ISBN: 9780732296957

Notes by: Shanyn Limpus

Contents

 Introduction  About the author/illustrator  Study notes on themes and curriculum topics: a) Curriculum topics: ENGLISH: Language, Literature and Literacy THE ARTS: Making HISTORY: Historical Knowledge and Understanding, Historical Skills CROSS-CURRICULAR PRIORITIES: Aboriginal and Islander histories and culture b) Themes  Questions for reading and discussion  Bibliography  About the author of the notes

Introduction

At the age of thirteen ran away from home with little money in his pocket and big dreams in his head. With only five shillings and a one-eyed horse he rode off towards his goal of becoming a Cattle King. He began his education of the in 1870 and learned quickly from a . He went on to become a horse dealer, drover, stockman and livestock trader, using every opportunity as a chance to learn more about the land. His continuous education in bushcraft was aided by his ability to remember large amounts of information, which helped him to become a noted bushman across the country. This tribute to Sir Sidney Kidman tells how he built up a cattle empire of more than one hundred stations while fighting drought, floods, bushfires and plagues of rabbits and rats. Idriess effectively captures the spirit of the bush and celebrates a legend of Australian history.

About the author/illustrator Ion L. Idriess was born in in 1889. After running away from home, he spent much of his life roving Australia, collecting material for his true-life stories. He wrote Cattle King in 1936 after travelling throughout Sidney Kidman’s empire and spending time with him, his family and staff. is undoubtedly one of Australia’s best loved and most prolific authors—he published more than fifty books over forty years, all with Angus and Robertson, and in 1968 was awarded an OBE for his contribution to Australian literature. He died in 1979 aged eighty-eight.

Study notes on themes and curriculum topics

Learning Outcomes Students will have the opportunity to:  Understand the way language evolves over time and how language helps to create different identities  Interpret and analyse language choices and textual features  Compare attitudes and ideas about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and how these ideas reflect or challenge the values of individuals or groups  Create literary texts, such as poetry, that employ literary devices including imagery, hyperbole, metaphor and simile  Explore the perspectives of people from the past  Understand the living and working conditions in Australia before the turn of the twentieth century  Identify and analyse the technological innovations that led to the industrial revolution and the effect these changes had in Australia  Locate places on the Australian map  Use Drama to recreate scenes from the text and reflect on the lives of characters

English Activities Before you read Write your own definition of a ‘Cattle King’. Compare the lifestyle of living in the bush compared to the city and share your own experiences of the country lifestyle. What do you know about knighthood?

Description The author provides the reader with a large amount of information about Sidney Kidman on the first page. List the physical and behavioural characteristics of Sidney Kidman from the first chapter and create a character profile. Discuss the effectiveness of the author’s description and how much information you can deliver about someone through simple choices such as clothing details.

Foreshadowing Foreshadowing is the literary device used to reveal future plot outcomes to the audience. Find specific examples of how the author does this in Cattle King and explain the purpose of this. Is this an effective device to help move the story along?

Beginnings and endings Re-read the first and last chapters and evaluate how well the author has constructed the opening and closing of the book. Has the author used any interesting features — such as hooks — to keep you reading? How effective is the ending?

Language Alternatives Locate language and spelling alternatives in the text and discuss how language has changed over time and the reasons for these changes. For example, connexion (connection), for ever (forever), to-morrow (tomorrow). Discuss the use of words borrowed from other languages.

Activity: Translate a section of German Charlie’s dialogue into English.

Anecdotes Sidney Kidman learns many lessons throughout his life. For example, he learns never to give up or to drink. Several anecdotes—interesting or humorous short stories—are scattered throughout the story. Identify some of the lessons he learns from other people’s anecdotes or his own.

Activity: Write two of your own anecdotes about any topic, including a lesson you learnt or a topic for the class to ponder on. Share with the class.

Essay writing There are many statements in the text that can be used to create arguments to show your opinion or viewpoint. a) With Sid Kidman, to think was to act (p. 67) b) ‘Tis a poor man that does not know his own mind (p. 89) c) It’s going to be a man’s country for ever (p. 108) Activity: Choose a quote from above and write a short essay that includes three main points to prove your opinion. If possible, use examples from the text to support your arguments.

Bush ballads A ballad is a poem that tells a story. The famous Australian ballad ‘The Wild Colonial Boy’ is mentioned in chapter six. View it here http://alldownunder.com/oz-u/songs/wild-colonial-boy-4.htm Look at some other Australian bush ballads and make a note of the features such as the rhyming pattern. ‘The Man from Snowy River’ can be viewed here http://www.poetrylibrary.edu.au/poets/paterson-a-b-banjo/the-man-from-snowy-river-0001004

Activity: Write your own bush ballad about Sir Sidney Kidman by using the information you learned about him from Cattle King.

Figurative language Hyperbole Hyperbole is a figure of speech used for exaggeration. For example, ‘I could drink a brewery and still need a gargle’ (p.154). This hyperbolic statement emphasises how thirsty Bill is and paints a more vivid picture than simply saying he needs a drink.

Activity: Make your own hyperbolic statements to describe aspects of bush life such as heat, drought, loneliness, boredom, wide open spaces etc. Share them with the class.

Idiom An idiom is an expression with a figurative meaning that is different to the literal meaning. The author describes the multiple options that a man would have by owning flood country as having two string s to his bow (p. 51). As a class, create a list of idioms that would be used by people from the bush or could be used to describe characters from the text.

Activity: Write a paragraph that could easily fit into the book that uses at least two of the idioms from the list.

Simile The author uses many similes in the text to make expressive comparisons. Locate the similes that Greasy Jack uses in his story on page sixteen. How many others can you find?

Activity: Have a go at writing some of your own by finding a section where some similes could be added to enhance the text.

Drama activities Bush dialogue Activity: Write a script (duration two to three minutes) for two people who could have existed in the period of the text. Base your scene on the daily living struggles relevant to the text and use idioms and rhyming slang in your dialogue. Practise your scene and perform it for the class.

Hot seat Activity: Students sit in a circle and take turns asking questions to a student playing Sidney Kidman in the centre. Students should ask questions about key moments from the text and ‘Sidney’ must improvise responses by imagining what it felt like in each particular situation and reflecting on what he learnt. Students can also take turns at being Sidney.

History Activities Far and wide Using an Australian map, record Kidman’s journey and the places he visits and properties he purchases. See if you can keep track of the number of kilometres that Kidman travels throughout his adventures.

Timeline As a class, create a timeline of important historical moments during Sir Sidney Kidman’s life. Make note of any important inventions or advances in technology that occurred during this period and reflect on the effect of these improvements.

Activity: As Sidney, write a letter home to his wife or mother that explains the positive or negative impact of one of these inventions on his daily life.

Currency Compare and convert the currency used in the text (sovereigns, pennies etc.) to today’s currency. Research when currency changed to the current system and predict any changes that may occur in the future.

Explorers Make a list of all the well-known explorers listed in the text and discuss what you know about them. Why were explorers so crucial to the history of Australia? Are our opinions of explorers as romantic as they are about bushrangers?

Activity: Choose one explorer (other than Sturt) and write a short report about his life.

Aboriginal Beliefs The author describes Sidney as ‘never making the white man’s mistake of laughing at aboriginal beliefs’ (p.23). European settlers held a dim view on the Aboriginal way of life and traditions, seeing their lifestyle as uncivilised. Research some Aboriginal beliefs. Keeping in mind the conflicts between Europeans and during the 1800s, discuss why settlers would have placed little value on these beliefs. Was it uncommon to respect the Aboriginal way of life as Kidman does? Why?

Themes Identity

Sidney Kidman sets off in the first chapter to become a Cattle King. From the age of thirteen he knows exactly the type of man he wants to become and the label he wants people to know him by. Sidney’s sense of self is very well-established for such a young age. This provides a point of discussion as many teenagers struggle to know what they want to do with their lives and the type of adult they want to become. Also, characters from the bush are very different to character from the city. For example, people from the bush are strong-minded, determined, brave, resourceful and independent.

 What circumstances have allowed Sidney to have such a clear direction and sense of identity?  List the differences in opportunities that you have in the twenty-first century compared to Sidney. How do these opportunities affect your ideas about your own identity and your future?  Make a list of characteristics for someone who lives in the city.

Perseverance

Early Australians faced a lot of challenges on the land, including environmental trials, slow transport and limited communication. Early pioneers, such as Sidney Kidman and the drovers and stockmen he met over the years, faced harsh conditions in the bush and struggled to survive on a daily basis. Early in the story it is clear how important water is to survival, a challenge that modern Australians don’t face on the same scale. A lot of things tested Kidman throughout his life, but he never gave up. His determination never wavered and he continued to persevere in order to meet all his goals.  Why were early Australians willing to work so hard in such harsh conditions?  Compare modern day conditions to those experiences by the early explorers and pioneers. Who faced bigger challenges?  Does Sidney Kidman meet the criteria of an ‘Aussie Battler’? Explain.

Mateship

Men and women living in Australia during the nineteenth century had to rely on each other to survive. It was a time when strangers were embraced and the relationships and bonds you formed with others had an impact on your survival and success. Kidman valued relationships and always repaid favours and kept his word. He fed his staff well and treated everyone, including Aboriginals, with the same level of respect. Kidman was a generous man, especially during the First World War when he donated goods and provided jobs for returned servicemen even though he was struggling himself.

 In what ways does the idea of a ‘shared experience’ have to do with mateship in this story?  Give examples of Kidman’s loyalty and explain how mateship impacted upon his success.  How are our modern attitudes of strangers different to the ones expressed in Cattle King?

Questions for reading and discussion

1. Sidney leaves home at thirteen to find a job. Discuss the ‘earning or learning’ legislation that exists in Australia and why it is place. Do you think Sidney was disadvantaged by leaving school at such a young age? How important was experience in Kidman’s success? 2. Why do you think selling the horse for ten shillings affected Sidney so much (p.7)? 3. Most news came from travellers. What impact did this have on daily living? Discuss the limitations of communication during the eighteenth century. Compare it to the overabundance of communication of the modern world and discuss the pros and cons. 4. Explain what Idriess means by ‘All men are restless’ (p.17). What was happening in the 1870s that made men restless? Why would men be more restless than women? 5. How would the bush have ‘a way with people who cannot mind their own business and a way with the know-alls too’ (p.21)? What are the positives and negatives of knowing so much about the bush? 6. In your experience, do you think animals share human characteristics? Give a reason why Sidney may have spent his time characterising mobs of cattle into human counterparts. 7. Sidney Kidman realises the advantages of credit. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using credit? What are some other ways that we ‘credit’ people without money? 8. How are Aboriginals depicted in this text? Explain Sidney’s attitude towards Aboriginals and discuss why this was different to the norm at the time. How have attitudes towards Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders changed over time? 9. Why do you think after all the money Sidney has made do you still think he cares about one lost shilling (chapter 34)? Do you think the situation on page four and five has anything to do with this? 10. How does Cattle King contribute to the national identity of Australia

Rhyming slang (homework sheet)

Rhyming slang began developing in the eighteenth century. It involves two words or a short phrase where the final word always rhymes with the target word. The slang term or phrase may have nothing to do with the target word; it is the rhyme which is important.

Sidney says, ‘What’s for tea, Babbling Brook’ (p.28) when referring to the cook. Brook rhymes with cook.

Fill in this table to complete the list of rhyming slang. Use the blank spaces to write other rhyming slang you know and test your friends. (Ask your parents for help if you get stuck.)

Slang Meaning Slang Meaning Babbling brook cook road Bees and honey Froth and bubble sister Mystery bags gutter Near and far look belly Curry and rice Nelly McGuire Dog and bone / Al Capone Noah’s Ark Ducks ‘n geese lie Ham and eggs / Ginger Meggs legs Septic Tank ear Tin Lid / Billy Lid

Answers Slang Meaning Slang Meaning Babbling brook cook Frog and toad road Bees and honey money Froth and bubble trouble Blood blister sister Mystery bags snags Bread and butter gutter Near and far bar Captain Cook look Ned Kelly belly Curry and rice price Nelly McGuire light the fire Dog and bone / Al Capone phone Noah’s Ark shark Ducks ‘n geese police Porkie Pie lie Ham and eggs / Ginger Meggs legs Septic Tank Yank Ginger Beer ear Tin Lid / Billy Lid kid

Bibliography

About the Book, 2001, retrieved from

http://www.harpercollins.com.au/books/Cattle-King-Ion-L-Idriess/?isbn=9780207197826

Australian Slang, 2012, retrieved from http://alldownunder.com/australian-slang/dictionary-rhyming-2.htm

Big Black Dog Communications, Mateship, Diggers and Wartime, 2007, retrieved from http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/mateship-diggers-and-wartime

Wherret, Duncan, A Dictionary of Cockney Rhyming Slang, 2009, retrieved from http://www.leatherjerry.com/docs/fun/Rhyming_Slang%20dictionary.pdf

About the author of the notes Shanyn Limpus began her professional career in education after studying a combined arts/education degree. Shanyn also has a Master of Arts in Writing, Editing and Publishing from the University of Queensland. She currently lives in Brisbane where she works as a freelance writer, combining her creativity and communication skills for various clients.