Issues of Australia Cultural Items - Essay Example

PART A For many years, Waltzing Matilda has become a famous trademark of the Australian culture. Whether it is a fact or a mere creation of imagination translated into literature, it has served its purpose as a facet of our roots, a facet of our history. With several versions of the Waltzing Matilda song, a famous work of literature created by Herb Wharton has gained popularity among critics as the approach Wharton made in translating his so-called "true story" of the Waltzing Matilda was enhanced by its short story format. Also, although manifold critics believe that Wharton's version failed to capture Waltzing Matilda in focus, it succeeded creatively in analyzing the story's connection to reality and history. Indeed, Wharton's Waltzing Matilda portrays the author's character, Knughy, as the one who conducts social reading of the text 'Waltzing Matilda'. While doing so, he attempted to explore the relationship between the two aspects of the popular folk story: history and literature. In the story, Knughy deeply explores the characters of the story, all of which plays different roles in creating the story itself. Knughy tried to answer different questions. How could the swagman be so jolly More interestingly, how could the homeless, hungry and tired swagman be so jolly If he was so jolly, why would he want to drown himself While analyzing the questions popping in his head, he recalls a time by the Combo Waterhole when the folk story of the Waltzing Matilda was discussed by him and his friend. He remembered conferring to his friend that the story needed to be truly Australian. Hence, it should be originally written with Aboriginal words. Only when verified the authenticity of the story as purely Australian can they conclude whether the swagman was pulled down by the spirit of the water after being hunted by policemen or he was drowned because he jumped to the water with a full stomach. Wharton's version was debated by many as whether it portrays a social reading of the text 'Waltzing Matilda' or it simply shows the main character as a critic himself of the folklore. Although several critics believe that the story does not show any sign of social reading, I believe that the story substantiates the folklore via social reading, as it satisfied the criteria of social reading. A social reading is the act of evaluating a particular work of literature, in the context of its impact to the society. In the time when most people regard 'Waltzing Matilda' as a mere folk story, it is indeed considered a social reading to evaluate the relevance of the story of its factual roots and historical bases. According to the text, the character's mind was in turmoil as his mind was debating what to believe in 'Waltzing Matilda'. Which of the text is fact and which is fiction How can the story be merely mythological How can it be real What was the real reason why the jolly swagman died Did he commit suicide This questions arising in his mind already qualifies as significant bases for Knughy to conduct social reading. Essentially, Knughy was able to conduct a social reading by recalling images of the past, which could be strong determinants of facts and myths. Suddenly, he recalled his mother's words: 'My boy, never but never swim on a full stomach'. From this, he was able to explore another possible angle of the jolly swagman's death. Hence, since he drowned with a full stomach, his death may not be due to suicide or any mythical reasons at all. He may have drowned simply because he jumped on the water with a full stomach. It was not regarded by many as social reading because the story portrays Knughy at present analyzing the text, without anyone else to share his thoughts with. However, an evaluation of a text does not require multiple listeners for it to be considered 'social reading'. This is what I learned in Hergenhen's Australian Short Stories. Contrary to popular conception, I believe that social reading does not need to be literally social; it has to be societal. Remarkably, this was indirectly implied in Hergenhen's Australian Short Stories. Some stories included in Hergenhen's compilation portray characters conducting an evaluation of a text with other characters. Hence, sharing of what each thinks of the text is conducted. Interestingly, other stories which are also included in Hergenhen's compilation does not show a collaboration of thoughts towards a particular text. Like Wharton's Waltzing Matilda, most stories portray a particular character silently evaluating a particular text. Thus, it is not the number of listeners which define a social reading. What I found similar to all of the stories in Hergenhen's compilation is that all of the evaluations of different texts analyze a particular text up to a certain degree--- up to a degree in which the character/characters successfully evaluates the text's impact to society. It is apparently that most stories affect the society one way or another. However, what makes an evaluation a social reading is when it attempts to answer the question: "How does this text affect the society" Although it may be indirectly implied, attempts to answer this question is shown by when a character tries to classify which facet of a text is fact or fiction and which aspect of a text has a significant impact on the current situation, culture and belief of the people. This, itself, makes Wharton's Waltzing Matilda a social reading, as Knughy attempted to classify which of the story is fact or fiction, which is history and which is mythology. Although the purpose may not be to evaluate the impact of a text to the society, as long as it directly or indirectly shows how a text affects a society, it can be considered a social reading. Hergenhen's Australian Short Stories has become my significant basis of determining a social reading as although it may not straightforwardly states that the stories compiled portrays acts of social reading, it is noticeable in the beginning of the book that the author values Australian short stories as it serves as one of the major sources of Australian history, culture and beliefs. Hence, we can conclude that Australian short stories, particularly the ones mentioned in Hergenhen's compilation, shows evaluations of different texts in the context of its effects on the Australian society. This, itself, makes both Hergenhen's Australian Short Stories and Wharton's Waltzing Matilda, as significant sources of how social reading can be portrayed. PART B Themes Peter Carey's Bliss and Eleanor Dark's Prelude to Christopher share similar themes. However, the common theme which is remarkably presented in different ways in these two novels is conflict. Although the theme of conflict arises in different works of literature, as this defines the purpose of a story, Bliss and Prelude to Christopher shows stories significantly dictated by conflicts among characters. Fascinatingly, the story was able to capture how conflict affects people in two different ways. In Peter Carey's Bliss, the story focuses on the lives of different characters, dictated by urbanism. Initially, one would think that the story merely portrays the variation of people's lives in this world dictated by modernization. However, upon further evaluation, it is indeed apparent how conflict is being emphasized in the story. Contrary to most stories, conflict is emphasized in this novel not primarily between characters. Although there may be some sort of conflict between characters, the major conflict which dictates the story is between the nature of the characters as normal human beings and their attitude towards change, dictated by their urban life. Incontestably, the story shows not chiefly the variation of people's lives, but the variation of people's attitude towards change, dictated by the urban life. The film implicitly shows the nature of the characters, which symbolizes mankind, as being passive individuals and not adaptable to change. I believe this is the reason why the author needed characters of different nature. Apparently, this symbolizes the different aspects of man. However, as they are required to adapt to urban living, conflicts arise. It is notable that all of the characters, which have different attitudes, struggled against conflicts which arises as they try to adapt to modern living. Thus, Bliss is a story of how the characters struggled against the conflict between their nature and their need to adapt to urban life. Remarkably, Bliss emphasizes conflict in a way most often overlooked by most authors. The conflict of change caused by time, which is tackled in this story, indeed applies to all of us. On the other hand, Prelude to Christopher, conflict is portrayed as the clash of thoughts of two characters, Nigel and Linda. At first, it may seem that the film is trying to convey conflict of interest between Nigel and Linda. However, as the clash was never directly disseminated and ended with a confrontation, it is safe to say that the conflict which was raised between the two characters is the clash of their thoughts and personalities, which created a significant impact on the story as Nigel and Linda are married couples. Hence, significant conflicts of personalities contribute dramatically to the film. Nigel is a dreamer. Contrastingly, Linda is a pessimist. As a couple, Nigel dreams of utopia in the midst of his busy lifestyle. He fantasizes a perfect society where the thick line between wants and needs is erased. Hence, he dreams of a self-sufficient society isolated from the problematic world. Linda, on the other hand, is a natural critic. She is always skeptic of Nigel's utopian dream. Hence, Linda passively wakes Nigel from his unrealistic dream. Worse, she always plays as the critic of what might happen, not because of any inborn arrogance, but simply because of her low self-esteem due to her imperfections. On the whole, Bliss and Prelude to Christopher can be considered as strong attempts to show common realistic conflicts which are often overlooked. The two ways in which these stories portrayed conflicts are evident in real human life. First, we are all facing conflicts between our inborn passiveness and our need to change and adapt to the urban life. Second, the conflicts we may have against other people may not simply be due to contrasting interests; conflicts may arise from different personalities from which a clash may be very dramatic in a way which may change our lives. Rhetoric of nationality Patrick White's Riders in the Chariot essentially attempts to convince readers to believe in the reality that is being represented. Interestingly, although the film revolves around the story of a group of men and women, the concept of intertwined lives is represented convincingly by the author's use of rhetoric of nationality. The notability of the use of Australian colloquial language in the dialogues of the characters is effectively showcased. Initially, it may seem that the author merely attempts to rhetorically capture the reality of Australian discourse for no apparent reason at all. However, I believe that the effective use of rhetoric of nationality is highly intentional. Riders in the Chariot is a novel which focuses on the lives of a group of people. Although the plot may be relatively plain, the climax of the story concentrates on how the lives of the characters in the story are intertwined. More than the usual connections between characters which are often showcased by most authors, the lives of the characters are connected dramatically. Some may even think of the connection of the characters as being unrealistic. Thus, this aspect poses a threat on the story as to how can the readers be convinced of the 'impossible possibility' of the realism of how the characters' lives are intertwined. Thus, there is a need for the author to convince readers by balancing the 'impossibility' of the plot of the concentration of the story by effectively imposing realistic aspects which supports the focus of the story. A significant proof of this is the way the author emphasizes the 'unremarkability' of the story of the characters. Hence, contrary to what most authors do, White refused to sensationalize the story of the characters. By doing so, the characters were portrayed as normal people, not celebrity-like as compared to characters in other books. More than this, a significant factor which added to balance the 'impossible possibility' shown in the intertwining of the characters' lives is the author's effective use of rhetoric of nationality. This was a major necessity in order to convince the readers of the reality that is being presented in the story, which is on how the characters' lives are intertwined. The rhetoric of nationality is used in the dialogues of the characters. Realistically, the characters talk to each other in a colloquial manner. The words which are portrayed to be spoken by the characters are used without almost any constraint or censors, as long as the words used are those which were most likely used by people of the same nature of the characters. Additionally, the rhetoric of nationality is also portrayed as the characters in the story think the way normal human beings, which satisfies the characters' qualities, thinks. Most authors shape the characters' thoughts in a way which is unrealistically organized. In contrast to this, the author of the Riders of the Chariot shaped the thoughts of the characters in the story as abstract objects. This satisfies the realistic approach to the way a real human being thinks-abstract and disorganized. However, the degree of abstractness of the thoughts is effectively varied depending on the qualities portrayed by the characters. Lastly, rhetoric of nationality is shown in the actions of the characters of the story. They move naturally in a way which best satisfies their roles. However, just like their thoughts, the degree of their actions depends upon the qualities each of the characters portrays in the story. Indeed, what is commendable about this story is the way it neutralizes the 'impossible possibility' of the way the lives' of the characters are intertwined by using rhetoric of nationality effectively and in varied ways. Hence, although the lives of the characters in the story are intertwined unrealistically, the barrier which would most likely hinder readers from believing in the story is destroyed by significantly using rhetoric of nationality. Read More