Essay Pre-Planning continued

      This is the poster that our group did to answer the essay question; Describe a relationship between 2 or more characters in this text. Explain how this relationship helped you to understand at least one of the characters. Our group focused on the relationship between Fi, Ellie and Homer. 

Tomorrow When The War Began Essay Pre-planning continued...

The incident of the bridge explosion helped me to understand the important idea of Rebellion and rebelling against what views been brought up with and what values you know. This is because of how it demonstrates the rebellion of the teens against the invaders and what they have been brought up to believe. We see this in the text when Fi wants to break a window, it sparks a small start of rebellion and gets them excited. When Fi tells Ellie 'I've always wanted to break a window.' we see that Fi may have seemed like a pretty reserved person at the start of the book, but now she is starting to see that she is starting to rebel and become her own person. We finally get to see how Fi and many of the other characters rebel in order to stay alive and demonstrate and we see how they change and develop during the story.  


Another way that the bridge explosion helped me to understand that rebellion can sometimes be necessary in order to survive and that these teens would have to possibly sacrifice a lot of what they had in order to survive. This is because of how they risked their lives in order to continue living and to save their country, in a way, from the invaders. Because they prioritised their goal rather than prioritise themselves and what they strive for in life. If they were not in this situation, if they were just at home, themselves and their own survival would be a priority rather than something else. We see Lee prioritise the others and what they aim to do rather than prioritise his own wellbeing or his injuries that he has gotten along the way. 

English Essay Pre Planning

What is going to be my key event? 
My key event will be the bridge blowing up. 

Who is going to be my key character? 
My key character is going to be Fi (Fiona).

What are 3 ways the character changed as a result of this key event?
Before Fi was shy, now she is energetic. 
Before Fi was a city girl who knew nothing about what they're doing, now she is confident. 
Before Fi was reserved, now she doesn't care what anyone thinks about her. 

What did we do this lesson? 
This lesson we were starting to plan our Written Text Essays for our novel study that we have been working on so far this term. Our group chose to write our plan for Tomorrow When The War Began, written by John Marsden. We all have done an extension book from what our class has been reading. This lesson we just planned what we are going to do for our Novel Study essay. 

Tomorrow When the War Began Chapters 1-5 questions

Must do questions Chapter 1

Question 1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of first-person narration? 

- Writing in the first person can be a disadvantage in itself if not written correctly. In my opinion, there are very certain ways that first-person narration can work well but it can also ruin the story. The way that the story is first introduced doesn’t really appeal to me and kind of turns me off from reading the story. I do think that the first person narration was probably the best choice for this story because the story would be more interesting rather than having another narrator telling the story. Having the point of view of the person experiencing the situation will be more immersive than having someone else tell the story. I did not enjoy the part during the start where they introduce the story with “It all began when…” like it is written in this text. It might also turn other readers off from reading the story. 

Question 2. Why do you think Ellie needs to tell the story in chronological order? 

“It’s terribly, terribly important. Recording what we have done, in words, on paper, it’s got to be our way of telling ourselves that we mean something, that we matter. That the things we’ve done make a difference. I don’t know how big a difference, but a difference. Writing it down means we might be remembered.” - Ellie Pg 2 

- I think that Ellie needs to tell the story in chronological order so the reader can fully understand the sequence of events and be fully immersed in the story without getting lost in what happened. This is also because the characters themselves can remember what happened to them if they ever forget. If Ellie didn’t share the sequence of events in order, then the reader would not be able to follow the events. If for whatever reason, they die, whoever discovers the writing, they can understand what happened and what risks they all too. This quote shows Ellie’s views on their decision. 

Question 3. Pick one interesting word from the chapter, find the meaning, and explain why it is interesting. 
- Arete - The word Arete means a sharp mountain ridge, a narrow ridge of rocks that separate two valleys. I thought this word was interesting simply because I didn’t know what it was. It sounded like it was a type of road or a river or something like that. In the book, Tailor’s stitch is a long line, an arete that goes dead straight from Mt Martin to Wombegonoo. It’s rocky and very narrow and steep in place. The way that these words described the arete, I thought it was some type of road, but it was really a sharp mountain ridge.

Question 4.  John Marsden foreshadows several events and characters in this chapter. Make three predictions based on the evidence in the text about what may occur later in the story.
- 1. “ None of us wants to end up as a pile of dead white bones, unnoticed, and worst of all, with no one knowing or appreciating the risk’s we’ve run.” Based on the title of the book as well as this quote, I am going to infer that a big battle happens. The “War” might not only mean a physical battle, but it could also be the battle inside someone's head, a mental battle between someone and themselves. The blurb on the back of the book says that Ellie and her friends leave home one morning, wave goodbye to their parents and head into the hills to camp out for a while. This means that Ellie is not alone, she is accompanied by her friends.
2. “We want to do a bushwalk along Tailor’s Stitch for a few days. Get away from the sex and vice of Wirrawee into the clean wholesome air of the mountains”. Based on this quote and the previous inference, I think that when they go on this trip, the ‘battle’, whatever it is, occurs while they are on this journey. Whatever happens during this story, it will occur when they are on this bushwalk. 
3. “There’s only one way to do this and that's to tell it in order, chronological order.” I think that this quote is very important because this page really has some interesting foreshadowing of events that occur during the story. The fact that they need to keep the story in chronological order so that they will be remembered, or so that they can remember themselves if they forget, shows me that there may be an event that causes them to forget, maybe amnesia? Maybe someone will die? Maybe someone will forget? But how? Whatever happens during the ‘battle’ may cause someone to have amnesia, may kill them, or may scar their minds forever. 

- Question 5. What kind of story do you think Ellie is going to tell? Use evidence to prove your answers
- I think that Ellie is going to share a very dangerous story, a story where there are countless challenges, something that will change their lives forever. Why else would they need to record their journey? Their journey must be very significant and needs to be recorded in case anything happens. 

- Question 6. What set of skills do these characters have that convince their parents that they can go bush independently? 
- Ellie - Ellie seems to have very good convincing skills. Based on how she convinced Mr Mathers that they can go bush, I think that these skills might come into use some point on this journey.
Robyn- Based on how Ellie described how determined Robyn was, I think that she will come in very handy and help the group of friends very much.
Homer- Homer is wild and outrageous. Sometimes you need that in a group of friends to balance out any sensitivities or fear in the group. Sometimes the widest people take risks, and I think that will come in handy. 

Must do questions chapter 2

- Question 1. How did the group of teenagers ascend Tailors Stitch?
As the teenagers begin their journey, they start their ascend of Tailors Stitch, they realised how difficult the journey was. Going up the first step was difficult, to say the least. As Ellie said, “there was a fair bit of swearing and sweating and pulling other people up and hanging on to other people’s packs before we were all standing on top, peering down at Home’s Ridge". Their approach to their journey was pretty basic and they even brought a chainsaw for fallen trees, which I think was a pretty good idea. They took the landrover and managed to bounce along for around 5ks but it doesn't sound very fun to me. 

- Question 2. What are the two special events happening the day after the teenagers leave for the bush? 
Commemoration day, when the whole country stops, the day of the Wirrawee show. It is a very special occasion. 

-Question 3. How many days are they planning on staying? How much food do you think is reasonable to bring, split between 7 teenagers?
They planned to be away for 5 days. I think that instead of packing a whole lot of food that would not last long or be nutritious for the teens, I would probably pack snacks such as trail mix or dried lentils, food items that would keep people full for longer, rather than small packets of chips that wouldn’t last two minutes. Foods for dinner such as already prepared soup or even fruit or vegetable items would be better for them and last much longer. They brought food items such as 2minute noodles which seems to be a pretty common camping food for New Zealanders and now apparently Australians. I think that they should have brought more nutritious snacks that can last a long time. 

Question 4. Who is Hermit and what is he supposed to have done?
Hermit is an old ex-murderer who murdered his wife and his child.

Question 5. Do you think Hermit will be a significant character in this story? Why or why not?
I think that Hermit will be quite a significant character in this story. As the teens are on Satans Steps, they start to say that if an old pensioner can walk these steps, then they can too. I think that somehow the author will incorporate Hermits murdering story into the teen's journey. I don't think that the author would have included the Hermit's story if they weren't going to use it in the story. 

- Question 6. Is their descent down Satan’s Steps into Hell dangerous? What are the dangers? How can you make it safer? What would you have done? 
I think that it was fairly dangerous because all of the dangers mentioned are quite significant and seem to be very difficult to face. They had to drop into a tangle of old logs and blackberries then scrambled up the tilted scarred face of the rock. There seemed to be many challenges and difficulties. Satan’s steps are described to be very large and difficult to descend.  I think that if I was to go on this journey, I would bring some ropes to hang on things to swing around and so I could use them to go from tree to tree. 

- Question 7. Predict what the bridge signifies? 
I think that the bridge might be an actual bridge, maybe it is something connecting the body of water that they have found? Maybe it is a way to cross Satans Steps another way, maybe a path or bridge or road? It could also signify a cross-over from Earth to Hell? 

Must do questions Chapter 3

- Question 1. Why does Robyn think that they are the first people to step foot in hell? 

I think that this is because doesn't see any reasons for anyone to bother going to hell. I do see where she is coming from because from what I have read, hell doesn't sound like the most exciting place, and there isn't really anything for anyone to do there. It is really just large plots of land that don't seem to have much of a purpose. 

- Question 2. - Why do you think the valley is called hell? 

There could be many reasons as to why the valley is called hell, I do think that this could be a foreshadowing of future events. Someone may have been trying to stop others from going to hell or even keep them out to prevent any secrets from getting out. The word hell is used for a place where people don't normally want to go, and someone may have started calling it that to keep people out. 

- Question 3. - Why must the teenagers seem like visitors from hell to the wild things living in the clearing? How is this ironic? 

This is because the teens were very loud. The irony is the fact that Ellie said: "for any little wild things living in the clearing we must have seemed like visitors from Hell, not visitors to it". I do think that this is quite ironic that they are only visiting Hell, anything living there would have thought that they are from Hell, not visiting it. 

- Question 4. - What picture of Kevin do we get in this chapter?

 In this chapter, Kevin actually had a use, Ellie said that he was "good with fires" and I think that this fire starting may come in handy later on in the story. The skill of fire starting may be very useful when in battle with something. Kevin does seem to have a lot of uses in this story, he does seem to encourage everyone to keep on going, as he said: "it's lucky I wouldn't let you pikers give up back there when you all wanted to wimp out". Although this does seem like a pretty conceited statement, he did encourage everyone to keep on going and wouldn't let them give up, whether this was for personal pleasure or not, he encouraged everyone to keep going and I do think he will keep everyone motivated during this story. 

- Question 5. - What does Ellie liken Fi to? Do you think that this is a fair assessment of her character? 

Ellie compares Fi to some sort of exotic butterfly. I can't exactly argue with this, Fi does seem to be quite a delicate person, she is also described to be graceful, all butterflies are graceful and fly with a beautiful aura and I do think that Fi fits this description as well. "No, my parents are into health foods", this statement with some context does kind of prove that Fi hasn't been exposed to some things that the others have been exposed to, exoticness to me, means different or foreign. Sometimes Fi does seem like an alien when she says she hasn't done certain things or when she does prissy, "girly" kind of things, such as when she packed all of those unnecessary things for the trip. 

- Question 6. - At times Ellie switches her narration from retelling the story to commenting about her life in the present- why do you think the author has chosen to write in this style? 

I do think that the author has purposely done this to add effect. Especially when the teens are all talking to each other, the author goes from narration to commenting on her life in the present. I do think that this does immerse the reader in the story more, it makes them feel like they are right there, compared to a narration of someone recalling the past. 

Must do questions Chapter 4. 

-Question 1. - Do you think the way they handled the snake situation was appropriate? What could they have done differently?
I think that the way they handled it was okay, there were way worse ways that they could have handled it. They didn’t exactly bash the snake's body in with a bunch of rocks so it was probably the most humane way they could have gotten rid of it. I do know of people doing things much more harsh to creatures than the teens did. I would have probably screamed and run away just after seeing a little spider in Hell, I don't think I could face a snake. 

- Question 2. - Ellie claims that Hell is just a label and that people label things all the time, She then comes to the conclusion that Hell is people, is she right?
I do somewhat agree that Hell is a label, the way that Hell is described in this story is completely different from what I initially thought it was. It was wild, and beautiful, with lots of vegetation. No place was Hell, no place could be hell. I do see where Ellie is coming from where she says that it’s a label to keep people away, to stop people from seeing it and using it for themselves. Where she says the part about Hell being people, I think it might have something to do with Hermit and his story. Maybe someone wants to keep others out of that place, maybe they want to keep it for themselves. If I discovered this amazing place, I would have kept it to myself as well, it would be my own place. This "Hell" is a deserted place, and no one had gone there for a very long time, or no one has been there at all, so it would make sense if someone called it Hell to keep people away. 

- Question 3. - What was peculiar about the planes that flew over hell? 
It's interesting because it’s on the day of Commem, the festival where the Navy and Police officers would not be working. It would be a perfect time to invade because that would be when the Officers were not there to invade and take over hell in a sense. I do think that something will happen, I do think that someone will try to either take over Hell or either take over Wirrawee. 

- Question 4. - Why does Homer's interest in Fi seem so odd to Ellie? 
It seems off to Ellie because Homer doesn’t exactly usually go for girls such as Fi. Homer would usually not treat girls properly and look after them and as Ellie says “Treats them like beanbags”. He seemed to be quite a douche and not really sensitive enough to hold a relationship and didn’t seem to like his emotions. Although it isn't really any of Ellie's business what Homer and Fi might do, I do kind of see based off how Homer talks, that he may be quite rude to women and people in general. Homer usually goes for girls that he can control in a way, girls that will listen to him and girls that won't stand up for themselves. Girls that will take whatever Homer dishes up. Fi might be a nice change for Homer though, someone who is a little sensitive, an "exotic butterfly".

- Question 5. - Fi brushes off the planes coming back from Commemoration day. Why do you think the planes were flying over Wirrawee? 
Fi may have a point, but I do think that someone is trying to invade Hell or something like that. The title Tomorrow, when the war began, makes me wonder if there is going to be some type of battle or war during this story. Someone may be invading Hell to keep it for themselves. The invaders could have called it Hell to keep people away from it. This theory does seem pretty out there, but it is a possibility, I do think that something like this could have happened. The planes could be people from another country or city trying to take over? 


- Question 6. - Robyn claims that there were dozens of planes flying over them, what is Lee's response? Is his suggestion reasonable? 
"It's probably the start of World War Three, we've probably been invaded and we didn't even know". Now, this quote really did open my eyes to the fact that someone could be invading. It isn't exactly the best way he could have said it but could be completely true. This could be foreshadowing a future event, I think that is could totally be the case. Maybe Lee is a psychic and no one knew? 

Must do questions Chapter 5

- Question 1. - What does Corrie's career choice say about her character? 
I think that Corrie is a very caring, and sweet character, someone who aspires to be a nurse, and someone who would probably be a very good nurse based on how she acts. She isn’t selfish, she is someone who cares about the wellbeing of others and wants to help as much as she can. Corrie didn’t care for the money. To be a nurse, you need to be a very caring person, I think that Corrie would be a great nurse based on what kind of person she is described to be. I do think that the choice of career sounds quite fitting. 

- Question 2. - Do you think that there would have been more drama if you and your friends went bush for a week? 
I doubt my friend group would even go bush for a week, but if we did, I think we would be alright. I guess a few arguments might spark because of food or shelters. I feel like we would be reasonable enough to go bush, it's just that I don’t think we really have many of the survival skills such as hunting or foraging for food so we might argue about who is cooking and who is hunting or who is doing what. I think that we would be okay at the staring fires but not the whole survival part of it. We may have some intellectual skills, but we are no bush people at all. I feel like food would be the sole thing we would have a wee quarrel about, we are generally calm people, except for Chloe. 

- Question 3. - Why do you think Ellie and Lee feel uneasy just before their return to Wirrawee from the bush?
They feel like the fires are a bad sign and it does make Ellie feel quite uneasy and she just wants to get back home as soon as she can. Lee feels slightly guilty about not attending the show because her dad thinks she should support it. After seeing those fires, I would probably be worried too. 

- Question 4. - What do you predict the group will come home to? Why do you think about this? 
After a short reflection period, I am worried that someone is invading and that the fires could be someone invading and causing havoc in Wirrawee. I think that this is the case because of all of the foreshadowings in these past chapters, I do think that some big disaster will happen at some point 

Aaaaaaa English is hard...

Apartheid- a system of legislation enforcing racial segregation- introduced mandatory curfews, separate facilities, and many other rules along the lines of separation of people based on their race. In the motion picture, The Power of One, adequately directed by John Avildsen, the reality of Apartheid and its impacts are artfully captured. The scene where Gideon Duma and PK are running around Alexandria truly captured the harsh lifestyle that the Black Africans had to live in. From the costumes that the characters wear to the way each and every prop is placed, the ‘going for a run’ scene sincerely captures an authentic reality of the grim neighbourhood.

In many films, the diegetic sound is used in order to present a sense of reality. Diegetic sound is purposely used in this sense to draw attention to what is going on within the scene. Despite the fact that non-diegetic sound is very prominent in this scene, it is the diegetic sound that truly enhances how accurate the scene is to the period of time it is attempting to portray. As PK and Gideon Duma jog around Alexandria, multiple diegetic sounds can be heard such as children playing. As they make their way towards the centre of Alexandria, they pass a large truck containing many black Africans. It is an Afrikaner truck, taking black Africans away from their homes. During these events, multiple commands from the Afrikaners can be heard. Their large, bulky boots kicking into the black Africans make loud thudding sounds. John Avidlsen skillfully crafted this scene to illustrate the ghastly life that the black Africans had. By having the commotion, the audience will be able to understand how the black Africans were treated by the Afrikaners. Hearing what left the lips of the Afrikaners, certainly made my sympathy for the Africans increase. There is no question that the black Africans were treated horribly by the Afrikaners, the diegetic sound in this scene confirms this statement further. In order to have the audience form sympathy for the characters in a film, the director needs to think very carefully about what they put in their scenes. By having the Afrikaners abuse the black Africans on screen the audience can see and hear the maltreatment. If you could not hear the mistreatment, the scene would not be as effective as it is with the diegetic sound. Diegetic sound. This simple film technique truly exposes the audience to how the black Africans lived. As a matter of fact, diegetic sound truly enhances the viewing experience as well as other techniques such as costumes

Diegetic sound. This simple film technique truly exposes the audience to how the black Africans lived. As a matter of fact, diegetic sound truly enhances the viewing experience as well as other techniques such as costumes. Costumes are one of the many tools that directors use to tell a story, they communicate ideas that simple dialogue cannot get across. The people of Alexandria all have tattered clothing that is filthy. Most of the female characters have the same shirt and skirt or dress and a scarf covering their hair. The women seen piling into the Domestic worker’s bus are all wearing the same uniform and sombre demeanour. The majority of males seen in this scene all wear tattered black or brown trousers and mostly blue shirts. Some of the men are wearing vests and blazers, but this is not many of them. Hats are another very common item of clothing among the black Africans. Many of them have battered clothing upon their bodies. The design of the costumes provides very strong support for the visual aspect of the story. Within an instant of gazing upon the costumes, you can tell what character the actor is portraying. John Avildsen did a superb job with ensuring that the costumes fit the characters. With putting the actors in ratted up costumes that looked like they haven’t been washed in years, the concept of living in Alexandria becomes more clear. The upkeeping of clothing would be very difficult living in Alexandria. So the idea of frayed and ripped costumes is pure artistry at its finest. Costumes are incredibly important because they display who the character is and where they come from. Without these costumes, it would be much harder to tell who the characters are. The audience can clearly see who the characters are due to the costumes. The clothing choices reflect the era and location very well. These costumes articulate the ideas of the film perfectly. Costume pieces can make or break a film. In regards to the film The Power of One, the costumes well and truly take the cake. The amazingly thought out designs and fabrics undoubtedly impacted how the audience viewed the scene. Without these essential elements, the scene wouldn’t be the same. The costume aspect of the film corresponds with the setting of the film extremely well.

Black Africans suffered immensely and the conditions that they lived in weren’t sufficient enough to fulfil the needs that the large group of people had. The ‘going for a run’ scene is an impeccable example of showcasing the setting. During the Apartheid movement, circumstances for the black Africans were rough, to say the least. In the scene, it is very obvious that the black Africans did not have it very easy based on how the scene was set. As the camera pans, following the boys with every step that they take, you can see that every spare spot of land is flooded by people. There is no space for any more. There is only one toilet for every 200 people. There are limited resources for the large demand of many people. This large number of people piled in one tiny, confined space really proved that life in Alexandria was truly horrible. With the one toilet and the large queue of people lining up to use one dirty toilet really stood out to me. It truly displayed how truly horrible the conditions were. John Avildsen set the scene in this manner because he wanted to draw attention to the fact that Alexandria was a very rough place to live in. The conditions were very devastating. The audience can truly see how horrible the conditions in Alexandria are simply based on how the scene is set. Avildsen really nailed this scene on the head in terms of displaying the true nature and lives of the people in Alexandria. When the audience see that the people of Alexandria have such harsh lives, they begin to grow even more sympathy for the poor people. Their lives are filled with such torment and pain and the audience can live and breathe that while being immersed in this scene. There are many alluring scenes in The Power of One. Avildsen had really perfected these scenes and made them the best that he could. This particular scene is dazzling. It changes peoples perspectives on their own lives. Many people don’t appreciate the amazing lives that they have and scenes such as this really open peoples eyes. All of the aspects previously mentioned all fit together because of the setting.

The Apartheid era was a very dark time in history. Established by the Afrikaner National Party in 1948, the legal system of legislation enforcing racial segregation known as Apartheid was destructive. The motion picture The Power of One artfully captured the perspective and lives of black Africans during the time of Apartheid. Using the film techniques Diegetic sound, Costumes and Setting, the director John Avidlsen captured the perspective of black Africans in an appealing way. These aspects of the short scene all have a motive and express the main ideas to the audience perfectly. In conclusion, the film The Power of One is truly remarkable and recounts an amazing story.

What am I proud of? 
I am actually very proud of this essay, it is the best piece of work that I have done in English so far. I put a lot of effort into this essay and I managed to get a very nice score. I went into a lot of detail and it made sense. I worked a lot at home on this as well, I managed to do all of this before it was due. I got an Achieved above the expected level for my score and I am very glad.

What can I do to improve my essays next time? 
Miss Johnson said that I should try to make more connections to the real, current world in my links. I completely agree with this because this would really amp my essay up more if I did that. My links were more connected to the past, whereas if I connected to the real world today, it would be more current and interesting.

Children of Blood and Bone quote interpretation

Chapter 30 - Amari
"Chaos.
Before this moment, I never truly understood the word. Chaos meant
Mother’s screams before a luncheon. It meant the scramble of oloyes to their
gold-lined chairs.
Now chaos surrounds me, pulsing through every breath and heartbeat. It sings
as blood splatters through the air, snickers with delight as boats explode into
oblivion"

Chapter 30 - Amari 
The Children of Blood and Bone novel incorporates many real-world issues into its text. This quote is in a chapter written in the eyes of Amari, a princess who has never been exposed to poverty and only knows what lies inside the palace walls. As she goes on this journey, she encounters various situations that she has not been exposed to in her royal life and truly opens her eyes to the kingdom her father reigns. As Zelie and Tzain enter the arena, Amari sees what true chaos is. Although many of us cannot relate to being a royal and experiencing new things as Amari does, many people around the world have not truly experienced what true poverty is like and how it affects the lives of others. I have been to Malaysia on three separate occasions now, and I have experienced what Amari felt at the time of the battle. Seeing people living such a hard life cannot be compared to the luxurious life I lead.

Chapter 33- Zelie 
Gods help us. I close my eyes, trying to drown the tragedy out. Through it all,
the cheers never stop. The praise never ends. As we stand on the platform, the
crowd rejoices as if there’s a reason to celebrate this bloodbath.
Beside me, Tzain holds me close; he hasn’t really let go since he carried me
from the ship. He keeps his expression vacant, but I can sense his remorse.
Though the competitor in him has prevailed, we’re still covered in the blood of

those who have fallen. We may have triumphed, but this is no victory.

Chapter 33- Zelie 
Many rough events that occur during The Children of Blood and Bone are celebrated by some diviners as well as many of the guards. Many famous dictators and other historical figures have done many horrible things around the world but are celebrated for their acts as if they are a saint. Around the world, everyone has different views about what they believe to be the right thing and the wrong thing. Different societies have implicated different rules, values and beliefs. So when one country or society believes that forcing people to do things is a correct act, another society may believe in the human rights system where everyone has the right to freedom etc. An example would be the horrible acts of the very famous dictator Adolf Hitler, a man who did many bad things to many different types of people. In Hitlers time, people celebrated him and what he did to others, and I can kind of see the resemblance in the situation. 

Chapter 52 - Amari 
“I’ll prove myself to you, to all of you,” Inan declares. “You’re on the right side
of this. My only desire is to stand there as well.”
“Good.” I lean forward to hug him, holding on to his promise.
But when his hands wrap around my back, all I can think of are how his fingers
are resting just above my scars.

Chapter 52- Amari 
Something that I take from this quote is that although Inan has hurt Amari in the past, he is still there for her now and will continue on doing so for the rest of his lifetime. Even if Inan claims he is going to help them in their journey, the other characters still have that shadow of doubt about him. When someone makes a mistake in life, sometimes people will never forget that and typecast them as the type of person to continuously make that mistake, whether it is intentional or not. Stereotyping others based on their mistakes is a very common issue around the world. 

Chapter 66 - Inan
Father stands in his night robes, scanning a faded map. No sign of hatred. Not
even a hint of disgust.
For him, carving MAGGOT into a girl’s back is just another day’s work.
…
In that instant it hits me: Zulaikha’s death. Zélie’s screams. They don’t mean a
thing to him. Because they’re maji, they’re nothing.

Chapter 66- Inan
The word Maggot is a derogatory term used to describe the diviners and is supposed to be used to put them down and is very similar to how "the N-word" is used. The N-word is a very similar derogatory term that was used to discriminate black slaves. People that use the N-word now don't really understand where the origins of this word lie and don't understand what the word actually was used for and why it was used. King Saran showed no remorse while carving the word Maggot into Zelie's back, very similar to how people use the N-word nowadays. 

SEXXY Paragraph part 2

Here is a SEXXY paragraph that I have written by myself about this scene from the movie The Power Of One. 




Facial expression is a very essential part of any movie, especially in the scene where Geel Piet is killed. In this particular scene, Geel Piet is being pinned against a wall by Sergeant Borman who is holding a baton against his neck. Geel Piet’s face has a very scared facial expression, the face of a man who is close to giving up. His eyes, fluttering, almost closed. His mouth slightly open while speaking his last words, contrasting to Sergeant Borman’s face who is very confident and intimidating, his eyes drawing you in, vicious eyes that could slice you in half. The director, John Avildsen, wanted these particular facial expressions to draw attention to the emotions that both of these characters are feeling. Without these facial expressions, the scene would be very boring and the audience would not be able to interpret their emotions. Avildsen wanted Geel Piet to have a very scared, intimidated face, as this is what anyone would look like if they were in this position. Geel Piet’s expressions can be juxtaposed to Sergeant Borman’s expression, which is very intimidating, the face of a killer, the face that would kill many. The audience is made to feel worried and scared for Geel Piet’s welfare. Geel Piet is a very lovable character, so seeing him in danger is very sad for the audience. This made the audience think that Geel Piet and many others would soon die. The aspect of expression in this scene can be compared to the expressions made by PK in another scene where he is also beaten by Sergeant Borman. The expression of fear, shock, and horror all combined into one are similar to the faces expressed by Geel Piet in this scene.

Power of one SEXXY Paragraph

In English, our class has been learning about the SEXXY paragraph structure for essays. After learning about the structure, our class wrote a SEXXY paragraph about this scene from the movie The Power of One directed by John Avidlsen. Chloe, Molly and I worked on this together in class. 

The long shot is common throughout the film. Including this shot of Sergent Borman's legs while in the prison. In the foreground, we see the guards legs and baton while in the background we see PK and Geel Piet talking. The director, John Avildsen, used a long shot for this scene showcasing Sergent Borman's baton to make you believe that something may happen to Geel Piet. It is also to show the guard is in a high position of power. The audience also feels a sense of worry for Geel Piet, as we believe that something may happen, based on the stance of Sergent Boram. The audience is made to feel worried and empathetic for all of the characters in this shot. Where Geel Piet gets beaten to death, there is a strong similarity to this scene that we have mentioned. This can be contrasted to another scene were you see Sergent Borman's legs and the baton with Geel Piet at the Sergent's feet, almost foreshadowing the scene that came before it. 

Final Reflection blog post for Narrative Writing task Matrix

For English, our latest unit has been narrative writing. Using a task matrix, we had tasks to complete each lesson. Learning about narrative writing has been really interesting because I have had a chance to improve my skills with writing itself. I have learned heaps about showing and not telling. Show not tell is a technique used in mainly narrative writing to describe the events happening. Instead of telling them what's happening, you describe what's happening. Using this technique has improved my writing because I am finding myself using more and more interesting language.

What has been my favourite part?
My favourite part has been learning about show, not tell. Throughout this unit, I have seen my writing skills grow and improve! Show, not tell has made my writing more interesting and actually seems to have great hooks. This part is my favourite because it has grown my English skills as a whole.

What style of learning work best for you?
In English, I prefer to write on my own. This is because creativity, especially in writing, is easier for me if I do work alone. Being creative takes a lot of focus and being focused is very hard if there are other people distracting you. So working alone seems to be the option I prefer.

I really enjoyed working on this unit. Using your creativity to create something amazing is so enjoyable. I like writing very dark stories, so this unit has helped me extend my skills on doing that.

Here is my google slide with my completed tasks.

 

Creative Writing Reflection 📖

For the past few weeks in English, our class has been learning about creative writing. Creative writing is one of my favourite aspects of English because we get the chance to use our imagination and create something completely original. I enjoy learning about creative writing because I get the chance to write stories and/or novels about anything I want to. I also learned that creative writing is more than just writing narratives, but also forms of poetry and even spoken word or language featurettes! Here is the reflection of my time in English so far!




The first task we were given was the soundtrack of our life. This task was fun because we got to choose 6-8 songs that are special to us and make a google slide about them. I choose 7 songs just because it's in the middle! I choose songs that are particularly special to me, and that I enjoy listening to. This task was quite challenging for me, only because I had to figure out exactly why I liked the songs, most songs I just like for no real reason. But these songs are quite meaningful to me and are very special in my opinion. You may notice that a lot of these songs are Malay, well my Mother is Malay, so I grew up with most of these songs. She sang a lot of these with me as a child, and a lot of my childhood was learning these songs and dancing to them.



Then it was on to "proper" work. We were then given a task matrix, this matrix consisted of work that we had to do at our own pace, but have completed by Friday the 22nd of February.  This work was about Creative Writing. I enjoyed all of these tasks and seemed to get them completed at a good pace. I  managed to get all of these tasks done by Tuesday the 19th of February, so I had time to do any further editing and make my google slide look pretty! I used a really nice template that I got online to make my google slide more appealing. All of my work seems to be good, but there is always room for improvement! I enjoyed using a matrix because we got to work at our own pace, but we had to have it done by a certain deadline! Having a matrix is how I would prefer to do my English work. Not only because we can work at our own pace, but so we can also choose which task we would like to do first, I prefer to get the "harder" ones done first just so I can get them over and done with.




Halfway through doing the task matrix, we watched a video about growth mindsets. After watching the video, we were tasked with making a piktochart with three important points made in the video. I choose to make quite a nice wee presentation sort of piktochart, using nice quotes and images to enhance my presentation. I thought that the video was very informative and important for students to watch, so they are more interested in learning and growing their brains. Fixed mindsets are what commonly stop students from working to their full potential. Growth mindsets are commonly taught around the world and are beginning to be more common in students and even adults!


After we finished the Growth Mindset poster task, we got back onto working on our task matrix, I began with sensory language. I enjoyed doing the sensory language tasks because I like to use sensory language to write really dark stories. The stories or paragraphs that I write are usually really dark stories, and the sensory language can make it way more interesting. The sensory language story or paragraph that I wrote wouldn't have been as interesting if I didn't use sensory language. I really enjoyed doing the Sensory Language task.


The next task that I did was SLAM poetry, I really like this task because I hadn't heard of SLAM poetry before. I had heard of a similar form of poetry called spoken word, which is in fact quite similar to SLAM poetry, except SLAM poetry seems to be more aggressive. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about it because poetry is really interesting and a beautiful form of art. The SLAM poem I reviewed was a beautiful piece about New Zealand and how we have lost some of our old values.


After SLAM poetry, I worked on Metaphors and Similies. Learning about Metaphors and Similies is quite important because they can make pieces of writing way more interesting. I didn't really use Metaphors or Similies in my own writing, but I think that I will now! I think that they are going to make my work more interesting and more enjoyable for the reader.

Language Features was the next task on the matrix for me to do. Our task for Language Features was to create a piktochart about a Language Feature or two. I decided to do a poster on Colloquial Language or Language that is informal. This type of language should not be used in emails, especially business emails. I don't know if I will use Colloquial Language in any of my writing pieces, but they may come in handy! 

The very last task for me to do was write three haikus. Haikus are a form of Japanese Poetry that consists of 17 syllables, in three lines of five, seven, and five again. It is a very short form of Japanese poetry. We had to write haikus about seasons, the season I chose was Summer. Summer is such a nice season unless it's too hot. I really liked writing Haikus because it allowed me to be creative and extend my knowledge as well!

Soundtrack Of My Life ♪♪♪

For English, one of our tasks was to create a soundtrack of our lives, a Google slide about the songs that are important in our lives. Here is my Google Slide. My Google slide also has some info about me!

Impact of Growth Mindsets on Students 🎓

For English, we were given a task after watching a video lecture about fixed and growth mindsets and to make a piktochart about three of the outstanding points in the video. To the right, I have the piktochart that I made using a template and individualised it! Here are my three points, you might have to click on the Piktochart in order to read the information! 

English Creative Writing Matrix Tasks ✍

In English, our class has been learning about creative writing. In the Slideshow below, you will see the tasks that I have completed over the past week and a half. I have learned about many different types of Creative Writing! Personally, I would like to learn more about different genres of Creative Writing, such as poetry, spoken word, and even creative non-fiction!