Australia is filled with many different aspects in which makes it the country it is today. I believe it is important to study texts that explore aspects of Australia by studying texts such as ‘The Club’, by David Williamson, a play written in 1977 about an Australian football club and movies such as “The Castle”, directed by Rob Stitch in 1997, about the daily life of an Australian family when their happiness is threatened when developers attempt to buy their house to expand the neighboring airport. Both these texts show us what Australian life was like in the past. By us looking at themes such as language, tradition and the mateship shown we are able to explore different aspects of Australia that make it what it is today. Williamson’s play, ‘The Club’, accurately reflects many Australian attitudes of today, even though the play was written many years ago. Some of the attitudes expressed, such as tradition, are still equally relevant in todays society. Tradition plays a very important part in ‘The Club’. The characters have their own ideas thinking that tradition must be changed to achieve success in todays society. For example, Laurie, the coach, blames an old Club tradition for his failure to win a premiership. He states, ‘You and your cronies wouldn’t let me buy players.’ Jock, the vice-president, replies, ‘We were upholding old tradition. It was wrong, but we believed in it.’ They should have believed in their club as tradition often gives us insight into what outcomes
The Australian Indigenous community hold extremely significant corrections to the land of Australia, of which they refer to as ‘Country.’ Indigenous people acquire deep meaning from the land, sea and the countless resources derived from them. This special relationship has formed for many centuries. To them ‘Country’ is paramount for overall wellbeing; the strong, significant, spiritual bonds embody their entire existence. Knowledge is continually passed down to create an unbroken connection of past,
The characters in the film are how Australians really are. The characters are examples of stereotypical Australians. The men are tough, big and buff, they are hard working beer-drinking men. When the workers are not working they are usually at the pub. It’s a small community where everyone knows each other and it’s like a family. They have good humour and can insult each other without taking real offence. They reflect the attitude of Australians in their way of language and how they say things. They use colloquial language, slang and joke around with each other. Many Australians do this today also. They are a multicultural society, which is exactly what Australia is. People from all around the world are characters in this movie. They also drink lots of beer, appear rough and are dirty and grimy. One of the characters, Peeto, has a feminine side, which is ironic because he is portrayed as a rough manly man. The clothes that the men wear are singlets, short shorts and boots. The women wear dresses. They wear clothes that keep them cool, giving the viewers an understanding that the weather in Australia is harsh, dry and
values, assumptions and voice of the poem and of Australia at that time, one that shows courage and
However displaced the notions of egalitarianism and its associated masculine ideal of mateship may be, these aspects of the Australian identity are of the most recognisable and compelling, and even in contemporary, cosmopolitan Australia, continue to be invoked and celebrated. It is crucial that these ideologies are reinforced among Australians, as they differentiate Australia from the rest of the world. In other words, these ideals are what make Australians unique. In order to evoke change within our society, it is vital that the voices of working-class
In this essay I will consider the roles of city and country in three short stories; Water Them Geraniums by Henry Lawson, Short-Shift Saturday by Gavin Casey, and Trees Can Speak by Alan Marshall. I will argue through contributing to character development, they provide insight into the construction of contempory Australian identity. In Water Them Geraniums the outback is shown to be an emasculating force, particularly for women, that strips away their humanity until they function in a mechanical way to survive off the land. In Short-Shift Saturday the narrator is a product of an inherited colonial culture and imagines that it is the alien landscape and culture in which he lives that is the agent of his suffering. In reality, the
Flannery delves into the formation of the continent, the evolution of its species, the origin of the aboriginal people, the arrival and development of European society, and the possible future of the continent and its people. While many of it is an accurate description of the country and provides a good background, a visit to the land itself would more accurately provide an idea of the state of Australia.12 The experience of the aboriginal people became very hard as a result of European colonization. Some were wiped out by war and disease, others left their land to avoid this. Some left willingly, others were forced.
Another text that shows no relevance to the dominant reading of Australian males is The Castle. This text follows the life of an Australian man by the name of Darryl Kerrigan. Darryl is a tow truck driver and father of four whos only distinguishing feature is his reverence for his home and family. The dominant reading of this
Following the creation of a desirable Australia was the writing of a specific historical narrative by
This report explores 4 key areas of the Australian Identity which includes, Traditional values and how sport affects the nation and how the passion of teams brings happiness. Stereotypes expressing that not all Australian appearances are bogans or tanned beach boys and that not the whole of Australia is covered by deserts. Diversity and Change explores how religion and culture affects the nation and how Australia has become a multiculturalist nation and supporting many religions and races but also shows how not everyone gets along with these agreements and decisions for cultures. Finally, Contradictions of how Australia really is and how the people within Australia create typecasts of how everyone acts and does in Australia.
Words are powerful tools that can be used to represent people and shape opinions about others. In a similar way, certain actions and our treatment of other cultures demonstrate our understandings and acceptance of, different beliefs and cultures. Two texts that support these statements and include representations of Indigenous Australian culture and beliefs are: ‘Riding the Black Cockatoo’ by John Danalis and ‘Company Sin’ by John Butler Trio.
26th of January is celebrated around Australia, every year with millions of Australians enjoying barbeques at the beach, park or in your backyard to commemorate the landing of the first fleet in 1788 and establishing Australia’s history. However, does this day provide a unifying force for all Australians, Australians such as indigenous and migrants who did not have equal rights approximately 100 years ago. This essay will analyse the significance of the date of Australia day. It will further investigate why it has been subjected to terms such as invasion and survival day. In an attempt to navigate if Australia day is a unifying force for all Australians, I will first examine the date of Australia day and discuss the importance for all Australians. Identifying the impact it has had on Australians to be celebrated, for over 300 years since the first fleet. Finally, I will observe why this day is known as invasion and survival days to other Australians, which Australians observe that this day is an invasion day and should this day change to another date, which does not hold the same significance as 26th of January.
Australia has had many national identities in its existence; the most noticeable of these being the Bush discourse, the battler discourse, the Convict discourse and the Larrikin discourse. Russel Ward utilises these discourses in his book, “The Australian Legend”. He explains that the typical Australian is a practical man, tough who drinks heavily. A. B. Facey is a classic example of a typical Australian, although he does not fit in with all of the aspects of Ward’s construction.
Australian poetry possesses the ability to capture the unique characteristics of Australian identity with the use of powerful language and writing techniques that encourage the reader to delve into the spirit of Australians and their cultural identity. Bruce Dawe’s poem “Life Cycle” exaggerates the life and the culture of an Australian football barracker who is “wrapped in club colours” from birth to old age. Consequently, his poem reflects Australia’s love and worship of football. Dorothea Mackellar’s poem “My Country” illustrates the natural beauty of our country’s unique landscapes.
Contemporary Australian society. A society that currently appears predicated on an economy and lifestyle that no longer exists – the 1940’s ‘Australian Dream’.
An Australian Short Story, written by Ryan O’Neill, is such an in-depth piece of literature. The story’s artistic format brings a new meaning to Australian literature, and the typical stereotype. Ryan O’Neill took a chance on this story, because he isn’t an Australian. But after living in Australia for many years, he took the time to really notice things. And with that, he chose to write what he saw and