The Reading Section

1. The Reading Section

2. How do I read the text? You need to read for ideas, values, attitudes and representations.

3. Representations of power are commonly presented in texts. • Power can be represented in many ways: • Perhaps one character has power over another. • Or, it the power could be environmental i.e. a character has to overcome an environmental power • Sometimes the power (or lack of power) is a psychological problem. • There could be a gender imbalance, ie characters of different genders are locked in a power struggle • The power struggle could be between differing racial groups or even age groups. POWER

4. If you’re going to discuss power, identify which narrative techniques have been used to present the power relationship. • Is it through the description of the character? Dialogue? Body language? Setting?

5. A point to consider GENDER • How are female characters represented? (powerful? powerless? maternal? evil obstacles? temptresses?) • How are the male characters represented? (strong? capable? controlling? powerless?) Have any of the characters been presented in ways that oppose our dominate (usual, common, normal) ways of thinking about men and women? For instance, has one of the female characters taken on masculine qualities, such as physical strength, financial control etc? Or has one of the male characters been portrayed as weak and feminine?

6. When thinking about culture, consider which culture’s values and attitudes have been promoted. For example, Australian culture values: sport, family, freedom…Australians have an egalitarian attitude, a patriarchal attitude, a democratic attitude, a colonial attitude… • Sometimes a power struggle between two different cultures will be portrayed. In this situation, one culture’s values and attitudes will be favoured, and presented as better and correct CULTURE

7. REMEMBER: The word ‘culture’ is not just limited to racial cultures…A football club is a culture, a generation (such as Generation Y) is a culture, a distinct social group like ‘hipster’ is a culture, a school has a culture… CULTURE

8. Values are ideas that a culture sees as being valuable and correct. For example, Australians value athleticism. Hipsters value art. Islam values submission. Some values that often pop in texts include: • POWER/CONTROL • STRENGTH • RELIGION • FREE WILL • TRUTH • DISCIPLINE • RESPONSIBILITY • BEAUTY • INTELLIGENCE/WISDOM • LOVE VALUES

9. An attitude is how a culture feels about particular values/ideas/events. For example, in Australia we have a (mostly) tolerant attitude towards other cultures. Some attitudes that often pop in texts include: • A patriarchal attitude (the attitude that men are superior to women) • Tolerant/Intolerant attitudes • A controlling attitude • A caring attitude • A submissive attitude (feeling inferior) • A possessive attitude • An ignorant attitude ATTITUDES

10. When you see the word ‘representations’, the examiners want you to explore how particular characters, events and cultures have been represented. • The word ‘represent’ means to re-present. That is, to present characters, events or cultures in one particular way. • For example, you could consider how a particular character has been represented as cowardly and deceptive. • Make sure you identify the narrative devices that have been used to represent. • The interesting thing about representations is that it is almost like rewriting history…it is only one version of an event or one way of thinking. So as a reader, you are able to reject (challenge) or question the way the events, characters, ideas and cultures are represented. REPRESENTATIONS

11. NOW YOU HAVE SOME READING STRATEGIES… BUT HOW TO GET THIS ON PAPER?