English Trial Quotes 2 Flashcards
“It was like I kept buying these things to be cool, but cool was always flying just ahead of me, and I could never exactly catch up.” (Corporations & Consumerism) - Simile, Contrast, Metaphor
The novel explores the rise in social expectations for young people due to the internet and consumerism, highlighting how these factors have created a society where individuals are evaluated based on trends.
‘School ™’, ‘Clouds TM’ Intellectual Decline: (Language/Education), (Corporations & Consumerism) - Trademark, Symbolism: of school not being a place to learn intellectual information, but information just to become the “perfect consumer”
The rise of corporations and the internet has led to a decline in educational value, with technology and consumerism dominating, resulting in societal decline.
“we went to the moon to have fun… the moon turned out to completely suck” (Corporations & Consumerism) - Colloquial Language, Hyperbole
Advanced technology has accelerated consumerism, challenging human agency and happiness. Readers are encouraged to explore characters like Titus in a dystopian world, emphasizing adaptation challenges.
Titus’ dialogue: describes the moon as “full of broken shit, like domes nobody used anymore.” (Environmental Decay) - Simile
The text highlights the environmental damage caused by excessive disposal of natural resources, resulting in moon littering, excessive consumption, and limited Earth storage.
(Leaves) Tree and leaves - Symbolism
“Leaves” uses a tree to symbolize family and their deep connection to the natural world. Each leaf represents a larger culture with historical roots. The word “leaves” could also symbolize the Stolen Generations and Indigenous people’s loss of connection to language, identity, and culture due to forced removal from their homes and families.
(Leaves) “will the leaves turn golden” - Rhetorical question; Symbolism
The reference to the changing of the leaves speaks to the passing of time, and how our relationships shift and change.
(Key) Key - Symbolism
The key symbolizes the unlocking of connection, love, and memories, encompassing both the persona and her extended culture.
(Key) “Their time is sparse like a dying tree” - Simile; emotive language
The text explores the concept of a family tree, but the use of “sparse” and “dying” implies fragility and uncertainty, implying that the persona and her grandmothers have been denied a future together.
(Unearth) “a people suppressed by dread” -
Metaphor
The suppression of Aboriginal identities and cultures due to colonialism is a reflection of the attempted destruction of their cultures, yet they have endured and are celebrated.
(Unearth) “the constant loss of breath is the legacy” - Metaphor; diction
Eckermann’s use of sombre language prompts reflection on the historical and ongoing violence and trauma experienced by Aboriginal peoples.
(Oombulgurri) “Even the wind can no longer stir/movement at the playground” - Personification
Oombulgarri town’s stagnation, marked by a lack of life and movement, suggests that nature, a source of strength and comfort in Eckermann’s poetic anthology, has abandoned its inhabitants.
(Oombulgurri) “Even the creak of the gate is silent” - Paradox
The paradox conveys a sense of abandonment, with the town and its history being silenced, akin to Indigenous cultures being dispossessed.
Tension between Aboriginal Australian Communities and other Australians.
“Unearth” and “Ombulgarri” both explore the deep connection with the land that the Aboriginal people inhabited. Both texts also imply that dispossession and displacement have not been acknowledged. The texts explore the tension between Aboriginal people and other Australians whose ancestors have come from other places. The language used in these poems reveal the connections the poet has drawn between land, history, belonging and community.
Changing relationship with family.
Both “Leaves” and “Key” explore the complexity of relationships as we grow and discover things about ourselves. The conclusion of “Leaves” suggests that the persona missed her father and wants to reconnect. In “Key” the threshold suggests that there are elements of her grandmother that remains hidden and unknown. The changing nature of relationships impacts of sense of belonging, identity and connection.
