The Ace Of Diamonds Gang (short text study)
In the short story “Ace of Diamonds Gang” the ace of
diamonds and the library card were used to symbolise the two ideas of fantasy
and reality.
The ace of diamonds is a calling card of the gang. They put it on their mask and on small cards to leave at the scene of the crime. The ace of diamonds is used to represent the idea of fantasy. It is used on their mask to show the anonymity of them and the immortality of their gang. The ace of diamonds gives a sense of power to the narrator and makes him feel like the “heroes of history” and powerful organisations such as the “Jacobites” and the “scarlet pimpernel”. The author uses a military style language, “scouts taking posts” to describe the junkyard as the gang plots their assault. This gives the illusion of a dangerous, big military operation which again is symbolised by the ace of diamonds.
The narrators library card was the downfall of the gang. The narrator accidently placed it on Mr Jorgossens door instead of the ace of diamonds card. The library card represents the idea of reality, the normality of the gang, the fact they are library card carrying citizens. The library card symbolising reality is enhanced by their “mundane deficiencies”, “Ashley’s wind, Bernie’s glasses and Hec Green having to be in by 9 o’clock every night”. This is a huge contrast to the amazing, wraith-like heroes they claim to be. The library card represents their true self, and is the key that ends boyhood and helps transfer the narrator into adolescence.
The author uses the ace of diamonds to symbolise the fantasy of the ace of diamonds gang and the library card to symbolise the reality of the kids having ordinary traits and lives. As the text goes on the author builds on these two ideas by contrasting them very strongly. He builds the heroic life the gang has and then brings them crashing back to reality by robbing them of this life they have by using the library card.
The ace of diamonds is a calling card of the gang. They put it on their mask and on small cards to leave at the scene of the crime. The ace of diamonds is used to represent the idea of fantasy. It is used on their mask to show the anonymity of them and the immortality of their gang. The ace of diamonds gives a sense of power to the narrator and makes him feel like the “heroes of history” and powerful organisations such as the “Jacobites” and the “scarlet pimpernel”. The author uses a military style language, “scouts taking posts” to describe the junkyard as the gang plots their assault. This gives the illusion of a dangerous, big military operation which again is symbolised by the ace of diamonds.
The narrators library card was the downfall of the gang. The narrator accidently placed it on Mr Jorgossens door instead of the ace of diamonds card. The library card represents the idea of reality, the normality of the gang, the fact they are library card carrying citizens. The library card symbolising reality is enhanced by their “mundane deficiencies”, “Ashley’s wind, Bernie’s glasses and Hec Green having to be in by 9 o’clock every night”. This is a huge contrast to the amazing, wraith-like heroes they claim to be. The library card represents their true self, and is the key that ends boyhood and helps transfer the narrator into adolescence.
The author uses the ace of diamonds to symbolise the fantasy of the ace of diamonds gang and the library card to symbolise the reality of the kids having ordinary traits and lives. As the text goes on the author builds on these two ideas by contrasting them very strongly. He builds the heroic life the gang has and then brings them crashing back to reality by robbing them of this life they have by using the library card.
Ace of Diamonds - reworked (short text study)
In the short story “Ace of Diamonds Gang” the ace of
diamonds and the library card were used to symbolise the two ideas of fantasy
and reality.
The ace of diamonds is a calling card of the gang. They put it on their mask and on small cards to leave at the scene of the crime. The ace of diamonds is used to represent the idea of fantasy. When the gang use the Ace Of Diamonds on their masks it defines them, their anonymity they try to keep staying undetected, ‘like wraiths’. The ace of diamonds gives a sense of brotherhood amongst the gang members especially affecting the narrator giving him the ability escape from being ‘thirteen years old in a provincial town’. This superiority the gang self proclaim makes them feel like the “heroes of history” they thrive to be like. The Author uses military language and imagery to get the message of power and lethality across. He uses words such as ‘rendezvous’ and ‘formation’. This style builds on the fact that the kids think their gang is fearless and untouchable like the ‘Fish Christians’ or the ‘Jacobites’. The Ace of diamonds is the core of their gang and that is why they use it on their mask, to show that is what symbolises them.
The narrator’s library card was the downfall of the gang. The narrator accidently placed it on Mr Jorgossens door instead of the ace of diamonds card. The library card represents the idea of reality, the normality of the gang, the fact they are library card carrying citizens. This is a contrast to the Fantasy of the Ace Of Diamonds. The library card also symbolises the gang’s real life deficiencies, ‘Ashley’s wind, Bernie’s glasses and Hec Green having to be in by 9 o’clock’. This defies the idea of them being superior and powerful like they claim to be. These ‘mundane deficiencies’ shows that they are not ‘heroes of history’ or anything like the powerful gangs but just simple law abiding citizens. The face the author has a library card at all means that he is most likely a avid reader or you could say nerdy even. This is definitely not the amazing type of gang they strive to be. This is why the author uses the library card to bring the kids back to reality and ultimately breaking up the Ace of Diamonds Gang.
The author uses the ace of diamonds to symbolise the fantasy of the ace of diamonds gang and the library card to symbolise the reality of the kids having ordinary traits and lives. As the text goes on the author builds on these two ideas by contrasting them very strongly. He builds the heroic life the gang has and then brings them crashing back to reality by robbing them of this life they have by using the library card.
The ace of diamonds is a calling card of the gang. They put it on their mask and on small cards to leave at the scene of the crime. The ace of diamonds is used to represent the idea of fantasy. When the gang use the Ace Of Diamonds on their masks it defines them, their anonymity they try to keep staying undetected, ‘like wraiths’. The ace of diamonds gives a sense of brotherhood amongst the gang members especially affecting the narrator giving him the ability escape from being ‘thirteen years old in a provincial town’. This superiority the gang self proclaim makes them feel like the “heroes of history” they thrive to be like. The Author uses military language and imagery to get the message of power and lethality across. He uses words such as ‘rendezvous’ and ‘formation’. This style builds on the fact that the kids think their gang is fearless and untouchable like the ‘Fish Christians’ or the ‘Jacobites’. The Ace of diamonds is the core of their gang and that is why they use it on their mask, to show that is what symbolises them.
The narrator’s library card was the downfall of the gang. The narrator accidently placed it on Mr Jorgossens door instead of the ace of diamonds card. The library card represents the idea of reality, the normality of the gang, the fact they are library card carrying citizens. This is a contrast to the Fantasy of the Ace Of Diamonds. The library card also symbolises the gang’s real life deficiencies, ‘Ashley’s wind, Bernie’s glasses and Hec Green having to be in by 9 o’clock’. This defies the idea of them being superior and powerful like they claim to be. These ‘mundane deficiencies’ shows that they are not ‘heroes of history’ or anything like the powerful gangs but just simple law abiding citizens. The face the author has a library card at all means that he is most likely a avid reader or you could say nerdy even. This is definitely not the amazing type of gang they strive to be. This is why the author uses the library card to bring the kids back to reality and ultimately breaking up the Ace of Diamonds Gang.
The author uses the ace of diamonds to symbolise the fantasy of the ace of diamonds gang and the library card to symbolise the reality of the kids having ordinary traits and lives. As the text goes on the author builds on these two ideas by contrasting them very strongly. He builds the heroic life the gang has and then brings them crashing back to reality by robbing them of this life they have by using the library card.
The Paper Parcel (short text study)
In the short story “The Paper Parcel” by Owen Marshall two
ideas that were symbolized were the transience of sexual preference and the
drastic difference in understanding and opinion of parents and children. The Paper
Parcel is a great symbol for both of these ideas. The main idea of the story is
definitely the sexual preferment everyone desires to have. The story tells us
how the narrator gains it and loses it in one swoop thanks to the
misunderstanding of his mother.
When he arrives at the dance the writer uses contrast to show how different he is compared to everyone else. This is when he begins to lose his almighty power of sexual preferment. The author uses repetition and imagery to build this contrast of the amazing, bright, bold costumes and the narrators dull, brown, paper parcel. The author uses profanity to show his disgust in his own costume, repeating “Jesus” many times. When the narrator dances with Kelly he gets the message that his parcel is not attractive at all. The parcel had made him ugly. This is when he had finally lost his power of sexual magnetism.
Another idea the parcel represents is the difference in views between adults and children. When the narrator tells his parents he instantly knows they think its “some kids thing” where as to the narrator it is the most important thing in the world. It is proven she doesn’t think much of the dance when she says “it was a cheap costume too”. That quote also represents why she thinks the parcel is such a good costume. The narrator doesn’t think it’s a good costume at all, contrasting the two view points between the child and adult. To enhance the contrast the author uses profanity to show his hatred in the paper parcel.
The narrator continues to blame reality not matching the visions he fore sees. The symbolism of “the bland comprehension of adults and the loss of sexual status” is perfectly represented by the paper parcel.
When he arrives at the dance the writer uses contrast to show how different he is compared to everyone else. This is when he begins to lose his almighty power of sexual preferment. The author uses repetition and imagery to build this contrast of the amazing, bright, bold costumes and the narrators dull, brown, paper parcel. The author uses profanity to show his disgust in his own costume, repeating “Jesus” many times. When the narrator dances with Kelly he gets the message that his parcel is not attractive at all. The parcel had made him ugly. This is when he had finally lost his power of sexual magnetism.
Another idea the parcel represents is the difference in views between adults and children. When the narrator tells his parents he instantly knows they think its “some kids thing” where as to the narrator it is the most important thing in the world. It is proven she doesn’t think much of the dance when she says “it was a cheap costume too”. That quote also represents why she thinks the parcel is such a good costume. The narrator doesn’t think it’s a good costume at all, contrasting the two view points between the child and adult. To enhance the contrast the author uses profanity to show his hatred in the paper parcel.
The narrator continues to blame reality not matching the visions he fore sees. The symbolism of “the bland comprehension of adults and the loss of sexual status” is perfectly represented by the paper parcel.
Paper Parcel - reworked (short text study)
In the short story “The Paper Parcel” by Owen Marshall two
ideas that were symbolised were the transience of sexual preference and the
drastic difference in understanding and opinion of parents and children. The
Paper Parcel is a great symbol for both of these ideas. The main idea of the
story is definitely the sexual preferment everyone desires to have. The story
tells us how the narrator gains it and loses it in one swoop thanks to the
misunderstanding of his mother.
One idea that is important is sexual preferment. The author uses the paper parcel to symbolise this idea particularly well at the dance and leading up to it. The author describes his disgust in his costume using profanity like ‘Jesus’ but when he arrives at the dance the writer uses imagery to show how much better everyone else’s costume is 'Tommy was a fire-chief with a crested helmet that glittered' 'Dusty's Captain Marvel insignia was startling on his chest'. Then the Author says ‘and I was a parcel’ this shows he is so disappointed in his costume it leaves his rather speechless. He then gives a detailed description of his costume and it is nothing but bad. 'A brown paper parcel with bare legs and sandshoes. A brown paper parcel that crinkled when I moved.' Contrasting between his costume and everyone else’s was very effective in enhancing his own hate in his costume. When he dances with Kelly, she is not very interesting as if ‘she were doing me a favour’ dancing with him. This contrast from the first time they danced, he was cool and had the power of attraction. But now the author notices the ‘transience of sexual preferment’.
Another idea the parcel represents is the difference in views between adults and children. The author has the idea that the party is the most important thing in his upcoming life. Yet his mother and father believe is nothing but ‘some kids thing’. This opinion she has on the party is shown by her lack of effort 'oh we'll rustle something up don't worry'. Instead the author sees this as the prime time to show his skills with the enhancement of his sexual preference ‘sprint the length of the hall’. The mother’s lack of interest is particularly shown when she doesn’t even bother to start until after dinner. Another view she has is that no one goes to the party on time. This is obvious to the narrator that they do but the mother uses her personal, adult experiences to make the decision instead. Once again her lack of understanding creates even more tension for the narrator. To sum it up the narrator’s ideas and the mothers ideas are completely different when it comes to the paper parcel, this is why it symbolises that idea so well.
Overall Owen Marshall has shown the reader the immense misunderstanding parents can have of children and vice versa, as well as the ‘transience of sexual preferment’ and how fast a simple paper parcel can lose you the sexual attraction.
One idea that is important is sexual preferment. The author uses the paper parcel to symbolise this idea particularly well at the dance and leading up to it. The author describes his disgust in his costume using profanity like ‘Jesus’ but when he arrives at the dance the writer uses imagery to show how much better everyone else’s costume is 'Tommy was a fire-chief with a crested helmet that glittered' 'Dusty's Captain Marvel insignia was startling on his chest'. Then the Author says ‘and I was a parcel’ this shows he is so disappointed in his costume it leaves his rather speechless. He then gives a detailed description of his costume and it is nothing but bad. 'A brown paper parcel with bare legs and sandshoes. A brown paper parcel that crinkled when I moved.' Contrasting between his costume and everyone else’s was very effective in enhancing his own hate in his costume. When he dances with Kelly, she is not very interesting as if ‘she were doing me a favour’ dancing with him. This contrast from the first time they danced, he was cool and had the power of attraction. But now the author notices the ‘transience of sexual preferment’.
Another idea the parcel represents is the difference in views between adults and children. The author has the idea that the party is the most important thing in his upcoming life. Yet his mother and father believe is nothing but ‘some kids thing’. This opinion she has on the party is shown by her lack of effort 'oh we'll rustle something up don't worry'. Instead the author sees this as the prime time to show his skills with the enhancement of his sexual preference ‘sprint the length of the hall’. The mother’s lack of interest is particularly shown when she doesn’t even bother to start until after dinner. Another view she has is that no one goes to the party on time. This is obvious to the narrator that they do but the mother uses her personal, adult experiences to make the decision instead. Once again her lack of understanding creates even more tension for the narrator. To sum it up the narrator’s ideas and the mothers ideas are completely different when it comes to the paper parcel, this is why it symbolises that idea so well.
Overall Owen Marshall has shown the reader the immense misunderstanding parents can have of children and vice versa, as well as the ‘transience of sexual preferment’ and how fast a simple paper parcel can lose you the sexual attraction.
Samson & Delilah (film study)
In the film Samson & Delilah directed by Warwick Thornton three techniques were used to develop the deeper idea of harsh realities faced by young aborigines in Australia. These Techniques were cinematography, props and make-up.
In the film Thornton uses props to confront the audience about the harsh reality of drug abuse faced by young Aborigines in Australia. The prop used is a petrol can. Samson is first seen sniffing petrol at the very start of the film. He wakes up and the first thing he does is sniff petrol from a can. Thornton wanted to use Samson and the petrol can is a symbol, to show the audience that so many young aborigines such as Samson are forced to use drugs by the society they live in. This is reinforced throughout the film by Samson continuously going back to sniff petrol.
A second technique used by Thornton was cinematography. He utilised a long shot to portray the harsh reality of young aborigines’ dislocation from their culture in Australia. In the long shot, Samson is sitting on a hill looking down at his village. Samson was feeling disowned and out casted by his village and culture both physically and emotionally. This was triggered by an outburst of anger resulting in Samson being beaten up. A high angle was used to emphasise the long shot therefore emphasising the distance between Samson and his village and also to hint to the audience Samson is disgusted that his culture could turn its back on him. The harsh reality of dislocation is common amongst young aborigines and Thornton wanted to really confront the audience about just how hard it is to start a new life. This is shown through another long shit of Samson with his back turned walking away into the mountain range. This symbolises Samson turning his back on both his village and his culture and having to enter the unexplored terrain of a new life.
Violence is a big part of young aborigines’ lives whether they want it or not. Thornton wanted to show the severity of violence by using expert make-up techniques such as shadowing and latex to create an extreme effect. Delilah has been abducted by a few people in a car leaving the audience to assume she has been beaten up and sexually abused. Delilah is then seen in silhouette hiding her face, this brings the audience in, on the edge of their seats. A mid-shot of Delilah is used to confront the audience with extreme facial bruising and swelling along with blood on her teeth. Thornton uses make-up techniques of shadowing and latex to create these effects. Shadowing is used to create extensive bruising under the eye. Latex is used to build the gory swelling around the right eye. Small buds of wet tissue around the eye are covered in latex to establish the filthy swollen eye with a dab of foundation to finish. Also a drop of stage blood is smeared on her teeth to clearly show she had been punched in the mouth or something similar
Thornton wanted to confront the world about the harsh realities of the younger generation of aborigines have to live with. The struggle of growing up and the unequal opportunity these aborigines have in contrast to the rest of Australia society. He accomplished this by using the techniques of cinematography, props, and make-up competently. Samson & Delilah managed to lose its arthouse status and become an internationally successful film, this is how he managed to confront all of Australia rather than the arthouse critics who agreed with his point of view anyway. Thornton wanted to break out of the cycle of European directors trying to portray a life they know hardly anything about. Thornton is an aborigine is grew up in Alice Springs and knew exactly what life was really like. He wanted this to be an aborigine production with aborigine actors showing an aborigine life with an aborigine director crafting an aborigine film.
In the film Thornton uses props to confront the audience about the harsh reality of drug abuse faced by young Aborigines in Australia. The prop used is a petrol can. Samson is first seen sniffing petrol at the very start of the film. He wakes up and the first thing he does is sniff petrol from a can. Thornton wanted to use Samson and the petrol can is a symbol, to show the audience that so many young aborigines such as Samson are forced to use drugs by the society they live in. This is reinforced throughout the film by Samson continuously going back to sniff petrol.
A second technique used by Thornton was cinematography. He utilised a long shot to portray the harsh reality of young aborigines’ dislocation from their culture in Australia. In the long shot, Samson is sitting on a hill looking down at his village. Samson was feeling disowned and out casted by his village and culture both physically and emotionally. This was triggered by an outburst of anger resulting in Samson being beaten up. A high angle was used to emphasise the long shot therefore emphasising the distance between Samson and his village and also to hint to the audience Samson is disgusted that his culture could turn its back on him. The harsh reality of dislocation is common amongst young aborigines and Thornton wanted to really confront the audience about just how hard it is to start a new life. This is shown through another long shit of Samson with his back turned walking away into the mountain range. This symbolises Samson turning his back on both his village and his culture and having to enter the unexplored terrain of a new life.
Violence is a big part of young aborigines’ lives whether they want it or not. Thornton wanted to show the severity of violence by using expert make-up techniques such as shadowing and latex to create an extreme effect. Delilah has been abducted by a few people in a car leaving the audience to assume she has been beaten up and sexually abused. Delilah is then seen in silhouette hiding her face, this brings the audience in, on the edge of their seats. A mid-shot of Delilah is used to confront the audience with extreme facial bruising and swelling along with blood on her teeth. Thornton uses make-up techniques of shadowing and latex to create these effects. Shadowing is used to create extensive bruising under the eye. Latex is used to build the gory swelling around the right eye. Small buds of wet tissue around the eye are covered in latex to establish the filthy swollen eye with a dab of foundation to finish. Also a drop of stage blood is smeared on her teeth to clearly show she had been punched in the mouth or something similar
Thornton wanted to confront the world about the harsh realities of the younger generation of aborigines have to live with. The struggle of growing up and the unequal opportunity these aborigines have in contrast to the rest of Australia society. He accomplished this by using the techniques of cinematography, props, and make-up competently. Samson & Delilah managed to lose its arthouse status and become an internationally successful film, this is how he managed to confront all of Australia rather than the arthouse critics who agreed with his point of view anyway. Thornton wanted to break out of the cycle of European directors trying to portray a life they know hardly anything about. Thornton is an aborigine is grew up in Alice Springs and knew exactly what life was really like. He wanted this to be an aborigine production with aborigine actors showing an aborigine life with an aborigine director crafting an aborigine film.
Romeo and Juliet
Shakespeare explores revenge and it’s destructive consequences by firstly setting the play ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in the middle of an ongoing feud between two families. He then shows the consequences of revenge through the death of two main characters, Mercutio and Tybalt. Finally he delivers a moral lesson at the end: that no good comes from revenge – shown by the death of the two young lovers, Romeo and Juliet.
The play 'Romeo and Juliet' is a love story amongst violence between two families. This is evident in the first scene. A servant from the Capulets and one from the Montagues start a street fight. Shakespeare chose to use this fight to show how deep the thought of revenge can run between the two families. This fight also emphasises that this play is not only a love story but equally a story of violence and revenge.
The deaths of Tybalt and Mercutio show us the violent and destructive consequences of revenge. Half – way through the play Tybalt challenged Romeo to a duel. Romeo denied Tybalt’s challenge but Mercutio is outraged by this and takes Tybalt on his challenge. Mercutio was defeated easily by Tybalt. Tybalt chose to fight Romeo simply because he is from the Montague family. Revenge is what causes the protagonist, Tybalt, to act so erratically and impulsively. Tybalt has no reason to hate Romeo, it is an illogical hate because the rage of revenge blinds people to reason. The subsequent death of Mercutio changed Romeos outlook from a calm, peaceful one to a “fiery eye’d fury” and results in the death of Tybalt. This ultimately gets Romeo banished from Italy and is the turning point of the plot. Shakespeare shows the destructive consequences, especially can change human nature so drastically that you can go from loving someone “better than thou canst devise” to an uncontrollable rage.
The play ends with the death of Romeo and Juliet. This is the ultimate consequence of all the violent revenge that has happened throughout the play. Shakespeare chose to kill off the two heroes because they are the two characters trying to escape the hatred between the two families. Shakespeare did this to show that the repercussions of revenge are swift and deadly and can affect even the most innocent, love-stricken people.
Shakespeare inter-twines revenge and its destructive consequences by setting the play amongst two feuding families. He then shows the audience the destructive consequences by having two main characters die, Mercutio and Tybalt. Lastly he shows the ultimate consequence of the death of Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare’s huge themes shown in this play are timeless. This play and the ideas have influenced directors and writers up until present day. These timeless ideas and themes are particularly evident in films such as ‘West Side Story’
The play 'Romeo and Juliet' is a love story amongst violence between two families. This is evident in the first scene. A servant from the Capulets and one from the Montagues start a street fight. Shakespeare chose to use this fight to show how deep the thought of revenge can run between the two families. This fight also emphasises that this play is not only a love story but equally a story of violence and revenge.
The deaths of Tybalt and Mercutio show us the violent and destructive consequences of revenge. Half – way through the play Tybalt challenged Romeo to a duel. Romeo denied Tybalt’s challenge but Mercutio is outraged by this and takes Tybalt on his challenge. Mercutio was defeated easily by Tybalt. Tybalt chose to fight Romeo simply because he is from the Montague family. Revenge is what causes the protagonist, Tybalt, to act so erratically and impulsively. Tybalt has no reason to hate Romeo, it is an illogical hate because the rage of revenge blinds people to reason. The subsequent death of Mercutio changed Romeos outlook from a calm, peaceful one to a “fiery eye’d fury” and results in the death of Tybalt. This ultimately gets Romeo banished from Italy and is the turning point of the plot. Shakespeare shows the destructive consequences, especially can change human nature so drastically that you can go from loving someone “better than thou canst devise” to an uncontrollable rage.
The play ends with the death of Romeo and Juliet. This is the ultimate consequence of all the violent revenge that has happened throughout the play. Shakespeare chose to kill off the two heroes because they are the two characters trying to escape the hatred between the two families. Shakespeare did this to show that the repercussions of revenge are swift and deadly and can affect even the most innocent, love-stricken people.
Shakespeare inter-twines revenge and its destructive consequences by setting the play amongst two feuding families. He then shows the audience the destructive consequences by having two main characters die, Mercutio and Tybalt. Lastly he shows the ultimate consequence of the death of Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare’s huge themes shown in this play are timeless. This play and the ideas have influenced directors and writers up until present day. These timeless ideas and themes are particularly evident in films such as ‘West Side Story’
