You must show the examiner that you

understand that this text is a drama. DO NOT

call it a book refer to it as a text or drama.
The task of the playwright is to manipulate the
emotions of the audience and to keep them
engaged for the entire performance. You will
have to be able to explain how the play does
this. Consider how the distinctively visual
elements of the play capture, involve and
engage the audience for the entire play.

It has to be clear to the marker that you

understand that this is a playscript, that is a
recipe for performance. In other words, a play
is constructed to happen ideally on a stage in
front of a receptive audience it is not like a
novel or poem designed to provide an
imaginative experience that takes place primarily
in the mind and emotions of a solitary responder.
The composer of a play aims to influence the
responses of a collective group therefore, refer
often to how the audience would respond.

Exam Style Questions

Composers who challenge their
audiences to visualise beyond what is
placed directly before them can
manipulate emotions and influence
societys attitudes.
Do you agree? In your response make
detailed reference to key extracts from
your prescribed text and from one
other related text.

John Misto had two aims when composing

this text:
Designed as a memorial to those women who

were involved in WW2 and whose involvement

is often forgotten. To bring an awareness of
these events to Australian society.
As a drama, a text to entertain an audience.
He created a narrative arc with elements of
suspense, surprise, confrontation and a
resolution. He had to have tension to grip the
audience. Through this drama he explores :
loyalty, friendship and truth.

Process

Effect/Impact
(feelings, deepen understanding and
awareness

Visual
(Textual Features)

Interpretation
(Meaning)

Distinctively Visual

What are the images we see/and or

visualise in the text.
What are we (the audience) prompted but

not led to visualise?

What do we see that is not directly there in
front of us?

How does Misto make us work to see

what hes saying to us?
What techniques does he use to
achieve this?

What does this play say to us

about:

Trust and honesty in relationships?

The heroism of POWs especially
women and children?
The place of humour in adversity?
Truth and honesty in governments?
Mistos reasons for composing this as a
play?

Dialogue/Monologue

As audience members we are actively

listening to what is said. Dialogue does
the following:
Moves the story/action along
Reveals new information
Creates mood/atmosphere, eg humour,

sadness, happiness
Reconstructs memory or the past
Reveals character

Photographic images
Misto uses photographic images to achieve
several things.
Photographs are used to support the actors
dialogue. They often validate the memories of
these women and bring these memories to life
for the audience. We know that the characters
are fictitious, however, the photographs
remind the audience that there were real
women who experienced very similar
situations to these two characters.

One of the problems faced by Misto is how to make

bearable to a modern audience a play about suffering,
cruelty, deprivation and death. He has been able to
overcome this problem with the use of the
photographic images. He uses the distancing
technique, whereby the characters and their audience
are distanced in time from the events recalled and
presented in the play. The women in the play have not
only survived the camps, they have lived through the
subsequent years and have in some ways dealt with
the trauma. They can now look back. The audience
through the use of the visual images are transported to
the time, but understand these events existed in the past.

Photographic Images
Secondly, the photographic images are

there to create an additional visual set to

support the story being told by the women
by transporting them into this past. They
also act as a memorial and provide
additional information about not only the
horrific events, but also the historical
context and the social/cultural attitudes at
the time.

The images transport the audience to the world which these

women are describing through their dialogue of memories..
In Act 1, Whilst Bridie describes the evacuation of Singapore
and the naivety of the British to the attack, the images of
Singapore allow the audience to understand the
magnificence of this city prior to the attack. The
photographs transport the audience to this setting and
validate Bridies description of the city and indeed the
attitude of British society at the time. The image of a sign
put up by the government in Singapore saying Dont listen
to Rumour reinforces the attitude she developed about the
British governments approach to war.
Misto juxtaposes images of Singapore harbour with burning
ships and clouds of smokes to once again transport the
audience to this setting and to contrast the city before and
after the attack and to allow the audience to understand the
move from security to absolute terror and panic that was
experienced by the characters and indeed all those women
and children evacuated from this country.

Thirdly the photographs help the composer to

add extras to the drama without the need for
additional actors.
In Act 1, Scene 3, a photographic image of the
Japanese flag is projected on the screen, and as
it fades, photographs of soldiers riding bicycles,
a sky filled with parachutes; Japanese battalions
marching through the streets, transport the
audience once again to this setting. The
audience are allowed, through the images, to
visualise the invasion of Japanese soldiers into
Singapore and the dominance they now held
over this country and indeed the women.

What else do the photographic images

do?
Misto also uses the images to help convey

understanding of why events occurred and the

attitudes of particular societies, such as the
British government to the invasion of
Singapore. These help convey historical
perspectives on events, but also help us to
understand the ideals and attitude of Sheila,
who is herself, a British citizen and Bridie, an
Australian with her resentment of the decisions
made by this country.

Music and Sound

. Mistro also uses excerpts from more than a dozen songs from

the period to accompany these images. The use of song and of

instrumental music has several purposes. First, it shows in
actuality to the audience the soothing and uplifing power of
music. Music was a crucial feature of the life support system in
the camps. It also adds variety and emotional sub-text to many
of the plays scenes. It places them also in their historical
context. On some occasions it suggests the irony of the
situations the two women faced.
When Bridie describes the evacuation and criticises the British,
the song Rule Britannia is played. This is a very patriotic song
which reinforces the ideals of the society within which the British
were accustomed to in Singapore. It is also a song that helps us
understand the attitude of colonial countries and the superiority
that Britain ruled over these colonies. Misto uses this song in
an attempt to sarcastically convey the pompous naivety of the
government that alternately lead to the predicament in which
these women found themselves. The irony of the situation is
their attitude of superiority placed them in a position of
inferiority.

Truth
Truth in the play is important. It is demonstrated in

the healing power that truth has in the revelation of

the women. Misto also challenges us, the audience,
to examine the social and political issues of the time
that allowed these events to pass unacknowledged.
The audience through the use of visual images,
combined with other elements sympathise with the
characters forcing them to be critical of the
government responsible for these events. This
effectively addresses his aim of providing a
memorial to these women and to highlight their
often overlooked involvement in WW2.

Combination of Images, Music and Sound and dialogue.

The combined use of distinctively visual elements of

music and sound alongside the images, appeal to the

audiences senses and also help with the transportation
of the audience to events which are being brought to
life through the dialogue of the women's memories. In
Act 1, Scene 3, when the women find themselves in the
water the song Jerusalem is sung by a young Sheila.
This song sets a sombre mood and together with the
slides of Singapore on fire help the audience to visualise
the desperate life-threatening situation that these
characters found themselves in. We are further
transported to this setting and the womens plight
through the sounds of waves being played. This
tantalises our senses of hearing and touch and together
with the visual images we can imagine being in the
ocean with these women and can hear their desperation
for heavenly help when they sing Jerusalem as they
struggle for survival.

Sound Rick
Rick plays an important part in the play. He

is unseen, we only hear his voice which

acts as a vehicle for direction for public
recollection and questioning. He asks the
questions that an audience would be
wanting to ask themselves. He gives
structure and continuity to events on stage
whilst also being symbolic to the males
who have been absent in the womens
lives.

Lighting
Lighting visually reinforces or emphasise the harshness

of events or highlights the tension that exists between

characters or between the women and the Japanese
enemy. When Sheila is describing the boats under
attack by the Japanese, the English crew yell Get up!
Stand up! Let the Japanese see youre just women and
children. Sheila stands, fixed by a very, very bright
spotlight. The use of the light here helps recreate the
events on the boats for the audience Some mothers
clutched their children and cried. And we stared into the
light. It emphasises the terror felt by those involved, as
well as allowing us to understand that Sheila was a part
of this terror. It is also symbolic of the harshness and
cruelty of the enemy.

Lighting
Lighting is also used to visually represent the tension that

exists between these two women. In scenes when tension

exists between Bridie and Sheila, they are often shown in
separate spotlights. This highlights the tension and distance
between the two women and visually represents the rift that
has remained between them for the past 50 years.
However, Misto also uses lighting in the last scene to show the
forgiveness and renewed friendship of these two women,
when the spotlight shines as a single beam on both women as
they dance together . This then fades and the beam is shone
on the shoe horn reminding the audience that this simple
symbolic device is representative of the loyalty and friendship
that developed through their often horrific experiences in
WW2, but also as a catalyst of truth 50 years on that helped
them to heal and continue the rest of their lives as firm friends.

Body Language
The tension in the play between the two women is

also visually represented by Misto through the

body language and stage movements of the two
characters. Their actions also remind the audience
that many of their experiences within the POW
camp were shared experiences. However, Misto
often juxtaposes the body language of tension
between the two with actions that draws attention
to the strong bond that still exists between these
two women.

Body Language
In Act 1 Scene 2 the stage directions indicate that

there is obvious tension between the two women

and this is reinforced by the dialogue between
them. However, at the end of this scene they both
move towards the suitcase and through their
actions bring to life the memory of how they would
lift the coffins of those women who had died in the
camps. Their body actions in performing this task
reinforce to us that despite the tension that now
exists, these women still share a strong bond and
shared experiences.

Body Language
Body language is also used to visually demonstrate the

vulnerability and terror of these women during the events

of the invasion and subsequent imprisonment by the
Japanese. It also shows us that this vulnerability and fear
stills exists 50 years after the experience. Misto also
shows us through these actions how these women relied
on each other to help them survive the terrible ordeals of
the camp. In Act 1, Scene 3 when the Japanese flag is
displayed on the screen, the stage directions ask for the
women to use their body language to show their
vulnerability Sheila instinctively reaches out to take
Bridies hand. They hold hands. And once again they both
look vulnerable. We hear Japanese voices on the
soundtrack.

Motifs and Symbols

The title of the play suggests the importance of

this motif throughout the play. It is a symbol of

loyalty and friendship that the women had to each
other and as the shoe-horn appears Misto
effectively uses the distant sound of crickets,
which highlight that Sheila is hiding something. It
becomes evident later on in the play that Sheila
did not trade the shoe horn for Quinine to save
Bridie but she sold herself. This act of selflessness
creates sympathy for Sheila and demonstrates the
loyalty between the two women.

Motifs and Symbols

Shoe horn symbolism of loyalty, friendship, truth
Saves Sheilas life in the South China Sea
Use as an instrument in the choir to lift their spirit and
strengthen their bond
The symbolism of the shoe horn is represented at the
end of the play, as Sheila provides her revelation to
Bridie and offers the shoe horn back to her as a sign
of their renewed friendship.
OTHER ITEMS THAT VISUALLY SYMBOLISE THEIR

LOYALTY AND FRIENDSHIP.

Chop bone and caramel tin, caramel

As you can see many distinctively visual elements have been

identified, however, I have only drawn examples of these from a
few scenes. DO NOT try to retell the story, or cover every
instance where these elements/techniques have been used.
Focus on three or four scenes from different areas of the text.
This shows that you understand the progression of the story.
You need to have a good understanding of the play however,
DO NOT simply retell the story. Examiners know the story. They
want to know if you can identify elements that contribute to the
audiences understanding or engagement of the play.
You may be asked about themes or purpose of the text or
character development and how they are represented through
distinctively visual techniques. Remember talk about the
theme/purpose briefly and then identify the techniques and how
they convey understanding of these. Remember to continually
link your response back to the examination question.

These are just as important as the

prescribed text. They demonstrate to
the examiner that you are able to
transfer the skills and knowledge learnt
from analysing the prescribe text and
apply them to a text of your own
choosing.
You should have at least two support
texts responses prepared for this
module.

If using a support text, once again DO NOT retell

the story or try to use all aspects of the text.
These are often mistakes made by those using
film as a support text. Simple pick one or two
scenes that are relevant to the topic and use
these. You need to discuss distinctively visual
techniques and how they have been used.
In Gorilla, I am going to show you how to use 2
openings from the book to show how distinctively
visual ideas have been used to convey
understanding.

Visual elements in this opening:

Colour connotation blues, blacks, grey and
white dull colours, much like the relationship
between these two. The relationship appears
lifeless.
Vector lines on the table draw the eye from
Hannah to her father emphasising the distance
between them. These two are not close.
Newspaper held by the father creates a visual
barrier between the two.
The table is vary bare, much like their
relationship. Nothing is nourishing their
relationship.

The facial expressions of the father emphasise

his disinterest in his daughter. He would rather
read the paper.
Nearly all the objects surround the two characters
in the picture are squares. Squares are harsh
shapes, with sharp edges and sharp points. The
use of squares symbolise the harshness of their
relationship. It has a hard edge.
The only bright colour is the red of Hannahs
jumper. The use of red tells us that she wants to
be happy, she desires a close and loving
relationship with her father.

Visual elements in this opening: (Contrasting

Openings)
Symbolism Hannah loves gorillas. The gorilla in
this opening symbolises her father and the type
of relationship she wants with him.
Colour connotation oranges, yellows, red.
These are warm colours. Creates a sense of
warmth and confort between the two.
No Vector lines on the table therefore, unlike
previous opening, these two appear close and
comfortable with each other. There are no
barriers.

The table is full of food, this relationship is

being nourished.
Nearly all the objects surround the two
characters in the picture are round.
Round shapes are much more soft and
even cuddly. These visual images help us
understand the closeness, softness and
warmth of this relationship.

Many texts are effective because of their simplicity. The

omissions of dialogue in the Notes texts invite the
responder to apply their own imaginative narrative, to fill
in the gaps from their own experience, based on just a few
clues.
Making the scenes everyday ones and naming the young
people with names like people in your class creates a
familiar context for the audience.
The distinctively visual components of this TV
advertisement all work together to evoke empathy.

No dialogue so the importance of distinctively visual

elements is essential for conveying the point of view of the
advertisement:
Music creates mood
Zoom in on each note shows the last message left by each
young person. Evokes an emotional response.
The background images, emphasis that these people come
from all different family backgrounds and have a relationship
with members of their family. Therefore we understand that
these deaths can happen to anyone, regardless of your
family background or lifestyle.
The display of the young persons name in a very formal font
stating their name and date of birth and death, works to
shock the viewer into realising that these are real people
who have died and that the notes are the last
communication they had with their families.

Do NOT forget to write an effective

conclusion to your response. You will
lose points if you do not have the
correct structure for your text type.
This also applies to the introduction or
opening statements of your response.
Do not just launch into your prescribe
text.