Cloudstreet by Tim Winton :: essays research papers

In Cloudstreet, the mysterious figure of the Blackfella appears at key points, mostly to Quick. In each occurrence he appears to represent a different meaning or purpose, but there is an overall symbolic representation, and that is of spirituality. Although he appears to be in physical presence, as in where he talks to Quick, the Blackfella has an overwhelming spiritual presence. This is not represented just through aboriginal symbolism – there are also many biblical references when the Blackfella appears. On page 61 the Blackfella flees from Cloudstreet once he reaches the centre of the house. This portrays a sense of spirituality in the air due to the ancestral deaths that had occurred there. In an imaginary scene on page 178, Fish sees a lack man flying around and over him. This image represents somewhat an impression of the spiritualistic freedom the Blackfella has. On page 208, Quick picks up the Blackfella who has take the role of a hitchhiker. He leads Quick back home to Cloudstreet, but Quick refuses to go back. During the drive to Cloudstreet, a biblical reference is made to the Blackfella. From his bag, he pulls out bread and a wine-like drink, much like the bible story, and this supply appears not to deplete. Quick suspects nothing at all. By page 217, Quick begins to think about who this black man is. Quick had been pulling in hundreds of fish in an almost incomprehensible situation, where he would be catching strings of fish attached to each other. As he is rowing he sees a black figure that appears to be walking on water. As he moves closer he recognises the black figure as the familiar Blackfella. This, again, can be perceived as a biblical reference. Page 326 has a short appearance of the Blackfella to Fish, who sees him across the street from Cloudstreet. As a truck goes by, the Blackfella disappears â€Å"in the dust as it leaves†. This simply gives a supernatural feel to the Blackfella’s presence. Earlier when Quick had given the Blackfella a lift to Cloudstreet, it had appeared that the Blackfella was attempting to guide Quick home. This subtle message was later presented much stronger on page 362 where the Blackfella tells Quick straight up to â€Å"Go home †¦ This is not your home†. Again on page 368 the Blackfella sends Quick home. When Quick turns to face him again, instead of one, there are hundreds of Blackfellas.

A commentary on a passage from Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s Frankenstein

The passage from Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's â€Å"Frankenstein† is a warning to society that we cannot let science get too far out of hand; that knowledge entails social responsibilities. She writes in the style of the 19th Century Romantic Movement, portrayed though her long sentence structures punctuated with commas, colons and semi-colons. The syntax is often inverted from that of modern writing; word use is also different from that of modern writing. The passage is written in first person narration, which means that the reader rarely sees anything outside of the narrator, that is from Frankenstein's perspective. Hence the tone of the writing is mostly reflective and self-critical, but is frequently changing throughout the passage. The passage is very â€Å"Gothic† and explores indecisiveness, horror and pity. The passage commences â€Å"I sat one evening in my laboratory† which conveys a feeling that there is nothing unusual in his sitting there. The word â€Å"evening† is the height of the line, thus stressing the time of day. The â€Å"evening† is often associated with dying and mystery, and so a sense of murky mystery is immediately created in the passage with the â€Å"the sun had set, and the moon was just rising from the sea† which depicts a clear picture of the atmosphere. It illustrates a time of transition, and is a metaphor reflecting the indecisiveness of the scientist, Victor Frankenstein. It is also a reference to nature, which is, along with the long sentence structures of the passage, typical of the 19th Century Romantics. Shelley often uses this long structure to make our voice rise and fall on certain words, so we accent some of them. It makes us concentrate and pause on certain words of importance. The words â€Å"idle† and â€Å"pause†, which are still a continuation of the long first sentence, slow down the sentence reflecting the actual notion of being in thoughtful pause. Next, the sentence continues on to stress the word â€Å"labour†, which explains to the reader what the scientist was thinking about. His contemplation is described with a metaphor present in the beginning of the next sentence, â€Å"a train of refection†. He is, in particular considering â€Å"the effects of what I was now doing†, which implies that his present work could have major effects, and he perhaps has not yet considered them fully. â€Å"now doing† is an example of inversion, as we are accustomed to write ‘doing now' in modern English. This again shows a characteristic of writing in the 19th Century Romantic genre. The tone of the passage is soon turned from reflection to one of regret. The phrase â€Å"bitterest remorse† is used to describe the absolute regret that scientist felt for the action which he had been â€Å"engaged in† three years ago. From his thoughts it becomes apparent to the reader that he had â€Å"created a fiend† three years before and that he is currently creating another. From this we can see that Frankenstein is bitter at both the monster, potentially wanting revenge, and also at himself for creating that monster. The uses of the word â€Å"fiend† shows that Frankenstein believes that the monster is an evil, devilish creature. It is here that we feel that Frankenstein has perhaps gone too far with science, misusing the power of knowledge for self-indulgences, and now reaps the product of this self-indulgence. It portrays how unpredictable and potentially disastrous playing with nature and creation can be. This was a conventional belief of the 19th Century Romantic movement. The narrator then goes on to describe the â€Å"fiend† as having â€Å"unparalleled barbarity†, an example of hyperbole, which implies that the monster he has created is so hideous that he is even odd in his barbarity. However, it can be felt that Frankenstein does not directly blame the monster for his devilish character, but rather its â€Å"unparalleled barbarity†. This implies that the monster became barbaric and evil through circumstances, such as not belonging or being able to relate to anything or anyone, rather than through his basic nature. Frankenstein's uncertainties are further expressed when he illustrates that he is â€Å"ignorant† of his female creation's potential disposition. He hypothesizes that â€Å"she might become ten thousand times more malignant than her mate†, displaying how evil the creature could be. Shelley makes us pause on the word â€Å"delight† to further describe the possible evil of the creature, as she continues in the sentence to describe that the â€Å"delight† is in â€Å"murder and wretchedness†. This is the first time in this extract that the gender of the new monster becomes apparent. Also, while it is implied that the original monster, was involved in â€Å"murder and wretchedness†, it took no delight in it nor did it for its own sake. As well, to get his point across, Frankenstein again uses hyperbole in order to create an impression of his fear and uncertainty as â€Å"ten thousand times more malignant† implies that any atrocity could occur. â€Å"He had sworn to quit the neighbourhood of man, and hide himself in deserts†. In this line the reader realises that the monster has asked Frankenstein to create a female mate for him, because of his loneliness and desperation; and for this we have pity for the monster. Frankenstein suggests that the female monster might refuse to leave human civilisation, further expressing his doubts in persevering with his â€Å"labour†. Frankenstein's thoughts reflect the fact that this female creation â€Å"in all probability was to become a thinking and reasoning animal†, but at the same time lower her to the status of a savage â€Å"animal†, and so, once again, demonstrating his loathing of the original monster. â€Å"the creature who already lived loathed his own deformity, and might he not conceive a greater abhorrence for it when it came before his eyes in the female form?† – is Frankenstein's consideration for the fact that the two monsters might have a loathing for each other. This view is probably originating from 19th century social belief that the female's main function was to look attractive and be obedient. â€Å"She also might turn with disgust from him to the superior beauty of man† is written in, what is to us an arrogant tone, as we feel that Frankenstein is much too biased towards â€Å"man†, although voicing the general convention of the time that humans were the peak of creation. Thus, we feel even more pity for the monster. In a way, this is once again Shelley's way of reflecting society's view of women in her time. Women, like the monster created, were lonely, helpless and had no power. The monster has no choice for a mate other than another of his kind, a kind whose appearance he finds horrible. He is helpless. Frankenstein also suggests that â€Å"she might quit him, and he be again alone, exasperated by the fresh provocation of being deserted by one of his own species.† This suggests that the monster is destined to be alone, deserted by even his own kind, simply because of his appearance. The second paragraph of the passage mentions the â€Å"deserts of the new world†, which returns us to the theme of the Romantic writer's exploration of nature, with the idea of â€Å"new world†. Even so, the tone of the paragraph soon changes to one of fear. There is a shift from the sympathy of the previous paragraph, and Frankenstein's fear becomes apparent. He soon talks about how one of the first â€Å"sympathies for which the daemon thirsted would be children†. The description of the monster as a â€Å"daemon†, once again depicts Frankenstein's view of the monster as being purely malicious. He fears that a whole â€Å"race of devils would be propagated upon the earth†. Frankenstein fears that this â€Å"race of devils† would make the human race â€Å"full of terror† or, at worst, destroy the human race. Then, changing into a tone of nobility, and even a hint of egoism, he asks himself – â€Å"Had I a right, for my own benefit, to inflict this curse upon everlasting generations?† From this he implies that the world depended on his action, and that he should not be selfish for his own safety, which is a change from his previously self-centred thoughts. He refers to the monster as a curse, an indication of its perceived position, and perhaps also the theological implications of the monster's presence. However, Frankenstein does not mention the best possibility of his situation – that the monster would just quietly go, and remain out of the reach of human civilisation. The description, nevertheless portrays Frankenstein's view of the monster as being malevolent, as well as his discontented belief that the monster would show any sympathy to the human race. Frankenstein realises how craftily the monster had lured him into making the female monster, with the â€Å"sophisms† put forth. Despite all of the disastrous results of Frankenstein's creation of the original monster, and Frankenstein's fear and horror, the monster managed to persuade Frankenstein through a combination of sophisms and â€Å"fiendish threats† to create him a female mate. Again Frankenstein realises the potential importance of his actions, and the fact he could become famous for his self-centred actions. Here the cunning of the monster becomes apparent to the reader, but a sense of pity is still felt for the monster, who could relate to no one. The next paragraph is commenced with an ambiguous statement, â€Å"I trembled, and my heart failed within me†. We are left with a sense of uncertainty as to the source of all this terror – was it the fear of creating the monster he was working on, or the fear of the monster that already lived? This is answered later on in the fifth paragraph of the passage where we find that it is the thought of resuming his â€Å"labours† that is the cause. On â€Å"looking up†, Frankenstein sees the monster at the window. The tone of the passage at this point changes to one of fearfulness and absolute terror, reflecting how weak Frankenstein is compared to his creation. This fear is reflected through the description of how â€Å"a ghastly grin wrinkled his lips†. The word â€Å"ghastly† reflects the fact that the monster is not ‘human', rather a mythological savage. The monster is described as having ‘allotted' the task of creating the female monster to Frankenstein. The use of the word ‘allotted' implies that the monster has gained power over Frankenstein, through terror and cunning. Frankenstein's fear is further conveyed when we find that the monster is, through his desperation, ‘stalking' Frankenstein, to ensure that he attains his female companion. Frankenstein then tells us that the monster had an expression of â€Å"the utmost extent of malice and treachery.† At this point of the paragraph, Frankenstein kills all sympathy that we had previously felt for the monster, portraying him in the dimmest, most horrific light. Hyperbole is also being used, to exaggerate this effect. This treacherous look leads Frankenstein, to come to his senses and destroy the monster in a fit of rage. He describes himself as â€Å"trembling with passion†. He is so overcome with rage and fear that he trembles. His enraged strength is enough to tear the monster to pieces, again demonstrating the intensity of his anger, fear and horror. The destruction of this female creation was the destruction of all chances of happiness that the existing monster could grasp. The monster is now referred to as â€Å"The wretch†, making him seem helpless. Calling him this also projects the fact that all happiness has been destroyed. This is a contrast to his previous descriptions as a â€Å"daemon†, an image of strength. The monster again becomes subject to the sympathy of the reader. The monster is described as giving a â€Å"howl of devilish despair†. By howling, he is reduced to being almost an animal. The fact that he is howling with revenge implies that he has not yet been defeated, and Frankenstein has perhaps secured his own downfall. As well, the device of alliteration is evident here: the two ‘d's in â€Å"devilish despair† emphasising the plight of the monster. The fifth paragraph switches back into a tone of reflection. He speaks of never resuming his labours again, making a â€Å"solemn vow†. From this we see the absolute remorse Frankenstein feels in his heart for creating the first monster, as well as his sense of absolute helplessness. The next paragraph is a contrast to the rest of the passage. It is written in a lighter, Romantic tone, presenting a sense of calmness and tranquillity. It is a description of nature, another trait of the 19th Century Romantics when he describes a ‘few fishing vessels alone speckled the water†, portraying how nature can overcome man. A sense of mystery is created as the paddling of oars and a person landing their boat near Frankenstein's house interrupts this calm. The arrival of the boat is shortly followed by the slow opening of a door, the creaking of the door suggests the slowness, which creates a sense of imminent peril. We are left with a sense of mystery, as even though we predict that it is the monster, we do not know who is at the door.

Ptlls Understanding of Inclusive Learning

In inclusive learning we need to consider the diversity of a student body and make efforts not to exclude anyone be it intended or unintended. â€Å"Some students could feel excluded during your session if their particular needs are not met,† Gravells (2012:56). Inclusive learning is simply â€Å"involving all students, treating them equally and fairly,† Gravells (2012:56). The field of self-defence includes physical, philosophical and physiological elements which allows for a large range of learning and teaching strategies.A new course would begin with the filling out of an enrolment form and discussions which give participants an initial platform to put across any concerns or specific needs, the initial discussion can also be used as an icebreaker that everyone is involved with. A great deal of self-defence training will be scenario based giving the students the freedom to work and discuss their own scenarios and also those from other student’s viewpoints. When the discussions and enrolment forms are completed I would be able to better tailor the learning and teaching strategies some of which are: The participants will be shown a technique/drill with explanation which can include a handout. This method is directed by the instructor to allow the students to see and come to some understanding of what is expected and some of problems they may face. (Presentations – the didactic approach/ the psychomotor domain). †¢ They will then move on to practice the technique so that there can be a greater understanding of how it feels to do, rather than see or be told (Participative/interaction/ the psychomotor domain).The student can be individually assessed and alterations can be suggested, finally an open discussion and general assessment of that which has been learnt will allow the students to put forward any queries or suggestions. †¢ Group work will be introduced in which the group can discuss various self-defence scenarios, role playing or work in a team when analysing case studies, before presenting their findings (Discovery/search/ the affective domain/ the cognitive domain).The range of learning strategies used in a typical self-defence lesson allows for a more effective lesson and more motivated students, â€Å"studies have shown that over a period of three days, learning retention is as follows. †¢ 10% of what you read †¢ 20% of what you hear †¢ 30% of what you see †¢ 50% of what you see and hear †¢ 70% of what you say †¢ 90% of what you say and do. (Pike 1989) If your students can incorporate reading, hearing, seeing, saying and doing during your session, their learning retention should increase. Gravells (2012:30) Because the fields of read, hear, see, say and do are covered in the self-defence class the opportunity for a learner to participate fully are increased. Flemings VARK: Visual, Aural, Read/Write, Kinaesthetic Gravells (2012:31) also looks at the differing lear ning styles which are used within the lessons to support learners. From a self defence perspective: demonstrating and explaining a technique (Visual/Aural) with the added handout (Read/write) followed by practice and discussion (kinaesthetic) follows Fleming’s principles of the four learning styles.Aspects of inclusive learning include: †¢ Entitlement: everyone is entitled to fair treatment and the chance to learn. There can be no bias towards an individual or group because of who they are their background, lifestyle, or situation. There must be an understanding that even getting to a course for some can be problematic whether it be financial, childcare, access or any number of reasons, there are many ways to help a student access the learning they require, whether it be via private organisations, charities or government funding. Equality: â€Å"can be described as everyone is different, but having equal rights. † Gravel (2012:54) Although students will have their individuality they should be treated equally regardless of their, race, sexual orientation, disability, religion or belief, gender , gender identity, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership or age. â€Å"Students seem keen to fit in at university and tend to focus on the similarities between themselves and other students.But when it comes to classroom learning, they value having their individual academic and social identities acknowledged and their particular needs addressed. † Hockings (2008:3) †¢ Inclusivity: It is of importance that the tutor makes all efforts to include all students in the learning environment. Correctly planning lessons, creating a friendly non judgmental atmosphere and including a range of teaching styles will help learners feel included.By understanding the needs of the individual, social, physical and academic the tutor can eliminate any feelings of exclusion. †¢ Diversity: Everyone is different and these differences need to be valued, the tolerance of different cultures, beliefs, races, ages and gender to name a few, needs to be of importance not only to the tutor but the students as well. Creating a classroom atmosphere of valuing and understanding individual experiences and views can be achieved through ground rules and by the example set by the tutor. Differentiation: With the understanding that all students are different the tutor will need to plan the lessons around these differences by using the various teaching methods available or acquiring the resources that will make the students learning experience a productive one. The inclusion of inclusive learning techniques will be selected in response to an individual’s needs; this information can be garnered via enrolment forms, induction or an informal chat.Sometimes a learner will not want to divulge information or may not be aware of or think certain information is important the tailoring of teaching techniques may then come into effect due to formal or informal assessments. Once the assessments and enrolments are completed I would then be able to plan the lessons to suit, some examples are: †¢ Role play: an important part of self-defence training is working through realistic scenarios one way of accomplishing this is through role play.This method of training can be good for those that aren’t confident in their literacy or language and although some may find it embarrassing, it can be a good way for a class to bond while developing the social skills needed in self-defence. †¢ Handouts or PowerPoint: A good way to reinforce some of the physical training is to precede or follow up with some written material, this will engage those that learn better through reading and writing, it can even have a different impact with the use of interesting visuals. Handouts can also be taken home for future reference. †¢ Demonstration and imitation: demonstrating a technique by breaking it down nto easily manageabl e sections whilst giving accurate and precise instructions will give the student a good grounding in how the movement should be performed, but the real learning will be achieved when the student begins to practice the move themselves. This method allows the students to find or feel their way through a technique and will allow both the tutor and student the opportunity to assess and make alterations where needed on an individual basis. There will be many resources available to meet the needs of the learner which again would need to be assessed on an individual basis.Correctly chosen resources can help to engage learners and promote a fuller learning experience although the methods used would need to be constantly evaluated for effectiveness. Examples of this could be: †¢ video: The use of a short film or can be beneficial for those that have language or reading difficulties or prefer to learn by seeing as this resource can introduce effective images which at times can explain an idea better than words alone. A film can also alter the momentum of a class if attention spans begin to suffer from prolonged periods of work.Questions can be put to the students to assess what they have learned from the film. †¢ Assistant (voluntary or paid): Within any course there may be learners that need extra help, be it physical, emotional or academic. When this is identified the tutor can begin the process with their organisation for a learning support assistant to support those in need. †¢ Flip chart: this can be an invaluable and versatile resource as it can be used actively in the lesson to show brainstorming ideas or have pre-prepared material which can be revealed at the appropriate time.It will be limited to the literacy or artistic abilities of those using it (tutor or student) and may be hard for some to follow if their reading ability or eyesight is at a low level, the tutor will also need to make sure that what they put down is legible. Within the self-d efence scenario assessment opportunities can be created by: †¢ Viewing: viewing learners repeatedly practicing techniques on striking pads or working with a partner will allow assessment and alterations on an individual basis.This is an informal method which also allows for discussion between the tutor and student to clarify any queries that may arise and can be used by the tutor to gage a student’s understanding of a technique. The downfall of this method is that it can be time consuming, to alleviate this problem the tutor can monitor from a distance and involve the whole group in any alterations which need to be made, in this way no one person needs to be singled out. Group work (large or small): a group can work though and discuss awareness scenarios or drills such as assessing the dangers and opportunities in a room before presenting their findings. This method can bond a group and promote discussion which can also become a self assessment exercise. This method may become a problem for those who are less confident and may feel overpowered by those with greater confidence. †¢ Formal assessment: Formal assessments can be set up within the syllabus at certain points to allow students to show their progress.The tutor would need to make clear any requirements or what the student will be assessed on and when assessments will take place at the beginning of the course, they will need to include a written list, maybe a tick box sheet which can be used to gage a students’ knowledge or skill. In a self-defence course a discussion can be added to the end of the assessment for the student to self assess their feelings on being put under scrutiny allowing them to come to an understanding of their own emotions and reactions when put under pressure.Learners can gain opportunities to practice their Literacy and language skills via the handouts or slide presentations associated with the course or being involved in course discussions, presenting and listening to ideas, researching laws and visiting self protection websites. A section of the self-defence course will be the ability to explain what one saw verbally or on paper or accurately reading back information, handouts with purposeful mistakes or with lists of objects previously seen on a slide can be used to develop the skill of accurately seeing.Numeracy can be practiced when taking into account details such as times of events, amounts of people involved or distances with regards to accurately giving statements. ICT skills can be practiced when researching laws, viewing websites relevant to the subject or course, writing statements or using phones or camera’s to capture evidence. Motivating learners in an inclusive environment can be achieved by first nderstanding what it is that motivates those being taught, â€Å"motivation is either intrinsic (from within) meaning the student wants to learn for their own fulfilment, or extrinsic (from without), meaning there may be an external factor motivating the student. † Gravells (2012:40). Once established there are numerous ways to engage and motivate, some examples are: †¢ Creating a relevant learning experience which can be achieved by allowing the students to use their own experiences to form the basis for a lesson (in self-defence this can be achieved by having individuals put forward scenarios to discuss or work through). Keeping the class momentum up by being aware of student attention spans and the need to alter teaching methods if those used are not effective with the current students. †¢ Praise and encourage individual achievements by giving ongoing and constructive feedback through informal assessments or discussions. †¢ Ask open questions which create relevant discussions which will engage students. †¢ Have clear and defined targets so that students are clear as to their goals and what is required on the course. †¢ Use different teaching approaches. Keep the learning interesting and relevant to the course and the individuals attending. Within the learning environment it is necessary to establish ground rules early on, usually in the first lesson so that learners have a framework from which to work which will promote respect for others and set appropriate boundaries so that everyone will understand what is expected from them during the course/lesson. â€Å"If not set, problems may occur which could disrupt the session and lead to misunderstandings or behaviour problems. Gravells (2012:91). Ground rules which are set to promote respect for others must take into account those things which some may regard as innocent but may have a negative effect on other classmates. Often a discussion at the beginning of the course can be used to involve students in the setting of ground rules, some examples are: †¢ Smoking: a no smoking policy can be agreed (smoking indoors is banned although some locations can be exempt), although it would be pru dent and fair to have agreed smoking breaks for those that need them. Offensive language or behaviour: agreeing amongst the group the boundaries set with regards to the use of inappropriate jokes, stereotyping etc. This can be incorporated into a self-defence class with a discussion on how the seemingly innocent actions of an individual may seem offensive to another and cause conflict due to differences in perception. †¢ Respecting others views: Respecting that everyone’s voice has the right to be heard and every opinion is valid, this can be achieved by understanding that it is inappropriate to interrupt or speak over a classmate. Being punctual: It can be put forward that having to wait for an individual disrupts the class flow and can show a lack of regard for those that are punctual and ready to learn. †¢ Turning off mobile phones: again this can be viewed as a disruption and off-putting for those that have the come to and have the right to learn. †¢ The in structor: is integral in the attitude towards others within the lesson, being punctual, professional, respectful and polite from the outset will set the mood of the class and the standard by which others will act.Constructive feedback is an important part of the communication process and can be used to reinforce positive behaviour and alter negative behaviour. Effectively delivered feedback can boost self-esteem and encourage progression. Some ways to give constructive feedback are: †¢ Informal: speaking to an individual or a group during or after an observation or task, allowing for a two-way discussion to clarify any points and focus on positive development. †¢ Formal: written feedback or discussion, again this should also be a two way process where the individual has the opportunity to discuss the feedback.This could be done in two parts, the written feedback and then an individual meeting to discuss the positive steps available for further development. †¢ Specific : Feedback will need to include facts which increase progress. When practicing a physical self-defence technique it can become necessary to alter a student’s movements to improve the technique, this feedback would also need to include the reason for the adjustment to help facilitate better understanding. Awareness: of a student’s reactions to feedback will allow for alterations so as not to offend and hinder progression. A tutors positive body language, tone and use of language can help make the feedback a positive experience. †¢ Praise sandwich: praising the things a student has done well will make them more receptive when listening to the things they need to improve on, following this up with another positive will create the praise sandwich. Research listing:Ann Gravells 2012 Preparing to teach in the lifelong learning sector: (5th edition) the new award. Hockings 2008 Teaching and learning research briefing, Learning and teaching for diversity and difference in higher education: http://www. tlrp. org/pub/documents/Hockings%20RB%2041%20FINAL. pdf Christine Hockings, April 2010 Inclusive learning and teaching in higher education: a synthesis of research, http://www. heacademy. ac. uk/resources/detail/evidencenet/Inclusive_learning_and_teaching_in_higher_education_synthesis