Deadly Unna? Phillip Gwynne

1. Deadly Unna?Phillip Gwynne

2. Answer the following questions using FULL SENTENCES. • Who is Mr Robertson? • Why is Arks infuriated by the nungas? • What disaster occurs four days before the grand final? • What is the Thumper tackle? • ‘…offered him a fair whack to come down here.’ What does this expression mean, and what is it talking about in the novel? • What are some of the nicknames in the town? Why might nicknames be so important in the town? • Why did Gary feel sorry for his coach? Extended response: What have you learned about Gary’s town in the opening chapters of Deadly Unna? What is Gary’s opinion of his town? (5-6 lines) Chapters 1-4

3. Let’s take a look at question 1. • Who is Mr Robertson? • Gary’s coach. • He is Gary’s coach. • Mr Robertson is Gary’s football coach. Remember to: • Use the question in your response. • Include as much detail as possible! Using full sentences…

4. Why did Gary change his opinion of Dumby? • What do we learn about Gary’s father at the start of chapter 6? • ‘…he’ll be happy as Larry.’ What does this expression mean? • Who is Sharon? • Explain the system the Black children use to choose a television show to watch. • Who is Darcy and how does he earn money? • How was Gary feeling at the end of chapter 8? Chapters 5-8

5. What is the problem with Gary’s teeth? • Why did Gary feel ‘a bit guilty’? Pg 54 • Why had Gary never been to the Point? • Why was Pickles in the team, despite being a ‘hopeless footballer’? • Why did Gary hang around with Pickles? Why was he envious of him? • Predict what you think may have ‘happened that night’ when Gary and his father were caught in the storm? (5 lines) Chapters 9-12

6. What did Gary do to help him sleep? • How did Gary feel when he woke up on Grand Final morning? • Why was Gary impressed by the Wangaroo oval and facilities? • “Let’s have a dob’ (pg 91) What did Best Team-man want to do? • How did Gwen feel about Mick and Shirl? • Why do you think Dumby spoke to the Thumper before the game? • What message is Arks trying to convey in his pep talk before the game? • Why did Dumby pass the ball to Clemboy? • How did Gary sustain concussion? Extended response What evidence is there in these chapters to suggest there are racial tensions in Gary’s community? Which characters are represented as racist, and which characters are you uncertain of? (5-6 lines) Chapters 13-17

7. According to Gary, when does the Summer start? • How had Ark’s behaviour changed since the grand final? • Why did Gary hate campers? • Why did Gary walk home ‘in a daze’? (146) • Why do you think Gary refused to admit to Pickles that he was interested in Cathy? • How did the people in the front bar react when Tommy Red walked in? Chapters 18-22

8. The regulars in the pub were friendly to Tommy Red. Once he left, however, they laughed at an aboriginal joke told by Big Mac. • What is your reaction to this? Interesting thought...

9. Explain why Gary was in a hurry to reach the jetty. • Why was Gary ‘miserable’? (165) • What advice does Darcy give Gary about women? • Explain why Gary ran home ran home instead of talking to Cathy. • What did Gary and Cathy talk about? • What practical joke did Pickles try to play on Cathy? • Why do you think Cathy’s father wasn’t happy to find his daughter on the pier with Gary and Pickles? Chapters 23-27

10. Why were there police cars and ambulances at the pub? • How did Gary react when he saw that it was Dumby on the stretcher? • What did The Gazette say about Big Mac? • Do you agree with what Darcy says about ‘killing’ on page 206? Explain your response. • What symbol on page 207 foreshadows something negative will occur? • Why do you think Gary was so determined to attend Dumby’s funeral? Chapters 28-32

11. What did Gary’s father speak to Gary about? • Describe what Gary saw as he made his way to the Point for Dumby’s funeral. • How did the Aboriginal children react when they saw Gary? • Why did Gary feel ‘conspicuous’ at Dumby’s funeral? • How did Gary’s mother react when she learned where Gary had been? • How did Team-man get hurt? Chapters 33-35

12. What do you think Mum asked Sharon during their phone conversation in Chapter 37? • How did Gary plan to get rid of the graffiti? • Retell Gary’s dream from chapter 38. • What problem does Gary encounter at the end of chapter 38? • The idea of ‘fear’ is explored heavily in these chapters. Write a list indicating who has been afraid of what. Chapters 36-38

13. How did Gary feel as he tried to find his father’s keys? • What happened when Gary’s father found his son trying to ‘borrow’ a brush and some paint from the garage? • Why do you think Tim reversed the car out of the driveway? • Does Darcy believe that someone tried to steal the car? How can you tell? • Why do you think Gary’s brothers and sisters decided to go to the jetty with him? • Where did Gary and his siblings go after painting over the grafiti? Chapters 39-41

14. What is a theme? • A theme is a main idea, moral, or message, of an essay, paragraph, movie, book or video game. The message may be about life, society, or human nature. Themes often explore timeless and universal ideas and are almost always implied rather than stated explicitly. Thematic Concerns

15. Dom Cobb: What is the most resilient parasite? A bacteria? A virus? An intestinal worm? Arthur: Ah, what Mr Cobb is trying to...Dom Cobb: An idea. Resilient, highly contagious. Once an idea has taken hold of the brain it's almost impossible to eradicate. An idea that is fully formed, fully understood. That sticks, right in there somewhere. [he points to his head] Thematic Concerns

16. Brainstorm • What are the MAIN themes in Deadly Unna? Themes in Deadly, Unna? Thematic Concerns

17. The MAIN theme of Deadly Unna is that of Racial Discrimination. • Racial Discrimination is the belief that the genetic factors which constitute race, ethnicity, or nationality are a primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that ethnic differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. Racism's effects are called "racial discrimination." In the case of institutional racism, certain racial groups may be denied rights or benefits, or receive preferential treatment. Thematic Concerns

18. In your own words… • What do you understand by the term ‘prejudice’? Have you ever suffered from it and have you ever been guilty of it? • 3-4 lines Thematic Concerns

19. We hear a lot these days about the need for ‘Aboriginal reconciliation’. Once you know exactly what this term means, write about what you think needs to be done to achieve reconciliation between indigenous and white Australians. • 3-4 lines Thematic Concerns

20. What is the main theme of Deadly, Unna? Write a paragraph response that uses the following scaffold. • Identify the main theme as racial discrimination • Define what racial discrimination is • Provides an example from the novel • Use the following words: theme, main idea, life, society, human nature, implied Thematic Concerns

21. The novel is set in recent times on a peninsula in South Australia. Blacky and his family live in the ‘the Port’ where the whites, or Goonyas, live. Dumby lives out at ‘the Point’ with the Nungas, the Aborigines. • The Port is a typical sleepy coastal town. In winter, the only action in town is the local football competition; in summer, action revolves around the beach and the stimulus provided by the annual influx of ‘campers’. • Why could this story have not been set in a city? (4 lines) Setting in Deadly Unna

22. Answer the following questions using FULL SENTENCES • On page 3, the town is talking about the Premiership as if it is bigger than the S.A Tidy Towns Competition. What does this say about the Peninsula? (also copy down the quote about the competition) • On page 4, there is mention of an Aboriginal mission. What do you think a mission is? • Do you think that racial discrimination would be more prominent in the Peninsula or Sydney? Explain your response. • As Blacky went to the Point for Dumby’s funeral, he noticed several differences between there and his local town. What were the key differences? • Find a quote during chapters 33-35 that shows how Blacky felt conspicuous (standing out) during his visit to the Point. Setting

23. Dumby could of made it big in football. • Blacky should of tried harder to tackle the thumper. • In the future, Blacky will of achieved great things. • There is a debate about whether the government should of provided housing missions. • 10C will hopefully of enjoyed reading Deadly, Unna. Language activities

24. On the blue print sheets provided, imagine you are the town planner for the Peninsula and the Point. Draw all of the places from question 3 onto the blue print. • Ensure that you consider the size of each of the landmarks you choose to include. Use a ruler and try to keep it as ‘professional’ as possible! • Make sure you label each landmark! Setting

25. Gary Black • Blacky is a fine narrator — he’s smart and articulate (he reads "Increase Your Word Power" in the Reader’s Digest) but also a wholly believable ordinary country kid. There’s also very much a sense that Blacky is working things out as he goes — working out how the world works, and who he wants to be in that world. • And it’s a world where race counts; Blacky’s not so naive that he doesn’t know that. Sometimes the difference between the Goonyas (whites) and the Nungas is as uncomplicated as the way they play football — "buggerising around on them flanks" rather than "up the guts every time you get that ball" — or the fact that according to Dumby, everyone at the Point is "me cousin, unna?". But it goes beyond that, too — there’s the racist jokes in the front bar of the pub (the Nungas stick to the back bar) that Blacky laughed at himself Character

26. Answer the following questions using FULL SENTENCES • Describe the character of Blacky (you could include friends, family, personal qualities) • Blacky is described as smart and articulate. How is this shown in the novel? Provide at least two examples. • Why would the composer choose to make the main character smart and articulate? • Blacky, at times, is an extremely naive character. What does this mean? • Identify one time where Blacky is shown to be a naive character. • Why would the composer choose to make the main character naive? • Blacky learns many lessons during the course of the novel. Write a list of lessons that Blacky learns. • Why do you think it was important to have the main character of Deadly Unna learn ‘life lessons’ in the novel? What was Gwynne really trying to achieve here? Gary Black

27. SUMMARY • Smart and articulate • Naïve • Learns life lessons Gary Black

28. How does Phillip Gwynne use the technique of character in Deadly Unna to explore the theme of racial prejudice? Extended Response

29. The plot of a story is the series of particular events that occur in a particular order. When discussing plot, it is traditional to only address those events that significantly contribute to the overall theme or idea of the story. • For example, when discussing the ‘plot’ of your life, you might address events such as starting school or making particular friends, not your walk to the shops (unless something VERY significant happened on the way:P) Plot

30. My life plot • Complete the table below in your books. Make sure you choose events from your life that are significant! (minimum three events) Plot

31. There are many events in Deadly, Unna? that help Gwynne explore the theme of racial discrimination. • Write a list of 5 important events that occur in the novel that allow Gwynne to explore this thematic concern. • Choose one of these events. What would have happened if this event did NOT occur? Plot

32. Gwynne is also very clever with using more subtle events that allow racial discrimination to be explored. For example, the beginning of Blacky's awareness was when he was sitting in the shed with Clarence, and noticed a racist comment in graffiti on the wall above Clarence. • "BOONGS PISS OFF" Page121. • Blacky begins to develop awareness of the racial prejudice of his town by reacting uncomfortable and guilty while with Clarence sitting under the sign. • The next incident where Blacky experienced racism was when Mark Arks had received the B.O.G trophy instead of Dumby. • "Mark Arks getting B.O.G. It's bullshit. That's Dumby's Trophy." Page133. Blacky reacted by running outside with a lot of anger building inside of him and told anyone who was in his way to 'Piss Off'. Blacky realized how racist his town was against the Nungas. This was the turning point of Blacky's view of the town. Plot

33. Blacky realized how much the Goonyas in his town hated the Nungas. When Blacky told Pickles and Darcy about Dumby funeral both of them thought he deserved to die. • "The old man reckons he got what he deserved." "Yeah" Page206. • Blacky saw that his friends didn't care for any Nungas and decided to go to Dumby's funeral to show respect. The next event was when Blacky stood up to his father for painting over all the "BOONGS PISS OFF" signs. It was like Blacky's father wanted the sign on his shed. • "ARE YOU OUT OFF YOUR FUCKING MIND?" Page264. • Blacky reacted by saying "I can't put it back" when his father asked him to repaint the sign back. Blacky at the end of this incident developed awareness that his friends, family and town were all racist. • Blacky may not have been aware of the racial prejudice around him at the start. But when we read on, Blacky starts a good relationship with the Nungas and he realizes the racism against the Goonyas and Nungas. At the end of the book Blacky reactions to the racist comment/incidents showed how much he develop awareness of the racism around him. Plot

34. Copy this table into your books and complete. Plot

35. Extended Response How does Phillip Gwynne use plot to explore racial discrimination? Plot

36. Symbolism is the practice of representing things by symbols, or of investing things with a symbolic meaning or character. A symbol is an object, action, or idea that represents something other than itself, often of a more abstract nature. • Write a list of five everyday symbols. Eg: Traffic light red= stop. • Can you think of any symbols used in Deadly, Unna? Symbolism