Strathfield Girls High School

2012 Trial Examination

Paper 1

Text One – Poster

a) What is one way the photograph explores concepts of belonging?

The photograph explores the nature of belonging to place through the calm and tranquil colours used through the image. It highlights the positive and sublime nature of our relationship to the physical environment.

Text Two – Song

b) How is the composer’s attitude towards belonging expressed in this song?

The composer’s attitude towards belonging is effectively expressed in this song, as he alludes to the sense of pride and optimism that arises from our connections to place. The repetition of “my hometown, my hometown, my hometown” reveals the inherent pride that the persona feels towards his hometown, which was instilled in him through his father: “this is your hometown, this is your hometown”.

Text Three – Review

c) Identify the tone used by the composer in this review.

In this review, the composer uses a sceptical tone throughout her text to highlight her cautious attitude towards Frances Ring’s ideas about the power of nature. This is revealed through the use of rhetorical questions, including “can art that explores the vital connection between spirit and landscape remedy our growing disengagement from it, or at least remind us of a time when nature filled us with joy and respect, not fear?

d) Discuss the importance of geography to Ring’s sense of belonging.

Geography and the physical environment is exceptionally significant to Frances Ring’s sense of belonging. This is conveyed through her use of empathic language when describing the natural world: “its power, its abstract beauty and its incredible presence”. Personification is also effectively used to highlight the influence of geography on Ring’s sense of self, as exemplified in the statement “its history is still living, breathing and so alive”. Furthermore, the use of personal anecdote reveals Ring’s deep and profound connection to the physical environment, as it illustrates the enduring relationship that has shaped her as an individual: “Ring thought back to the Flinders Ranges terrain of her youth. Then she visited Lake Eyre”. Thus, geography plays a significant role in Frances Ring’s experience of belonging, as it enriches her sense of identity.

Text Four – Short Story

e) In what ways are challenges to belonging explored in this story? 3

The story explores challenges to belonging in a unique way, highlighting how a lack of communication hinders an individual’s relationships to others. The pervasive sense of silence is effectively established throughout the text, encompassed in the statement “Ten seconds, then stillness”. Furthermore, the text highlights that the fragmentation of relationships as a result of poor communication undermines an individual’s experience of belonging. This is revealed in the statement

“An argument before he left, exchanges that shook the walls, their venom and vanities chasing the girl from the room”, where the alliteration of “venom and vanities” reflect the detrimental effects of ineffectual communication. This is reiterated by the image of “Her mother a bloodless mirage”, which is suggestive of the disjointed and fragile relationship between the two – the mother’s absence and silence becomes a pervasive symbol throughout the story, indicative of their broken relationship.

Texts One, Two, Three and Four

f) Choose TWO of the four texts given in this section, and argue for their inclusion in a booklet entitled “Belonging: Places, People and Perspectives” to be given to incoming Year 12 Students who will be doing their HSC in 2013. 5

Texts Three and Four are most suitable for inclusion into the booklet titled “Belonging: Places, People and Perspectives”, as it highlights diverse yet significant ideas about belonging that will be useful to the incoming Year 12 students of 2013.

Text Three establishes the notion that our connections to place are fundamental in creating a strong, stable sense of identity, thereby enhancing an individual’s experience of belonging, a perspective that is unique and relevant to the study of belonging. The metaphorical image of “…landscape as a second skin; your country as an extension of your body” reveals how the physical environment is an intrinsic part of an individual’s sense of self, as the composer asserts the importance of our connection to the natural world. Furthermore, the use of emphatic, surreal imagery of “glinted like a diamond-encrusted plain” highlights the value of the land in enhancing our sense of self, as it retains a significance unrivalled by anything else. Likewise, personification is effectively used to convey the enduring and importance of the physical environment in shaping our understanding of our identities: “There’s something [certain places] do to us. They remind us instinctively of who we are”. Thus, Text Three illustrates how our connections to place are vital to our sense of self, thereby enriching our experience of belonging.

Conversely, Text Four reveals how our sense of belonging is enriched by our connections to the world around us whilst it is our social bonds which limit our experience of belonging. The persona’s connections to the world around her are portrayed in a very affirmative, and serene way, with the motif of song and music reflecting the gentle and soothing nature of this bond: “the goldfinch’s serenade. the girl shielded her eyes and whistled back”. Furthermore, the tranquil image of “a blue sky, another beautiful day” reflects the sense of peace that emerges from our relationship to the world around us. However, the composer also illustrates how an individual’s social bonds can adversely undermine our sense of belonging. The negative imagery of “stale haze of cigarettes and whiskey” and “venom and vanities” embodies the nature of human relationships, which ultimately undermines our experience of belonging. This is reiterated by the motif of “murder”, where this violent and illegal act becomes the symbol of social relationships in this text. Thus, Text Four espouses relevant notions of belonging by asserting the paradoxical nature of this complex idea.

Ultimately, of all four texts, Texts Three and Four are most appropriate for inclusion into the booklet “Belonging: Places, People and Perspectives”. They each reveal divergent and intricate notions of belonging that will enrich the understanding and appreciaction of the topic for the upcoming HSC students.