Essay: How does Pi survive his experiences?
Today we finished the last story we will analyse closely in class: ‘The Road to Rankin’s Point’. When writing your essays, feel free to discuss the stories that ‘speak’ to you the most…even if we did not discuss them in class. If you would like to discuss any of the other stories…just ask. (Remember: you are NOT to write on: ‘In the Fall’, ‘As Birds Bring Forth the Sun’ or ‘Clearances’)
Alistair Macleod’s collection ‘Island’, stresses that there is no place for the individual in the world of these stories. Although most stories focus on the individual’s journey, MacLeod underscores how all the lives of the inhabitants of Nova Scotia, and Cape Breton in particular, are interconnected. Their interconnectivity is reflected in their social, economic and family spheres. Most obviously, the people of Nova Scotia are connected by culture and tradition. The story ‘The Vastness of the Dark’ explores the ties that bind the family and its strong traditions. The protagonist’s parents hope for their children to continue the patterns of life the same way as themselves. When James leaves, it is true he breaks away from Cape Breton, but eventually he realises the strength of his bonds to his family and his past. He may have “thought that going away was but a physical thing”, not fully cognisant of the strength of his connection to his family and this place. *Add another 1-2 sentences and 2 more quotes.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Just as it is impossible for the characters to separate from their family ties, so too is it impossible for the character to isolate themselves in their work. The industries that MacLeod’s characters work in require everyone to be connected through the cruel conditions of their work. The strength of this vocational connection is illustrated in the short story …*write 3-4 sentences and add 2 quotes.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Alistair MacLeod’s characters inhabit a harsh and unforgiving natural setting, often sacrificing their own hopes and dreams to the weight of obligation. However, it is their shared sense of isolation, vulnerability and struggle that ties all of MacLeod’s characters together.
Today we discussed and annotated the title story ‘Island’, I was very impressed by your contributions and engagement.
While discussing this story we examined the key themes of: loneliness, isolation of island, gender roles, family, reality vs illusion, place etc…
What a great feeling to have handed in your first text response on Island!!! You will receive some feedback later this week. Some interesting discussion about the power of place can be found in the ‘Supplementary Reading’ Booklet in the article titled: ‘Landscape and Memory’- please have a look at it.
Also- please read through the comments/feedback on your first SAC and discuss any queries with me. Your marks are now up on SchoolBox.
In Wednesday and Thursday’s classes this week, we discussed ‘The Closing Down of Summer’. We then spent the rest of our time either reading and annotating the story ‘Island’ (p369) or working on our first written text response. Please see the previous post for notes from our essay brainstorming session. Your reading and essay are to be completed for homework, due Monday.
Today we looked at how to approach our first analytical response to ‘Island’ using the prompt:
Revise the first steps when planning a text response essay: click here for essay planning advice
Key words:
Place: landscape, island. Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, geography, homeland, land, site, scene, setting, environment
influenced: shaped, react, connected, swayed, formed, moulded, created, changed, altered, allied, attached, linked, coupled, united
-careers/livelihoods (duty to work in father’s job), mining/fishing/farming-taking from land/land provides
-structure of story-season/time (because of land) important
-houses (kitchen/windows-to the sea)
-male/female gender roles
-personalities (and physical bodies)
-connection to land/belonging/part of their identity
-relationships/loss/families
-reliance on land (work-life revolves around land) (stories often begin with seasons/times…why?)
-location defines the characters, thereafter the characters define the land
-appearance: rugged/harsh – miners missing fingers-grandpa ‘The Return’ mine reflected in character/physicality
-people all have their roles to play in the land/community/with each other
-colour imagery/symbolism : grey/dark = moods
-setting isolates characters…Island (No man is an island) (The Tuning of Perfection)
-children- parents/tradition – duty/obligation – family size
-The Return – frustration,
–binds characters to place they call home (even if they leave they yearn for this place)
-‘perhaps no place for me’ (outsider- slips over- rejected by the place)
-The Boat – ‘of the sea’ – physical connection to place
-p45 “monstrous tentacles’
–Are all the characters influenced?
MacLeod explores the power the landscape exerts over the characters of ‘Island’. MacLeod examines how this place, Nova Scotia seems to infiltrate and shape everything about their lives. Their livelihoods are derived from the land. The unforgiving and harsh island is reflected by its resilient inhabitants. Even the inner souls of MacLeod’s characters and their very sense of identity is closely connected to the place they inhabit.
This could be improved by adding quotes…what would work here?
Need some help with your writing? Tip top writing tips
Today we discussed ‘The Return’ and listened to this podcast http://blogs.abc.net.au/victoria/2016/06/sunday-school-island-by-alistair-macleod.html?site=melbourne&program=melbourne_sundays
Our homework today is to read/highlight/annotate “The Lost Salt Gift of Blood’ (don’t forget to also read about this story in your booklet).
It was fantastic to see how prepared, engaged and brave you were today…you will get the most out of our studies when you participate fully.
As you now have a selection of essay topics, why don’t you ‘dip your toe in the water’ and have a go at constructing a response. I am very happy to give you feedback on as many practice essays as you can write!!!
We will be filling in our tables and discussing ‘The Return’ in tomorrow’s class, so you must reread it tonight (also read about this story in your Island Booklet).
Highlight/annotate your books with useful quotes around the key themes.
Also, keep considering the literary choices Alistair MacLeod is making to convey his message? How does he get his message across? Why does he do it this way? What broader comments is MacLeod making about all people?
Look at these essay prompts (below)…which stories would you use as examples/evidence? What ideas would you base your paragraphs around?
Re-read the story ‘The Vastness of the Dark’.
Read the booklet pages/analysis of this story.
After reading, fill the attached table- Vastness of the dark Story Analysis[1]
FYI-Here is what ‘Island’ essay prompts might look like on the end of year exam:
Island: Collected Stories by Alistair MacLeod
i. ‘In these stories, MacLeod explores how people are affected by the loss of a way of life.’
Discuss.
OR
ii. ‘Clan and family ties dominate the lives of the characters in these stories.’
Discuss
Friday’s work:
Why would Alistair MacLeod title the collection ‘Island’?
-setting
-isolation
-different way of life to the mainland
-uniqueness
-traditions
-solitude
-separateness
-outsiders
-coming/going
-distance (geographical/human)
-no man is an island (poem)
Significant themes
-seasons
-maintaining traditions
-relationships
-change
-loss
-modernity
-expectations/responisiblity/roles/obligation
-old/new
-landscape
-(identity/belonging)
-choice
-family
-nature
-Gaelic tradition/ music
-storytelling
-city/country urban/rural
-escape
-love
