To Love a Sunburnt Country Jackie French
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To Love a Sunburnt Country Jackie French Book Summary The year is 1942 and the world is at war. Nancy Clancy is 16 and left school to spend a year droving, just like for. Now Nancy’s family has sent her to Malaya to bringher grandfather home her sister-in-lawClancy of the Moira Overflow and wasbaby famed Gavin. Moira is British and married to Nancy’s brother Ben, who is now a soldier. Malaya is under threat from the Japanese, but despite the warnings Moira has resisted leaving as she wants to stay near her husband. When Malaya is invaded, Nancy, Moira and Gavin are fortunate to get out before Singapore falls. When their ship is bombed they end up stranded on an island where they, and some other colonial women, are captured. There begins the nightmare and horror of internment in a Japanese camp. Back home at Gibber’s Creek families are doing their bit for the war. They - and now those who are missing after Singapore falls.worry Written constantly by one about of Australia’s their men mostwho arerespected fighting and admired authors, To Love a Sunburnt Country is powerful, compelling and confronting and a book that pulls no punches. Filled with emotional truth and heartfelt agony, this book is truly unforgettable. Curriculum Areas and Key Learning Outcomes ACOKFH023, ACHHS190, ACHMH002, ACHHS182, ACDSEH023 ISBN 978 0 7322 9723 7 E-ISBN 978 1 7430 9984 1 Appropriate Ages: Notes By Robyn Sheahan-Bright 14+ These notes may be reproduced free of charge for use and study withinn schools but they may not be reproduced (either in whole or in part) and offered for commecial sale. 1 To Love a Sunburnt Country Jackie French Contents b) Curriculum areas and key learning • Book Description • About the Author outcomes • Author Inspiration • Language and Literacy • SOSE Characters Further Points for Discussion • Major Characters Notes on the Text • MinorThe Significance Characters of Character Bibliography • Character Arcs About the Author of the Notes Study Notes on Themes and Curriculum Topics a) Themes • World War Two and Australia • Colonial Society • RacismJapanese and Conflict Prejudice • Women’s History and Rights • Aboriginal Cultural beliefs and History • Survival Skills Key Quotes These notes may be reproduced free of charge for use and study withinn schools but they may not be reproduced (either in whole or in part) and offered for commecial sale. 2 To Love a Sunburnt Country Jackie French they are desperately short of food, water and any comforts. There she witnesses atrocities, discovers the strengths of her sister-in-law, is determined to save the baby, and battles illness Book Description and for Michael Thompson, the son of the ownersand near-starvation. of Drinkwater, Her give love her for some the hopeOverflow where ‘If worse comes to the worst, Miss Clancy, remember little is to be found. this. We’ll win. Not by next Christmas: not for years. But we have the resources, and they don’t. We’ll win Meanwhile, back home at Gibber’s Creek, in the end. All you need to do is survive, and you’ll get home again. Can you remember that?’ (p 106) all the local members of the community, are engagedfamilies onin theboth war Drinkwater effort. The and local Overflow newspaper and ‘Mr Harding looked at her steadily. ‘A lesson I learnt in the last war. Keep believing in home, Miss Clancy, and you will get there.’ (p 117) internedreflects the in campsworries after of those the fall who of haveSingapore. men Thisfighting is a –harrowing and who are and now emotional either missingaccount or of The year is 1942 and Australia is embroiled the war and how lives and nations were changed in another world war. Nancy Clancy is sixteen irrevocably. It is a story of both survival and of and had left school at fourteen to spend a year terrible loss. droving, just like her grandfather Clancy of the To Love a Sunburnt Country covers the years parents Sylvia and Bruce have sent her to Malaya toOverflow bring home was famedher British for doing. sister-in-law But now Moira Nancy’s and ‘My Country’ by Dorothea Mackellar, although baby Gavin. Moira is married to Nancy’s brother the1941-6 poem and is thenot novelmentioned. is a symbolic The book reflection explores of Ben, who had been a plantation manager and is now a soldier. Malaya is under threat from the bind us to home, to land and country, class Japanese, but despite the warnings Moira has inequality,nationally significantsocial injustice, themes women’s – the ties rights, that resisted leaving as she wants to stay near her the responsibility of governments to their husband. Nancy is not impressed by Moira’s citizens, the myths which form nationhood, our attitudes but remains faithful to her in respect for multicultural heritage, and the threat of racism her brother. When Malaya is invaded, Nancy and and prejudice to national and international Moira feel fortunate to get out with baby Gavin cohesion. Nancy has rebelled against before Singapore falls. But when their ship is expectations by running away to become a bombed, they are stranded on the island of Pulau drover near Charters Towers, and since arriving Ayu, where they, and some other colonial women, in Malaya has shocked her ladylike sister-in-law are captured. There begins the nightmare and with her hoyden-like ways. She doesn’t want to horror of internment in a Japanese camp where become a ‘lady’ and wants only the freedom to These notes may be reproduced free of charge for use and study withinn schools but they may not be reproduced (either in whole or in part) and offered for commecial sale. These notes may be reproduced free of charge for use and study withinn schools but they may not be reproduced (either in whole or in part) and offered for commecial sale. 3 To Love a Sunburnt Country Jackie French Author Inspiration willed, resourceful, idealistic, and compassionate. Thiswork is on also the a Overflow. romance inNancy which is feisty,Nancy strong- falls in This is the world I was born into: the men love with Michael Thompson and while she has and women who had returned home from the endured unimaginable horrors, Nancy takes on whatever the future sends to her: guinea, women who managed farms or factories Japanese prisoner of war camps, fighting in New ‘I know how to dress and behave for the Melbourne or hospitals with Australia’s men at war. They Cup or a drover’s camp, she thought. I am Nancy all told stories, a hundred threads that twined to anything … Including give a picture of Australia in those years when survive.’ (p 152) of the Overflow and I can do Iloving always your knew country I would mean write you this had book, to fight from for it. About the Author the day when at three years old I screamed at the sight of my best friends’ father. He had been Jackie French is a multiple award-winning and legs were dislocated, scarred from repeated author who deals with a very wide-range of whippingtortured by across the Japanese, his face. Hecrucified walked till hunched his arms topics. Of her books she says on her website that: over and I thought he was a giant spider. I There were over 140 at last count, slightly more than screamed and screamed, and after that we never we have varieties of apples. If something is worth played at her place again. Mum explained, and doing you may as well go heart and soul and boot in that moment of intense shame, even at three, I knew that there was nothing I could ever do to gardening, pests control , chooks and some that must undo the pain I had caused that man, who had leatherbe a nightmare ... I write forfor kidsbook and shops adults, to work fiction, out history, what lost so much for our country. But I also knew that genre they are. Have a look at ‘which book?’ for a his story- all their stories- should not be lost. probably not quite up to date list of what is where and for whom. There are so many ways to love your country, and to serve it. Mine, perhaps, is telling stories. Her website offers further detailed and fascinating insights into her life and work. www.jackiefrench.com These notes may be reproduced free of charge for use and study withinn schools but they may not be reproduced (either in whole or in part) and offered for commecial sale. 4 To Love a Sunburnt Country Jackie French Elizabeth Rogers, Mrs Thomas Addison, Mrs Mainwaring, Nurse Williams, Nurse McTavish, Miss Edith Smith, Miss Deborah Beatty, Mrs Addison, Miss Vivienne Crewlight, Nancy and Characters Moira Clancy; and Gavin Clancy. • The Significance of Character: Characters are Discussion Point: Cyril Harding plays a pivotal the heart of any narrative, the catalysts for action, and the central core around which all other Nancy. What do you imagine his background is? part in the action and has a significant ‘scene’ with narrative aspects must revolve and work. In this What might have happened to him after the war? work there are several major characters (some Discussion Point: Is there a minor character who minor ones. might have played a larger part? Why would you of whom figure briefly in the action) and a cast of have liked to have seen more of this character? Discussion Point: Apart from Nancy, which character did you consider to be central to the • Character Arcs are the curve on which key novel’s plot and themes, and why? events show how a character grows or develops in response to events and to interactions with other • Major Characters: Nancy Clancy, Moira characters in the novel.