenges and rewards. Experiences can vary greatly in their impact on individuals,
groups or countries.

Experiences are widespread and often shared: this is why people tell their stories and these
shared experiences form part of our cultural heritage. These experiences often inform, warn and
teach across entire cultural groups and many stories are shared across cultures.

Make connections:

Individual: Billy Elliot

Collective: Strike- poverty

Human qualities:

Emotions: Grief, Anger, Fear

Anomalies: Billy does dancing not boxing

Father shows his emotion
Child looks after Gma

Inconsistencies:

Paradoxes: Jackie uses anger and violence however, doesn’t like when Billy uses it on him. Links
back to human emotions of grief, the collective experience of miners’ strike low income. Jackie is
going months without pay and stand up for what he believes is right, yet, doesn’t like when Billy
stands up for what he wants.

SYNONYMS FOR ‘EXPERIENCE’

- Actions - Skill
- Background - Struggle
- Contracts - Training
- Involvement - Understanding
- Know-how - Wisdom
- Maturity - Acquaintances
- Participation - Actuality
- Patience - Caution
- Reality - Combat
- Sense - Doings
 - Evidence
- Existences
- Exposures
- Familiarity
- Intimacy
- Inwardness
- Judgement
- Observation
- Practicality
- Proofs
- Trails
- Worldliness

Common Module
Humans of New York and The Human Experience
Common experiences that a few of the people from the 8 stories share are; all experience being
the victim of stereotyping, facing challenges, the idea of pressuring their goals and dreams,
isolation by some negative aspect, independent.

Story 5
the pursuit of dreams “I’ve been holding myself
back a little bit… But now if I
say ‘no’ it means I lack
courage”
the pursuit of happiness “And I’m excited for me, too”
Story 6
“So my goal is just to finish
my fourth draft”
“I want Jamaicans to
recognize themselves and
be proud”

the urge to understand Because I think we both “My next goal is to get a
and seek truth have a much bigger world rejection letter that tells me
ahead of us” something I can improve.”

Pultchik’s Wheel of Emotions

QUESTIONS:
What emtion/s are portrayed?
Image 1- Trust
Image 2- Admiration
Image 3- Sadness
Image 4- Disapproval
Image 5- Fear of what about to happen

What has happened for the individual to feel this way?

Image 1- The tiger was neglected by humans, taken away from its natural home, the monk
was nurturing the tiger.
Image 2- A unknown cat visits the boy, he plays the flute to attempt to make it happy.
Image 3- The bush fires are taking down the kolas home, the fire fighter notices the kola
needing help and assist.
Image 4- A protest, the women is going against the aggressive nature of war and attempts
to display peace by holding a flower.
Image 5- Underwent a long surgery on patient, waiting to see what will happen.

How does seeing the caption after each image change or influence your initial thoughts?
Image 1- After seeing the caption had no effect on my initial thought, it confirmed my
thoughts.
Image 2- Confirms what we see is what we see.
Image 3- Confirms
Image 4- After seeing the photo, confirms that the girl would have been scared due to being
so young.
Image 5- Changes my thoughts for emotions to be anticipation

What human qualities are represented?

Image 1- Displays the qualities of being selfless, generosity.
Image 2- Kindness, caring
Image 3- Compassion
 Image 4- Courage
Image 5- Determination

How does each image reflect individual and/or collective human experiences?
Image 1- It was an individual experience
Image 2- An individual experience
Image 3- Individual
Image 4- Collective experience, protesting against war.
Image 5-

Billy Elliot
1. Struggle with adversity
2. The pursuit of dreams
3. The search for identity

Experiences that occur

- Loss of mother
- Poor
- Miners’ strike
- Father and brother don’t accept him wanting to be a ballet dancer
- Grandmother- Billy looks after
- Becomes passionate about ballet
- Audition
- Mrs Wilkinson
- Dad sells mothers jewellery
- Dad destroys mothers piano

Activities
1.
2. Identify the seven main characters in the film. Draw and annotate a character web showing
connections between the characters.
Debby (Ballet
Jackie Elliot
friend, Teacher
(Father) Stereotyper
daughter)

Michael (Gay best friend)- Billy

supports Billy. Tony Elliot (Brother) more willing to
Ellliot
stand up to police. So far against billy
MC
being a ballet dancer.
Mrs Wilkinson (Ballet
Teacher)- becomes a Grandma- has
mentor and takes on a dementia. Billy’s
mother roll. added responsibility

3. Draw a graph representing the rise and fall of action. Label the graph with events.
 Climax:
Billy dancing on the table,
showing his skills of dance
to family.

Rising action:
Boxing class and ballet class join in Falling action:
the same place. Continues to go to Dance with his friend in the gym, leading
ballet. Father finds out because to his dad seeing him for the first time.
teacher asks where billys been. Mrs Leading to father wondering how to get
Wilkison enrols Billy to the audition. the money. Go to audition, it doesn’t go
Billy doesn’t go because father stops to well.
him.
Introduction:
Introduce Billy jumping up and down Conclusion:
dancing to song, making breakfast for Billy getting the acceptance
letter. Seen dancing as the
grandma. Realises grandma is gone. Goes
black swan in a ballet play
to find her as she goes walking outside. at end, all grown up. Billy
Introduced to billy and his responsibility of reaches his goal
life, and his connection with music. Mix of
all the different aspects of film in one.

4. The film focuses on Billy at the age of 11, but refers to earlier events and gives us a
glimpse of later events. Draw a time line of his ‘life; as represented in the film. On the time
line indicate any life-changing events. Explain why, in your opinion these events are life-
changing.
Earlier events:
Mother dying
Jackie’s isolation from leaving the town, explains his persona

Later events
Swan play- foreshadowed- Billy play in the black swan play. Reaching his goals
Michael is seen with another male.

Changing events:
Jackie getting on the scab bus then breaking down to get Billy the audition
Billy receiving the acceptance letter.

The Struggle with Adversity- Theme one

Adversity-a difficult or unpleasant situation.
The most significant example of the struggle with adversity presented in the film is Billy himself.

1. The circumstances that make Billy’s life tough include the lack of money provided, the lack of
nourishment support and encouragement received from family and community, not being
completely accepted, not having a mother, responsibly of grandma.
2. He deals with the struggle with adversity by dancing and listening to music even though some of the
adversity comes from the fact of dancing. He is seen talking about the fact that dancing takes him
out of this world. He also communicates his issues with his best friend Michael and Mrs Wilkinson.
3. The traumatic experience of the loss of his mother and having the responsibility to take care of his
grandma display how he is different to other seven-year olds. As a eleven year old he comes across
quite mature.
4. The working-class family life is very restricted and constrained, which is demonstrated by visual
technique of shots and angles of Billy being constrained by physical restraints including walls and
fences. It displays that everyone in the neighbourhood knows what each other are doing/going
through as they are so close and can literally overlook all neighbours. (this is seen when people are
 looking at Billy dancing) The idea that in each shot he is blocked in. Camera promotes
claustrophobic idea, reinforcing the idea that it’s a small town and everyone knows everything about
each other.
5. The piano represents the mother as she had connection to the piano when she was alive. The
father destroying the piano – DISPLAYS STRUGGLE WITH ADVERSITY that displays the lack of
money they have and how they must elaborate on the sources they have. It also signifies that the
mother still protects, even though she is not physically there. Shows the struggle that they are at the
point they must destroy valuable items to survive.
6. Billy never seeing the cathedral that he lives near, display the struggle with adversity. It
demonstrates that living in the working-class circumstances can block you from experiencing and
exploring, even when you are close. They don’t have time and money to place, socially and
economically they don’t have time to take off work to take their family out. Jackie is a product of
that, and so now is tony and billy.
7-8. It can be seen that the middle class and working class defiantly have differences in values.
Values such as the value of money and possession. Different classes such as billy and Mrs
Wilkison. This is shown when Billy’s home and life style is different to Mrs Wilkisions lifestyle. Billy
has more responsibility in his household, while Debbie (Mrs Wilkisions daughter) sits and plays
while her mother does the work. Mrs Williksion values Billy to follow your dreams (a care free
attitude) while Jackie vlues work more because you can’t follow your dreams with no money. When
both families have a big fight. The differences in value are seen mainly when there is interactions
with the families.
7. Billy is caught in between the differences of classes and their views when his family, defined as
working-class, and his dream profession to be a ballet dancer, seen as middle-class. He wants
more from life then just working in the mines. His caught in the middle because he is the one that
wants to break that mould, he wants to do something so completely different than what the norms of
the family accept. He is being pulled by his family not to do ballet, while Mrs Wilkison pushes him to
become a ballet dancer.
8. Examples of the failure of communication; Billy hiding the fact he doesn’t do boxing, he does ballet,
Jackie punching Tony, the relationship between Billy and Tony don’t talk much, and when Jackie is
sitting there at Christmas crying and no one comforts him. The problem of the males in the house
hold not effectively communicating display the struggle with adversity and how the stereotypical
factor of men not talking about their issues and emotions is a product of a working-class culture.
9. Billy successfully overcomes the struggle with adversity personally, yet his brother and father seem
to continue with the struggle. Billy not being able to hear his brother signifies the disconnect
between the brother ship, that Billy has moved on where Tony is back in the past. Symbolises the
broken relationship.

Continue Questions- The struggle with Adversity

1. In the opening sequence where Billy is seen cocking breakfast and realises something is wrong, he
shocked to what he finds and quickly rushes out of the house rushing on through the streets and
field. He then eventually finds some women in the fields, who is then introduced to be his Grandma.
This scene displays the struggle with adversity Billy deals with, by representing the responsibilities
he carries at a young age, due to his parents being busy at work.
This influences the audience to understand his condition and leads us to the idea that it is not a
unique story, that his situation is a struggle that is dealt widespread.
2. Symbolic nature of music and dancing which is connected to Billy and the grieving process he takes
in dealing with his mother death. Jackie and tony are so far away from that world of music and
dancing it reflects with their inability to deal with their mother’s death. When billy plays with the
piano and Jackie tells him he isn’t good, referencing his mother and the piano and Jackie not being
able to deal with the death.
3. The scene where Billy is at the ballet school and comes back from the audition where the boy is
talking to him, then Billy responds to the questions by punching the boy in the face is a reflection of
how Jackie deals with anger and aggression. The way that Billy has been brought up, is when you
get aggressive and angry to leash out. The way he deals with his feeling is a reflection of how his
father does it. When Jackie is seen going onto the scab bus displays how he scarifies himself for
billy even though he is really aggressive and doesn’t want to. Dealing with what he is dealing with
we forgive his angry side as we see him as a hurt and grieving man and does everything he can to
get Billy to where he is.
Struggle with Adversity- Miners’ Strike
1. The audience learns that the strike is on because the workers don’t think they are receiving enough
money. That it effected the whole community even if they didn’t participate. Margret Thatcher was
involved with the strike.

2. The filmmaker involved the coal miners’ strike repeatedly, also including a scene that focused on it
a lot and the central characters Jackie and Tony were heavily involved in the coal miners’ strike.
The scene when Jackie walks in to tell the community that Billy got accepted and he is then shut
down with the fact that the strike is finished, displays that Billy is moving on and they are moving
back.
3. The film exhibits members throwing and screaming at the scab bus, using the camera shots.
4. The scene when Jackie walks in to tell the community all excited that Billy got accepted and he is
then shut down with the fact that the strike is finished, displays that Billy is moving on and they are
moving back. Jackie comes in hamped up and the community is seen with their body language and
tone of voice display the dull mood. The camera shot of his face show….
5. The point of view from characters demonstrate viewpoints of the pro-miners

Bring it all together- Synthesise the film’s representation of the struggle with adversity.
1. When Billy’s dad finds out he still loves ballet and the scene where Billy dances on the table relates
to each as they both present Billy and his troubles of being able to dance.
The resolution of the coal miners’ strike distracts the community from really paying attention to
Billy’s personal struggles.
If Billy’s mother was alive she would have influenced Jackie and Tony to accept billy and his love for
ballet more. His mother would have taken the responsibility off billy for caring for his grandma.
The fact that the socio-economic time are tough, the fact that the politics doesn’t support the coal
miner strike.
When the coal miner strike resolves itself, the community comes to the realisation that it is not worth
pushing billy away from his dreams. They reflect their situations and understand that they do not
want to force Billy into what they were forced into.
2. Jackie realises Billy’s potential by seeing him dance in the gym, this is the point where Jackie
decides Billy has potential and wants him to succeed. Jackie puts his steroytypes to the side and
allows Billy to have the choice of his own life. The emotional scene where Jackie falls to his knees
and Tony nutuors him. Jackie are strong aggressive man is seen to break down onto his eyes and
cry.
Jackie choses with his heart to prioritise his son over the strike as he reminds himself that his wife
would want Billy to do what he wants and to make him happy. It is
3. The struggle with adversity can be positive as the film reveals this in the scene where Billy is
successfully dancing on the stage as the main character of the black swan play. The use of lighting
focusing on him, highlights the positive outcome of the struggle with adversity.
The positive side of living I n a close community, they look out for each other, they support each
other more. E.g. boxing coach giving money.
Jackie gets closer over his grieving process

PETAL Paragraph

The struggle with adversity is a human experience that has the power to weaken an individual but also to
assist an individual. Stephan Daldry exhibits this in the film ‘Billy Elliot’ during the scene where Billy is on
the bus leaving his family and life behind to succeed in the Royal Ballet School. The intense use of the
cameras flipping on Billy not being able to hear Tony and back to Tony tyring to scream out to Billy,
symbolises that Billy is now moving forward with his life and tony is still held back in the past. This
demonstrates the disconnection between the brothers. ‘Billy Elliot’ essentially evaluates on the fact that
individuals can either overcome the struggle of adversity or be held back by it.

The Pursuit of Dreams- Theme Two

 The value of dreams for individuals and social groups is placed favourably as it a goal that drives
them to succussed. Inspires people to want to achieve things. Social groups- benefit is developing
relationship, more easier to achieve, develop skills. Each person has something to bring to the
table.
  Every individual may value dreams differently, depending on how they view it. Not everyone knows
what they want to do. Some people don’t need a dream to be motivated.
 The drive to succussed, assistance from others and the will to happiness are factors that contribute
to success of dreams. The opposite of this may be giving up, fear of failure, scared of what others
may think and finical concerns, which lead to failure of dreams. Opportunities, socio-economic and
the support of the people around you.
 An individual may not realise they have a specific dream, yet, they may value the intention to
achieve something. Failure can be seen as a lesson.
 My dream for the future is to travel and to be happy with what I have found and achieved and
understand the world and myself more. The HSC will help build me as a person and skills that I
need for later in life. This dream is important to me as I will be able to answer the most important
question to myself.

Focus on Billy’s Dreams

1. Billy’s dream is to be a successful ballet dancer.

More Questions On Pursuit Of Dreams.

1. Music and editing are used to create the significance of dance if that scene. Dance is a way of
expressing the way of emotions. Its significant as they all seen dancing, highlighting the importance
of music and dance in their life’s. The specific selection of song, signifies the importance of music in
everyday life and how it plays a role in all of Billy’s family life.
2. The scene signifies that there does not need to be any talking because Billy can naturally dance
and it’s a part of his lifestyle, it’s almost like a natural instinct. It’s a way of him communicating his
emotions through dance. This part of the film is where Billy realises that he has realised that he can
naturally dance and doesn’t need a teacher to teach him, he can finally achieve his dream.
3. Physical barriers around him as he was dancing in that scene, angry emotive scene. (TALKED
BOUT IN PERVIOUS QUESTIONS) Technique is use of setting and camera angles.
4. The use of reoccurring music motif, or talk about body language. Billy stands infornt of his father
then he starts dancing. Positioning of characters, confidently stands infornt of father and move
through dance. Facial expression, friend looking shocked, Billy fathers facial expression where at
the beginning he was mad to realising he is actually a good dancer.
5. As the audience we get the impression that it doesn’t go very well. Camera angle Point of view,
seeing panel through Billy’s eyes and back to the judges eyes. Facial expression of judges look
unimpressed. Music plays a key role aswell.
All of these scenes are gradual moves to Billy’s dream. If use in essay, gradual process that took place in
Billys recognition of Billy’s dream. He gets the dance, the brother and fathe clash, bit of a set back, but then
Father realises his potentional.
We love to boogy is the hope for us that there may be acceptance of dance, the setback of the brother and
teacher fighting, then resovled by father seeing billy dance, he then goes to the ballet school and audience
thinks he fails but successes.

Final Dance Scene Analysis

1. The mood of nervous anticipation is represent by the strong use of loud intense music. The music
starts off soft then gradually gets louder then intense to a point where it reaches the climax of the
song, Billy is then told his family is here which then turns the music soft reping that he may be a bit
more calmer. Close ups of Billy stretching and jumping and the quick changing of the camera
angles and who it is focusing on all adds to the nervousness that we as the audience feel and Billy
himself.
2. The film only shows the first grand leap on to the stage as it creates a cliff hanger, also because it
highlights that he has finally pursued his dreams and that moment represents it all. Us as the
audience does not need to know more because we know that he had reached his dream, that he
has won. The leap is the climax of his journey towards his dream, we don’t need to see anymore
because we as an audience have already been satisfied with what we see.
3. The reaction of Billy’s face to the leap is an important moment in the film as it shows his strong
emotions to his son succeeding. Reflects how far they have come. Final point of seeing father not
just accept billy and what he does but becomes emotional about what he is doing and happy.
4. The use of the cut to the airborne dance moves that we saw at the start of the film relates us back to
where it all started from. A full circle, a tie of nicely, from where he has come from to where he has
 ended up a contrast of these two things. The jumping at the beginning wasn’t professional now he
is, really signifies it. The lyrics were about a bird which represent Billy as a swan. The change of
music exentuates, from swna lake where It was classic ballet music to music singing about music.
The audition foreshadows

PETAL paragraph
The human experience, pursuit of dreams relates to the attempt of achieving a set goal or desire.
Stephen Daldry has successfully exhibited this significant concept of pursuing one’s dreams in his
film ‘Billy Elliot’. Daldry uses the central character Billy to express the prosperous journey of the
pursuit of dreams to the human experience. In the end scene where Billy dances as the main
character of the play ‘swan lake’ at the Theatre Royal in London, illustrates the triumph of pursuing
his dream. The use of the full shot camera angle with Billy being the salient image, captures the
grand leap of Billy, demonstrating that Billy has reached his dream of becoming a professional
dancer. The significance of this scene symbolises the flight of Billy’s struggle to achieve his dream
has finally come to an end. Daldry has effectively established the human experience of pursuing
one’s dream.

Focus on Billy’s search for identity

Characters experience and their personal growth

1. Jackie understands his own capabilities and how to control himself.
Tony
Michael
2. The film represents Jackie’s personal growth through showing how grows. He is portrayed as
always angry and stereotypical male, but then at the end he shows his feelings and accepts
different norms.

3. Tony’s development growth is shown when he tells Billy who is on the bus, that he is going to miss
him.
Michael’s development is shown in the last scene when he displays his true self, as a gay male.

Petal paragraph
Human experiences are explored by all humans that lead an individual to developing there self-growth. This
can be assessed through the film ‘Billy Elliot’ by (AUTHOR), that expands the audience’s knowledge of
human experiences . (AUTHOR) displayed the self-growth through the minor characters Jackie (Billy’s
Father) and Tony (Billy’s brother). In the scene of

Notes on the film

Relate to the three themes: STRUGGLE WITH ADVERISTY, PURSUIT OF DREAMS AND SEARCH FOR
IDENTIY. Go Through Notes and Look At The Techniques in the examples.
- Struggle with adversity is shown in the scene when Billy and his grandmother vist his dead mothers
grave and Billy is cutting the grass while his grandmother wonders off trying to find the grave. Billy
screams for his grandma to tell her the grave is where he is. Demonstrates the responsibility billy
has and the effect the responsibility has on him.
- The song he was playing on the piano contrast into the scene he is doing ballet. Connection
between mum and music and him doing dance.
- Billy lying about trying to find gloves and covering the fact that his hiding his ballet shoes from dad.
STRUGGLE WITH ADVERSITY
- Michael complementing Billy looking good in a tutu.
- Billy having to stealing a book that relates to ballet shows the struggle with adversity. Low income of
money, can’t afford.
- Repetition of Mrs wilikson saying prepare in different environments and then saying go and then not
really congratulating him on getting it right. Could represent the flight of being a male ballet, and not
congratulating him displays that he should expect that.
- Contrast of Billy dancing and failing to his dad screaming at the scab bus.
- Billy’s dad concerned about where Billy is always going leads him to finding Billy participating in
ballet practice. His dad screams at him to leave practice. Leads to them talking about ballet at the
table with his grandma. His dad continues to discourage men doing ballet, saying its only for poofs
and men should be doing boxing. “Aye, for your Nanna. For girls. Not for las, Billy. Lads do football,
or boxing, or wrestling. Not friggin’ Ballet” Jackie, Facial expression shows the anger.
- Billys dad crushes his dream saying he can’t do boxing or even ballet and he must stay home and
watch his grandma. Shows the struggle with adversity.
- “I hate you. You’re a bastard.” Billy, Then there is a pause then Jackie jumps up, slams billy up
against the war. Mid to close up shot displays the whole action and aggression his father has
because he is a stereotypical male of that era. The music in the background –“children of the
revolution” relates to how billy is indeed a child of the revolution. Billy is breaking the whole
stereotype of males not being able to do ballet.
- Billy saying that he doesn’t think he misses his mum just saying that he feels sad is the
understanding that he hasn’t fully comprehended his mother’s death and experienced the grief of it
all. Camera angle of the full shot of Billly and Debbie on the bed shows his facial angles of him
being sad.
- Mrs Wilkinson asks Billy to do the audition to the royal ballet school, Billy freaks out stating that he
cant pay for the tutoring lessons and about his dad not accepting it or his boxing mates. Struggle
with adversity
- Billy is seen looking over the fence in the hall, seeing the boxing equipment and Mrs wilkision in the
corner smoking ready for ballet practice. Shows the link and contrast of the two in his life.
- Billy and Mrs Wilkinson are in the hall and Billy reads out the letter from his mum. “Ill always be
there. Through everything… Please be yourself” Mum.
- We love to boogie scene, everyone is listening to the song. When he enters the house the song
automatically ends, symbol that he must start acting like he doesn’t like music and dance.
- All 3 men are in the kitchen fighting, because tony wants to leave and commit a crime and Jackie
trys to stop him. Tony continues to insult him and jackie hits tony and tony leaves.
- Mrs Wilkinson and billy are in the gym practicing ballet, billy and Mrs get into an argument due to
billy being angry from the fight with his father so he puts all his frustrations on Mrs. She slaps him in
the face then hugs him
- On the fairy, Mrs Wilkinson tells Billy the story of the swan lake play.
- Billy is in the kitchen grabbing a drink and he dreams of his mother in the kitchen with him telling
him to behaviour properly.
- Tony is running from the police, running through houses of the community, while the rest of the
miners on strike run around with police chasing.
- Billy sees Tony running and getting caught by the police. Because of this Billy misses the audition.
- Mrs goes to see where Billy is, so she goes to his house. She informs the family that billy missed
the audition. Tony surprised and shocked by this, turns angry because of what he is going through
and because b
- ‘I don’t want to do ballet, I want to do ballet’ Billy says
- Tony puts Billy on the table and tells him to dance. Transitions into to music and cut scence from
the fight of mrs wilkinson and tony to billy dancing with the barriers around him. (This Is tin a
question already done. Look for it)
- Jackie smashes up the mothers piano angrily to use it for fire wood on Christmas. Billy, his dad and
grandmother are around the fire eating and his dad breaks down in tears.
- Michael and Billy are hanging with each other on Christmas night, Michael warms up Billy’s hands
and kisses him on the cheek. Christmas lights in the background
- Michael and Billy are in the gym and Billy is teaching Michael how to do ballet.
- The man are walking home from the puo half-drunk and the boxing teacher realises the light is on.
He goes to check it out and sees the boys doing ballet, so he goes and gets Jackie.
- Jackie enters and sees the boys mucking around. Michael quickly takes of his tutu. It goes silent but
billy grows courage and continues to dance and show his natural talent off to his father.
- With a shocked face Jackie walks away while Michael is clapping for Billys performance.
- Mrs Wilinson offers to help Jackie pay for the ballet audition, Jackie gets defensive and tells Jackie
“His my son, ill handle him myself.”
- Jackie is caught by Billy leaving early in the morning. Jackie goes to hop on the scab bus to return
to work.
- Tony sees Jackie on the bus and tries to get him off. Camera angel of tony running through the
crowd to get to Jackie shows the chaos of the whole situation.
- “It’s for Wee Billy.” Jackie breaks down due to no money because he wants to support his son and
his dream.
- “Mam would have let you” Tony says while they’re in bed.