Standard English: Module A: Prescribed text: ‘The castle’ directed by Rob snitch What to prepare? MY QUOTES SHOULD SHOW is: ● Language has the power to reflect/ shape/ provide meaning on individuals and/or collective identity. - 5 min each. ● Impact YOUR self-perception. ● Language can affirm, ignore, revela, challenge, disrupt prevailing assumptions and beliefs about YOU, individuals and cultural groups. ● Meaning about individual and community identity, as well as cultural perspectives, is shaped in and through. ● Textual forms and conventions. - Type of text? ● Language structures and features ● Communicate information, ideas, values and attitudes which inform and influence perceptions of ourselves and other people and various cultural perspectives. - Values and Attitudes, use Dialogue ONCE, Most techniques once.

I SHOULD BE ABLE TO: ● Analyse, assess and critique the specific language features and form of texts ● Increasingly complex arguments ● Clearly and cohesively using appropriate register, structure and modality. ● Representation of identity and culture ● Conventions of syntax, spelling and grammar appropriately and for particular effects.

KEY VERBS IN RUBRIC: ● EXPLORE, ANALYSE AND ASSESS THE WAYS, ANALYSE, ASSESS AND CRITIQUE. Know these and the synonyms to these as your question could ask you to do this.

Values and Attitudes: There is a focus on ‘Values and attitudes’ in this module. ​ ● A value is a way people think about particular issues: for instance, the values that Daryl places on his greyhounds like they are family members ​ ● Attitude is about a reaction: e.g the working-class culture which consists of all the members in the street are not accepting of their homes being demolished. ​ Individual Identity Collective identity Cultural groups - Dale Kerrigan - Kerrigan family - Working-class - Darryl Kerrigan - Suburbians (neighbourhood) - Australian - Mum - The legal system. - Migrants - Steve - Elderly - Wayne - Tracey - Con - Farouk - Jack - Dennis Denuto - Lawrence Hammil

Key Thematic Concerns - Clash of classes - Land Rights - Family unity - The connection between people and their environment - Multiculturalism - Social acceptance and belonging - Importance of friendship/mateship - Individual’s role in their community.

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Key quotes in key scenes: Dale: “I’m Dale Kerrigan and this is my story.” - Individual identity. ​

Darryl: “Anyone that loves our Trace as much as we do, deserves our love. So we love you, Con. We love you.” ​

Dale: “He didn’t mean to rob the petrol station. Now he’s sorry.” ​

Darryl: “Hand on Steve.” Trading Post marginalised. ​

Darryl: “Compulsorily acquired they’re acquiring it, compulsorily” ​ …

Councilwoman: “All right, I’ll state this simply. There is an iron-clad agreement between Federal, State and Local Governments and the Airport’s Commission.” ​

Darryl: “Yeah, well, where's the agreement with Karryl Kerrigan, 3 Highview Crescent, Coolaroo. ​

Darryl: “This is an example of the individual” ​

Darryl: “You defended Wayne.” ​

Dennis: “Yeah, and he got eight years.” ​

Darryl: “But you did your best. I mean, you can hold your head up high.” ​ Darryl turns head to the camera to emphasise message to a responder. Global standardizes expectations and value of individuals.

Dennis: “Look, I’ll ring around and see what I can find out.” ​

Darryl: “Good on yer Dennis.” ​

Dale: “Dad had a way of making everyone feel special.” ​

Darryl: “Go on, tell them, tell them Dale dug a hole.” ​ …

Darryl: “This house is like their land. It holds their memories. The land is their stories The country’s got to stop stealing other people’s land.” ​ …

Dale: “At first dad thought it was out of politeness but it can’t be cos he goes up there all the time.” ​

Laurie: “One phrase within the constitution on just terms.” ​ …

Laurie: “Competing rights cannot be weighed one against the other.” ​ “Kerrigan and Son Towing Service.”

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Sample questions: A) How does the form of your prescribed text help the composer represent views of identity and culture? B) Analyse how a text’s language features contribute to the way that it expresses ideas about culture and identity. In your response make detailed reference to your prescribed text.

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Values Values are shown How/Analysis Retreat from the Global. expressed by through Sitch

Values the rights The insistence of Darryl on his Dialogue, the tone is patronising and Darryl symbol of local. The government represents direct connections between global and local, even though their of individuals to rights and the eventual defeat forceful, previous superficial current agenda is global and economic. The global is threatening the structure of a community, in this case, the participate in their of the Barlow group. The sympathy changes to contempt “All neighbourhood of Highview Crescent. community. Barlow group depicted as a right, I’ll state this simply. There is an corporation that, through the iron clad agreement between Federal, economy, has covertly shifted state, and local governments and the power away from the Airport’s Commission.” Presents a government and the situation that suggests there are no individuals, threatening the other options, an association of democratic system. Darryl and “ironclad”. The representative of the his family create a sense of government body presents the community within their own inextricably interwoven relationships street. This asserts not only between government and the right of individuals to corporations. The juxtaposition of participate in their community costuming, Darryl’s casualness and but also this concept as a the class associations of his desirable and supportive flannelette shirt suggest sincerity and network (link BP) in positive warmth, positioning the responder to relationships with Farouks and sympathise with this character Jack. Darryl becomes a against the uncaring bureaucratic champion and leader of his system that the council women community, not just his represent. This heartlessness is family. conveyed in a mid-shot of the councilwoman, leant back with impassive expression and her formal costuming implies distance.

Values the support The high self-esteem of family “Dad had a way of making everyone Response to the global changing family structure. Re-establishing traditional family unit as a localised ideal. that a cohesive members and their ability to feel special.” This voice-over Individuals to gain continual support and the family as a symbol of stability in individual lives. The idealised social family unit respond constructively to comment is reinforced with visuals of framework serves to heighten the insensitivity of the Global economic forces and those who represent thee forces. provides. other people and life. Darryl individually praising family Sitch connects globalisation and the individual, paralleling imperialism and Aborigines. members and also through the dialogue, for example, “go on, tell them, tell them Dale dug a hole. '' … Facial expressions, contestant smiles showing their emotional happiness.

Values the The use of the house as a “This house is like their land. It holds connections symbolic place that links their memories. The land is their between people family members and provides stories The country’s got to stop … to their them with a sense of security. stealing other people’s land.” Tone, environment despair, sincere understanding and (Land, place and emotional connections to his house other people) and environment. Darryl begins to understand other issues beyond his own microcosm and relates his sense of place to other people’s sense of place. This point is important for the central’s characters development, but also for society’s development. Sitch makes the point that everyone needs to have this sense of place and understands that others also have this sense of place.

Values the Positive relationships between “At first dad thought it was out of Global promotes class differences by creating obvious economic barriers. However, the local, within this film, egalitarian society. Darryl and Laurie. Also politeness but it can’t be because he promotes a sense of equality and egalitarianism. This ideals provides a situation within and between communities of represented by the racially goes up there all the time.” friendliness and comfort in relating to each other. diverse mix in within the Voice-over with slow pan of the pool community - Con, Farouk, room, focusing on a photograph of Yvonne, Jack, Kerrigans. Laurie smiling and holding a fish. The smile represents his enjoyment of the activity, breaking down class barriers as the characters of Darryl and Laurie enjoy activities together. Promoting egalitarian society through common interests and universal human truths of friendship and loyalty.

Values the Laurie’s arguments in the High “One phrase within the constitution Sitch suggests in the global world, governments and laws are increasingly vulnerable to the convert power shifting … fundamental ideal Court and the emphasis on just terms”, pause in dialogue through the economy and these ideals become threatened, thus threatening local communities and individuals. The roles of placed on the phrase within emphasises this phrase, depiction of character Laurie and his arguments reiterate the ideal values, reminding the responder that governments and laws government and the constitution, “on just Laurie as the wise, experienced, should provide for social stability and this individual justice, rather than promoting global economic policies. laws which is to terms”Also, negative figure of moral conviction and justice. serve the depiction of local government Juxtaposition of simplicity and naivety communities that colluding with corporations. of Denuto to Laurie’s knowledge and they represent. sophistication in speech emphasises this. Global represented through largeness of building and the lack of understanding from Darryl’s point of view.

Values social The depiction of the Kerrigans Repetition of the term “compulsory Embrace global without sacrificing local values. When brought into conflict, the local values, of family are community principals over as a family embracing symbols acquired”, “they’re acquiring it, prioritised. economic of the global such as compulsorily”, emphasises negative priorities. powerlinesm international aspects of the phrase in social terms However, Sitch travel and the trading post, because there are no choices within a also suggests that but also maintaining the democracy - dialogue. Darryl also social and importance of relationships immediately thinks of those in the economic values between members of the community running over to see Jack. can coexist family and the well-being of comfortably their neighbourhood. When unless brought the letter of “compulsory directly into acquisition” arrives, the conflict. trading post is marginalised, “Hang on Steve”, values in conflict, immediately ignoring economic and concerned about social.

Values individuals' The constant commentary Voiceovers throughout. Still, close-up Global distribution of film, global medium used to communicate individual, humanity’s stories and emphasise locality. stories for the made by Dale as an observer of Dale at beginning to establish him This gives the individual and the community a face in a globalised world, encourages relationships between people importance of of events. as the narrator, dialogue reinforces and the family appreciation of everyone for their own experiences. their local this “I'm Dale Kerrgian and this is my perspective within story.” Film is a global language. a global society.

Values Positive portrayal of the “ANyone that loves our Trace as much Globalisation has allowed local cultural and ethnic boundaries to become less of a barrier to human relationships. multiculturalism characters from multicultural as we do, deserves our love. So we This promotes the global village by making the individual and communities more open to other cultural influences but backgrounds, such as Con, love you, Con. We love you.” The also tends to standardise and appropriate cultural values to a d different context. Farouk. dialogue at the wedding is used to show that universal truths of human behaviour and emotions of love surpassed etnic boundaries. The acceptance of Con into a family that the responder has earlier been positioned to sympathise with lends itself to a positiver acceptance of Con as a character.

Values differences Wayne learning to behave in a Scene at the conclusion depict Wayne Supporting the value of individuals succeeding and having their own lives, challenging the global views of masses of in individual socially acceptable manner, as a contributing member of the people. The individual's importance is emphasised so that this lead to social stability. expression within without the depiction of a family with shots of Wayne washing the boundaries of society removing aspects of the trucks and the sign amended to socially acceptable his personality that makes him “Kerrigan & Son Towing Service”. He behaviour and an individual. maintains a sense of individuality social stability. through the shots of him admiring mementos amidst the concrete cells.

Challenges The depiction of Wayne as a “He didn't mean to rob a petrol Globalisation supports stereotypical assumptions because people are viewed as collective groups and masses. The judgements of caring human being with station.” The tone of this voice-over local emphasises the view people as individuals and provides insight into both individual character and human people based on whom responders can relate shows naivety but also the willingness relationships. (See above) stereotypical to, rather than purely a to give people a second chance. assumptions. criminal. Mid-long shot of Dale and Wayne with eye contact at opposite ends of the table communicating suggests a human relationship.

Values the Darry;l’s relationship with Dennis: Look, I’ll ring around and see Global emphasises economic relationships. Local emphasises social relationships and this promotes social stability. ​ constant support Dennis and other characters. what I can find out. provided by Darryl: Good on yer Dennis. ​ friendship/matesh ip Hand gestures and the shot of both characters reinforce the notion of sincerity and support provided for each other.

Values people for Positive portrayal of Denuto “But you did your best. I mean you Global standardised expectations of people. Local emphasises the differences between people and communities, that ​ their genuine as the “Lovable incompetent” could hold your head up high.” Darryl individuals should strive to their personal limits and this should not be judged in terms of collective success but attempts to (Tony Hughes). turns to the camera to emphasise this personal contribution. contribute to message to the responder. He is used society rather as the character who symbolises than any sincerity through tone and facial measurements of expressions, and his positive support success. of Denis suggests responders should adopt these values.

Values the support The dependence of Jack and The scene in which Darryl offers to Global, disintegration of community support and emphasis of looking out for self. Local promotes these social values that a community Farouk on Darryl and the accommodate Jack after the houses for social stability (Look above again). SItch creates a new sense of what constitutes a family, by suggesting it moves offers to its positive portrayal of Darryl’s are to be compulsorily acquired beyond blood-relations to bonds between friends and communities (Link BP). This gives the individual more security members. understanding relationships despite the inconvenience to himself. within their community. with his neighbours. Darryl’s offer is viewed as a positive action, drawing on the responder’s action to the juxtaposition with Jack’s relatives refusing to support and elderly man.

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The castle notes: IMPORTANT!

The title of best Australian film is hotly contested, but if you’re looking for the most Australian film, it’s hard to go past The Castle. The film’s 1997 release saw it go straight to the pool room of Australian popular culture, and in the two decades since, it’s only reinforced its prominence as a source of colloquial comedy. Choice quotes from its screenplay - “Tell him he’s dreaming,” “so much serenity,” “it’s the vibe of the thing” and, of course, “suffer in your jocks!” - have firmly established themselves as part of the Australian vernacular.

Produced by - also responsible for the lines of Frontline, The Panel and The Dish, amongst many others - The Castle was a smash hit upon its local release, grossing over $10 million from a comparatively tiny $750,00 budget. An attempt, two years later, to sell the film in the United States was less successful, although one wonders if that can be credited to the misguided decision to redub the dialogue with the intention of making it more accessible - read: less ocker - to an international audience.

Critics loved it too, for the most part, with the notable exception of one David Stratton. Despite describing it as “low concept” and “Particularly disappointing” in his reviews for Variety, Stratton’s since come around; the recent documentary on the critic, David Stratton: A Cinematic Life, went out of its way to assure Aussie audiences that Stratton has since come to love the film’s charming comedy.

Watch David and Margaret’s original review of ‘The Castle’ in The movie Show: And why wouldn’t he? The castle may not be the most sophisticated film, boasting neither audacious cinematography, nor deep philosophical themes, but its pride of place in Australian culture has been fairly earned. It’s David vs Goliath story of battlers fighting against big business and bureaucracy continues to strike a nerve because how generously it regards its working-class characters. Like all great Auddie comedy, it at once satirises and admires its subjects, offering an enduring portrait of simple folk with big hearts and big dreams. (Even dreams involving overpriced pulpits.

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What’s It Really About? Australian Identity.

From the outset, it’s important to note that ‘The Castle isn’t necessarily intended to be about anything. The film’s primary goals are to entertain. Writing for Meanjin, Lorraine Mortimer pointed out that “The castle isn’t a thesis film”, while co-writer has explained that they “didn’t set out to make a comment about the fabric of Australian society. We set out to tell the story of a family and their house as simple as that.” Regardless of intentionality (or lack thereof), the film offers an expansive portrait of … contemporaneous Australian culture, fixated primarily on the working class.

The Kerrigans are a typical Aussie family. Their portrayal is exaggerated but affectionate. The screenplay (from Cilauro, , and Rob Sitch) wryly mocks the family’s customs from greyhound racing to amateur renovation without ever feeling mean-spirited. That distinction is critical to the film’s success; was this merely an unkind satire of the Aussie ‘bogan’, then it’s hard to imagine it would have been so warmly embraced by a diverse cross-section of fans.

“Its David vs Goliath story of battlers fighting against big business and bureaucracy continues to strike a nerve because of how generously it regards its working-class characters.” The majority of the film’s comedy stems from its deadpan depiction of the Kerrigan’d way of life. Darryl, as the family’s patriarch, fancies himself a shrewd businessman (their house positioned directly adjacent to the airport, “is worth almost as much today as when we bought it.”) and a bit of gourmet (“WHat do you call this?” “Chicken!”). He’s extremely proud of his children, especially Tracey (Sophie Lee), who boasts both a certificate in Hairdressing and stories from her recent trip to Thailand, celebrating her marriage to Con Petropoulos )Eric Bana, in his first film role). Then there are the three boys: our narration, Dale (Stephen Curry); Steve (Anthony Simcoe) and jailbird Wayne ().

Watching the film twenty years later, The Castle offers a snapshot of the “Suburban grotesque” - ordinary Aussies with oversized, ‘larrikin’ personalities. It also reveals a great deal about the underlying assumptions of the filmmakers regarding working-class life. The Kerrigans are closed to culture beyond that on Australia’s Funniest Home Videos. This is best exemplified by how Dale, listening to his sister’s stories, is more fascinated by the idea of watching movies on an aeroplane than any aspects of Thai culture. This makes for some great jokes while reinforcing hoary stereotypes about the ‘lower class’ and ‘high art’.

Of course, comedy is grounded in such stereotypes! The castle exploits them to demonstrate the pros and cons of such a narrow-minded approach to life. The Kerrigans’ resistance to global trends uniquely positions them as prepared to resist the encroaching arm of AirLink, attempting to steal their house from underneath them. It also motivated them to band together as a community with their Highview Crescent neighbours.

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Class and Culture:

Through these stereotypes, the film offers an incidental (and largely implicit) analysis of the drawbacks of the family’s reluctance to expand their horizons. The Kerrigan household is one with firm gender roles: Mum (Anne Tenney) is the homemaker, Darryl the breadwinner, while Tracey’s tasked with holding the punching bag for her would-be-kickboxer husband. There’s a touch of racism, too. The occasional comment from Darryl - “Let’s not beat around the bush, the Greek have a reputation,” from his speech at Tracey’s wedding, or his frustrated “What is it with wogs and cash?” - suggests that he and his family might benefit from a broader exposure to cultural beyond their backyard.

Based on the evidence presented in the film, it’s unfair to characterise Darryl as a racist. These comments are born of ignorance, not malice, and Caton’s performance ensures Darryl reads as a genuinely good-natured bloke. And, again, this doesn’t come across as international; per Cilauro, the screenplay’s references to race were “not a conscious decision we are … just acknowledging that Australia is made up of people from many different races.”

If anything, Darryl comes across as oblivious to the divisions defining Australian society. That’s particularly apparent in his first conversation with retired barrister Lawrence Hammill (Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell). Their conversation is a remarkably convenient coincidence in an otherwise relatively realistic narrative; the chance that Darryl would befriend a lawyer with extensive experience in the area of land rights is incredibly implausible. But their encounter - where Darryl makes the mistake of assuming Lawrence is there to support his son () as a defendant, not a lawyer - breaks thought the class barrier that’s ubiquitous yet, often invisible in Australia.

Us Aussies like to pretend we’re an egalitarian bunch who’ve thrown off the constrictive shackles of class that define English society. There’s some truth to that - how many countries can boast a former prime minister with a world record for beer drinking? - but while class might not be a big deal at the pub, it makes a huge difference at the courthouse. The role of class in our justice system is impossible to ignore when Airlink’s lawyer snidely dismisses the Kerrigan’ case in the courtroom climax, describing their home as an “eyesore” and quipping that “we’d have the jails full of people like {Darryl’s} son” if there were more houses like it.

It’s not accidental that the Kerrigans finally achieve success in the courts through the intervention of QC Hammill. Even with a lawyer a tad more competent than Dennis “it’s the vibe” Denuto (Tiriel Mora), it’s impossible to imagine the family breaking down the invincible economic and social barriers keeping them in their place without the aid of someone so familiar with the social and structural norms of the system. The castle may have a happy ending, but the subtext is clear: this kind of victory isn’t earner through hard work, determination or honesty: it’s earned through knowing the right people.