Away Flashcards
“I can hardly see”
Said by: Gwen
Context: Gwen has a headache
Thematic idea: Gwen’s superficiality and pessisim, she can’t see the nightmare she’s become due to her trauma, she lacks insight
Techniques: Metaphor
“And Robin shall restore amends”
Said by: Tom
Context: Tom recite’s Puck’s soliloquy in AMND
Thematic idea: Tom’s role in transformation and healing, aligns Tom with Puck
Techniques: Foreshadowing, allusion
“Coral stares at her for a moment then looks away.” “Coral, doesn’t respond”
Context: Gwen tries to make conversation with Coral
Thematic idea: completely detached from reality, she is too afraid to be present in the moment because then she has to face her grief
Techniques: Stage Direction
“Oh it was marvellous. Wasn’t it a lovely show?”
Said by: Vic
Context: after watching school play
Thematic idea: her optimism in reaction to the play contrasts Gwen’s pessimism, represents migrants who are very optimistic
Techniques: juxtaposition
“We’ve got a new caravan. Everything in it you could want.” “A lean-to?”
Said by: Gwen
Context: talking to Harry and Vic about their holiday
Thematic idea: reveals her focus on material goods & middle-class aspirations
Technique: snobby & condescending tone
“Some people may be happy living like pigs but I’m not.”
Said by: Gwen
Context: Talking about Harry and Vic
Thematic idea: she compares lower-class people to pigs, dehumanises them
Technique: simile
“It was money. It was bread. Work.”
Said by: Jim
Context: talking about Great Depression
Thematic Idea: emphasises poverty & desperation and importance of money & work during the Great Depression, got through one day at a time
Technique: truncated sentences
“We all did it… We lived in rubbish tips. We shared rooms with other people… We planned our time. We waited.”
Said by: Jim
Context: talking about Great Depression
Thematic Idea: Jim & Gwen represent generation who lived through trauma & desperation of Great Depression
Technique: anaphora of “we”
“There is a price that has to be paid, of course. And we should all be prepared to pay it. That’s if we’re prepared to enjoy this high standard of living.”
Said by: Coral
Context: Talking to Leonie
Thematic idea: she is trying to convince herself the sacrifice of her son was worth it and manifest her illusion into reality, sacrifice of her generation
Technique: idiom, repetition
“Fake Christmas tree”
Context: Gwen, Jim, and Meg’s Christmas ritual
Thematic idea: superficial nature of their ritual, symbolic of pretending to have a good time, illusion vs reality
Technique: Props, symbolism
“A boy like you… talk… talk to me… say something… laugh…”
Said by: Coral
Context: Talking to Rick
Thematic idea: Illusion vs Reality - pretending Rick is her son, there is the illusion of love & connection but it’s not real, Coral’s grief
Technique: Ellipsis, desperate tone, parallels AMND when Tatania falls in love with the first person she sees (Bottom)
“The uniform would have fitted you like a glove.”
Said by: Coral
Context: Talking to Rick about the army
Thematic idea: Coral’s grief, she sees her son in Rick, he fits her need for her son “like a glove”
Technique: idiom
“You knew what was in that box. You left it behind. I want to know why.”
Said by: Meg
Context: Gwen left the Christmas presents behind
Thematic idea: Meg’s representation of baby boomers who began to question social norms and challenge ideas about sacrifice, she challenges Gwen who is representative of Great Depression and War generation
Technique: accusatory tone
“Never see people losing jobs and never finding another one, never be without a home, never be without enough money for a decent meal, never be afraid that everything will fall apart at any second.”
Said by: Gwen
Context: Telling Meg about Great Depression
Thematic idea: Sacrifice & planning of Gwen and Jim’s generation, deprivation , denial, and hardships inflicted upon her generation
Techniques: Anaphora of “never”
“‘As God is my witness, I will never be hungry again’… she was as good as old Vivien any day.”
Said by: Jim
Context: Telling Meg about Gwen
Thematic idea: Sacrifice & planning of Gwen and Jim’s generation, never wanting to go through war/poverty again, comparison indicates that the line resonated with Gwen & a whole generation
Technique: quote, simile
“the more or less regular campers and caravanners” “the ordinary, regular camper”
Said by: Campers
Context: Talking to Jim and Meg about new campers taking up space
Thematic idea: xenophobia, “regular campers” refer to Gwen’s generation who have been in Aus through GD and both wars, they feel entitled & don’t like newcomers taking their “camping spots” or jobs
Technique: metaphor
“The longer you’ve been coming here the closer to the water.”
Said by: Campers
Context: Talking to Jim and Meg about new campers taking up space
Thematic idea: xenophobia, the longer you’ve been in Australia the better benefits you have
Technique: metaphor
“The Fairies return to the sound of Mendelssohn’s ‘Wedding March’.”
Context: Creating the storm
Thematic Idea: Magic realism, fairies in the forest create chaos, separating couples
Techniques: allusion to AMND, leitmotif, foreshadowing
“They’re everywhere. Like ants, swarming everywhere.”
Said by: Gwen
Context: talking about Vic and Harry and migrants
Thematic idea: xenophobia, superiority and entitlement of generation that went through WWs and Great Depression in Australia, dehumanises migrants
Technique: simile
“The water’s very warm today. We had a quick paddle.”
Said by: Vic
Context: After talking to Gwen about Tom
Thematic idea: Gwen’s renewal and cleansing
Technique: symbolism
“I feel…”
Said by: Gwen
Context: after finding out about Tom
Thematic idea: Gwen’s renewal and redemption, discontinuation of sentence implies that Gwen is beginning to feel real emotions other than anger
Technique: ellipsis
“I can’t take this powder.”
Said by: Gwen
Context: after finding out about Tom
Thematic idea: Gwen’s renewal and redemption, she is no longer trying to hide her feelings and is facing reality
Technique: symbolism
“No. Let’s walk.”
Said by: Gwen
Context: Talking to Jim after finding out about Tom
Thematic idea: Gwen’s redemption and renewal, she wants to move forward & grow
Technique: metaphor
What are some techniques used in realism?
- three-dimensional characters
- fourth wall
- subtext and inner-life/psychologically
motivated actions
What are some techniques used in magic realism?
- supernatural intrusions
- surreal transformations
- breaking out of realist actions
- fluidity of space, time and characterisation
“Still waters run deep”
Said by: Meg
Context: talking to Tom
Thematic idea: Tom’s intelligent and insightful nature, he is deep and soulful
Technique: idiom
“She’s ready to get back into the swim, she says”
Said by: Tom
Context: talking about Coral
Thematic idea: renewal and catharsis, Tom’s role in transformation and healing, Coral is ready to be ‘cleansed’ and return to reality
Technique: symbolism of water
“[In her own voice] I’m walking, I’m walking, I’m walking.”
Said by: Coral
Context: reciting lines from play on the beach
Thematic idea: Tom’s role in transformation and healing, Coral is back in reality and ready to move forward
Technique: symbolism, walking motif, stage directions
“[with an American accent]” “[in her own voice]”
Context: Coral’s stage directions for the play
Thematic idea: Tom’s role in transformation and healing, Tom has brought her back into reality
Technique: stage directions, symbolism
“Lifts out a handful of shells”
Context: Coral is lifting shells from a hat with Roy
Thematic idea: transformation, Coral has been fragile and is now coming out of her shell
Technique: symbolism
“To shake all cares and business from our age, / Conferring them on younger strengths, while we / Unburnden’d crawl toward death.”
Said by: Tom
Context: reciting King Lear
Thematic idea: struggle between boomer & Great Depression generation, older gen puts pressure of their trauma on younger gen
Technique: metaphor
“Coral, alone”
Context: Coral is standing alone after the play
Thematic idea: Coral’s disconnection from reality and her emotions due to her grief
Technique: visual metaphor
“When you’re married to someone, do you ever wish they were dead?”
Said by: Meg
Context: Talking to Jim about Gwen
Thematic idea: exaggerates struggle & tension between Meg’s baby boomer gen and Gwen’s Great Depression gen
Technique: hyperbole
