Pamela Govender/ESL/09

THE BURNT STICK by Anthony Hill - Analysis of the Text

Pg 1 2 Words, symbols, dialogue, phrases used to describe Characters & Settings Pearl Bay Mission- very
beautiful, scented vines, green tropical sea, Stone church, bell tower, dairy, bakery, machinery shed, vegetable gardens-almost anything grew, Children did not sing, dance, no dream time stories, it was not home

How are the characters/settings represented?

Setting-Paradise, heavenly, cool and calm Modern, well organised community,

How is the reader positioned to view the characters?

Place of perfect beauty

What is the invited reading of the text?

White lifestyle different Conflict of cultures

Lacked nothing Aboriginal children are ungrateful, Children oppressed did not belong, lonely

White govt. provided the best for the children Aboriginal children forced to forget their culture

No freedom, no cultural link, sad, quiet, rigid, strict, longing for home, lonely,

10

Dryborough Station- heat,

dust, desert,

Setting-desolate, uninviting, harsh and cruel environment Natural setting, poor, dilapidated place, Place of togetherness, freedom, joy, laughter, bliss, pleasurable,

Place of wilderness, tough rugged outback, People with not much wealth

Aboriginal lifestyle different. Conflict of traditions, culture

11 10 to 19

camp under acacia, tin shelters swim naked, ties of blood and country, learned secrets of land, sing, dance, listen to voices of older people

Happy to be with their Had an identity, sense of own people belonging, friendship, camaraderie, unity acceptance

Pamela Govender/ESL/09

Pg

Words, symbols, dialogue, phrases used to describe Characters & Settings 2&3 Fathers-good men, they built, 5 36

How are the characters/settings represented?

Hard working men, religious, generous, dedicated servants of God, learned, literate men No freedom, strict, rigid, suffocating Elder in community, respected, wise,

How is the reader positioned to view the characters?

What is the invited reading of the text?

21 to 33

read the bible, built a school, they planted, they taught, Did not sing, no stories, Jabal- warned Liyan, they dont like to be laughed at, he will be angry, be wise, cautious, Gave advice, tactful, fatherly, should have listened to Jabal, he concerned was wise and knew many things, Symbols of black versus white crow and eagle power Loving protective mother, tough, Liyan- she held him tighter, I feisty, intelligent, would do anything love my son, this is his family, she begin to weep, held close to to keep her son from being taken her breast, rocked him, will run into the desert country with him, what a clever thing , mourned the loss of their own, Jumped from the ground, clasped John, you cannot take him, whole camp screamed in anger, give my boy back, hes part of us, clinging to the door handle, fell face down into the dirt,

Admire, respect, honour, Use religion as a mask value, think highly of of goodwill Forced assimilation Tough men, harsh, cruel Proud of aboriginal Preserve the culture culture,

Mindful of power of whites Admire, respect, feel sorry-sympathetic

Good mother/parent Strong woman

48 to 51

Desperate person, hopeless, helpless, heart broken, defenceless, emotional distress,

Victim of racism, white laws over-powering,

Pain and suffering endured by parents/children, victims of the law

Pamela Govender/ESL/09

Pg 22 to 42

Words, symbols, dialogue, phrases used to describe Characters & Settings The Big Man-will hide from
him, no where safe, tall man, freckles, sandy hair, blue eyes, must be taught white mans ways, blackfellas ways not good enough, stern and important, my papers are never wrong Wire cage, padlocked, two policemen, lights turned off, engine low, he snatched John, Big Man held him tight,

How are the characters/settings represented?

Big, strong, powerful, overbearing, intimidating, authoritarian, Proud, condescending, arrogant , made racist comments, official of the white government, confidence in bureaucracy treated John like a prisoner, caged animals, degraded, sneaky, sly, heartless, bully

How is the reader positioned to view the characters?

Man who is feared and hated Enforcer of white law, policy

What is the invited reading of the text?

Tormentor Racist Hypocritical laws Conflict of cultures

29

Racist, bigot, cruel, evil, unkind, mean

Enforcer of the law

5 to 9

The White Governmenttook children away from mothers, it was law of the white people, it was for the childrens own good, best if light-skinned children taken-their fathers were white men, nobody asked the mothers, nobody asked the children, Cold, heartless, Devalued aboriginal culture and ignored family bonds Hypocrites, Abhorrent abuse of aboriginal children Racist laws Guilty of the Stolen Generation Era

Pamela Govender/ESL/09

Pg

Words, symbols, dialogue, phrases used to describe Characters & Settings Mrs Harriet Graingersensible, trusted, Im sorry, there was nothing I could do, They have their books, come back one day, it be worse for your boy, John- not like home, most forgot, not allowed embracing, folded, lying contently, fellowship of larger family, ties, blood, country, belonged terrified, I want my mother, his frightened eyes, he did not forget his son and him remembering the pain, rubbed it into his skin

How are the characters/settings represented?

Weak, fearful of the govt, afraid to challenge,

How is the reader positioned to view the characters?

Timid, aboriginal people liked her

What is the invited reading of the text?

Victim of the law

16 31 34

5 13

Stifled, lost, not belonging, resentful Happy child, loved and protected Sense of identity, acceptance, Victim of abduction, traumatised

Forced to adopt strange ways Normal boy Boy loved and accepted Sad, helpless, anger

lost childhood this normality was upset aboriginal community were deeply loving, kind, and accepting victim of the stolen generation-forced assimilation de-culture

49 52

Trying to forge a new experience Scarred by the experience Angry, loss of culture, loss of family

Feel sorry, proud of his colour, searching,