Inner journeys: choosing related material November 14, 2007
Posted by eruditehsc in Area of Studies, Area of Study: Journeys 2006 - 2008, HSC, HSC English, Inner journeys, Resources, related material.trackback
Q: I’m doing inner journeys and my prescribed text is the Empire of the Sun, just wondering if you could suggest any texts that could be a suitable related material?
A: Empire of the Sun is essentially a survival story focusing on a boy during the Second World War. It doesn’t have to be a direct link but the issues of hardship and survival can be your linking thread – the inner strength people find in challenging circumstances such as war as well as the friendships. The following three have war themes.
- This is about some Vietnam vets from Australian Story ABC. It’s a two part program. You can access the transcript: http://www.abc.net.au/austory/specials/behindenemylines/default.htm
- This is a link to a soldier and his life changing experiences in Timor: http://www.abc.net.au/austory/specials/thepeacemaker/default.htm
- This is about a group of students who went to Gallipoli http://www.abc.net.au/austory/specials/gallipoli/default.htm
If you are into anime, there’s “Grave of the Fireflies”. Brother and sister in the period after Hiroshima. Probably a good text for similarities and differences. The Japanese perspective makes it an interesting choice as well.
Q: Andrew Denton interviews are great to analyse but I am having trouble finding other texts that I could draw more links to my prescribed text.
I was thinking of doing a poem and a picture book. For a film, i’m considering About Schmidt- directed by Alexander Payne or Schindler’s List directed by Spilberg, do you think they are appropriate supplementary texts? I was thinking of doing a poem and a picture book. For a film, i’m considering About Schmidt- directed by Alexander Payne or Schindler’s List directed by Spilberg, do you think they are appropriate supplementary texts?
A: About Schmidt is about a search for self. A rumpled Jack Nicholson. I don’t remember Schindler’s List being so strong, unless you’re looking at the persecution question and solutions to it. I like Nowhere In Africa, a film that has three people find different solutions to the problems of the WW2 and being forced to leave Germany: mother, father and daughter. It is German with subtitles. And there is Motorcycles Diaries about the revolutionary, Che Guevara, before he became a revolutionary and the events that changed his life.
A picture book? Mao’s Last Dancer has just come out as a picture book for children:Chinese boy escapes Mao’s China to fulfill his ambitions as a dancer. True story. Lives in Melbourne. In his 40s. The autobiography was on the bestseller lists for 12 months. It would be suitable. I think it’s called the Peasant Prince. There’s Shaun Tan’s The Red Leaf in which a girl searches for a solution to her sadness. It’s a beautiful book. Aussie too.
I’m doing inner journey, i need a related material for english.
My prescribed text is Life is beautiful. Can you suggest a good text for me?
Are you in Year 11? This link will take you to suggested related material for Journeys: http://www.e-rudite.net/aos_worksheets.htm. I can recommend John Boyne’s The Boy who Wore Striped Pyjamas (the novel) and Armin Greder’s The Island (picture book).
Get back to me if you have more questions,
Judy
hi i’m doing inner journeys and i need a supplementary text.
i all reading have a book that we had to read in english called fahrenheit 451. i also have a text from the stimulus book used in the HSC.
but i need one more and have no idea what to use or where to find it.
can you please help
tijana
I love that book. supplementary material? This link will give you heaps of suggestions: http://www.e-rudite.net/aos_worksheets.htm. But for a quick selection, try:
Khaled Hossein, The Kite Runner
Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevra, The Motorcycle Diaries
Diaries by the revolutionary ‘Che’ Guevara about a journey through South America before he became world famous. I tcharts the changes in his thinking from middle class medical student to political activist.
Li Cunxin, Mao’s Last Dancer
A bestselling autobiography about the decision to leave revolutionary China and settle in Australia to pursue a career in classical ballet. Also a children’s book, and a soon to be released film. There’s an abridged version.
The Pianist, dir. Roman Polanski
http://www.thepianistmovie.com/ This movie has a war context for an artist/performer.
Hi Tijana
The Bradbury novel sounds fine to me because the principal character goes on an inner journey in that he becomes committed to the value of knowledge and learning. You need to look at the experiences and lifestyle he rejects in favour of this and why. The imaginative journey is the process of making the point about the value of learning and knowledge by creating a futuristic world in which basic freedoms are lost. The book burnings are not unlike those that occurred in Hitler’s Germany. And those people learning the books by heart are like any underground movement arising from any absolute or totalitarian government.
I wouldn’t use anything from the stimulus booklet because its not showing your ability to search for something. (Asking me doesn’t count – that’s initiative taking the plunge to send the email.) So many students will be tempted to do the same thing which doesn’t show your individuality. I like ‘Motorcycle Diaries’ – either the book or the film. The man who became the revolutionary was a medical student who went on a bike trip around Sth America and what he saw changed his life and his politics. Its not a hard book to read and it is easy to watch. The school library could do an inter-library loan to get you the book.
Anything that has a person changing because of events. I’m giving you a link to the website because I’ve got heaps of suggestions on that: http://www.e-rudite.net/aos_worksheets.htm
It might help if I knew your prescribed text. Next time.
My prescribed text is Cosi, and I’m finding it difficult to find other related text’s that suit the play. I’ve got an excerpt from J.R.R Tolkien’s LOTR, but I’m not sure whether or not that’s high order enough. I need two texts preferably poetry or short story/cartoon.
I have been looking around for inner journey related material’s and i couldn’t find them..Im working on imagined corners atm..I need 2 relateed materials…do you know any?
http://www.e-rudite.net/aosresources.htm will give you suggestions. Try
“Little Miss Sunshine”. If you haven’t already used a film try that. It’s a
quick way out in the short term. FGet back to us if you need to,
Judy
I am studying inner journeys and need a related text. I have to have three texts all together. My core text is Schindler’s List, and my second choice is Journey to the Interior which is a poem. I only need one more though i can’t think of anything. I was hoping i could find a text which the inner journey is obvious and will get me good marks
Please help me!