CONTENTS How to use . iv Knowing: Tracks . .2 Context and author . 2 Structural elements . 4 Textual elements . 8 Ideas, issues and themes . 10 Learning activities . 13 Knowing: Into the Wild . 15 Context and director . 15 Structural elements . 17 Textual elements . 23 Ideas, issues and themes . 27 Learning activities . 29 Comparing: Tracks and Into the Wild . .30 Types of questions . 30 The comparison . 31 Practice topics: Theme . 34 Practice topics: Cultural context . pages. 36 Practice topics: Genre . 37 Learning activities . 38 Writing the essay . 39 Shaping information and planning . 39 Essay structures . 41 The simple essay . 41 The alternating essay . 42 One text at a timeSample . 43 The comparing texts side-by-side essay . 44 The essay . 46 iii How to use The Pearson English VCE Comparing Guides have been written to the new Victorian Certificate of Education English and English as an Additional Language Study Design for 2016–2020 and cover Units 2–4 Area of Study 1 Reading and comparing texts. The Comparing guides are divided into four sections: 1: Knowing: Tracks 2: Knowing: Into the Wild 3: Comparing: Tracks and Into the Wild 4: Writing the essay. ■ AUTHOR: JOHN KRAKAUER Knowing the texts Into the Wild is based on a non-fiction book by the journalist Jon Krakauer, which was published in 1996. Writer’s toolbox Krakauer is particularly interested in how Chris A rite-of-passage refers to a McCandless died, and has published five different significant event in a person’s These sections provide a deep theories. Krakaeur’s interest in McCandless’s death life, where they transition stems from his desire to prove that McCandless from one stage of life, into wasn’t just a naive runaway. He reveres him as another. an adventurous13 young man, who acted upon a insight into the texts, covering 14 youthful rite-of-passage. 13 context and author, structural 14 12 1. Annandale, Virginia 4 8 2. Atlanta, Georgia – May 1990 elements, textual elements 3. Lake Mead National 1 Recreational Area (July 90) 10 3 9 12 4. Orick Beach/Cut Bank 11 5 2 1. Annandale, VirginiaMontana (Aug. 90) 4 8 2. Atlanta, Georgia – May 1990 6 3. Lake Mead5. NationalMorelos Dam (Dec. 90) 3 1 Recreational6. ElArea Golfo (July de90) Santa 10 7 and ideas, issues and themes. 9 4. Orick Beach/CutClara Bank (Jan, 91) 5 11 2 Montana (Aug.7. Houston, 90) Texas (Feb. 91) 6 5. Morelos Dam (Dec. 90) 6. El Golfo de8. SantaLas Vegas, Nevada 7 Clara (Jan, 91)(Feb.–May 91) 7. Houston, 9.TexasBullhead (Feb. 91) City, Arizona (Oct. 91) 8. Las Vegas,10. NevadaNiland, California (Dec. 91) (Feb.–May 91) At the end of each section is a 11. San Diego, California (Jan./Feb. 92) 9. Bullhead City, Arizona (Oct. 91) 10. Niland, California12. Carthage, (Dec. 91) South Dakota (Apr. 92) ■ Map of Chris 11. San Diego,13. CaliforniaFairbanks, (Jan./Feb. Alaska 92) (Apr. 92) McCandless’s journey 12. Carthage,14. SouthStampede Dakota (Apr. Trail, 92) Alaska (May 92) 13. Fairbanks, Alaska (Apr. 92) set of learning activities. 14. Stampede Trail, Alaska (May 92) STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS Genre The genre of the film is biographical drama.Into the Wild begins with Chris McCandless leaving Annandale, Virginia. As he takes on the frontier in Alaska, the film takes on the style of an adventure story. Because it follows Chris’s life story, it is biographical. However, it is told through Sean Penn’s lens, which is based on Jon Krakaeur’s interpretation of Chris McCandless’s writings, and interviews with those who knew him. Although the audience of Into the Wild knows Chris dies, the drama is heightened as we see his deterioration and anticipate his death. Chronology pagesThe film does not follow a conventional chronology. It flashes forward to Alaska, to Chris’s death, before taking us back, to show the journey leading up to that moment. The narrative flashes back even further to grainy images of Chris’s early years. By doing this, Penn explores Chris’s psychological rationale for leaving as he did. The sequencing affords greater suspense and drama, because the film takes a long time to reach what ■ Into the Wild (2007) we know will happen. 16 PEARSON english • VCE Comparing Guide Knowing: Into the Wild 17 Comparing texts You can also explore concepts within themes, as shown in the following table. Comparing: Tracks and Theme Concepts within themes Into the Wild The journey of self- adulthood, coming of age, morality of the individual, integrity, individual discovery and social values, transformational experiences, motivators, conviction This section outlines how to and individual power, individual need and collective will, autonomous There are different kinds of comparative questions and different ways to action, guilt, forgiveness, personal responsibility, selfishness approach them. This section will help you develop an understanding of Landscape wilderness, frontierism, exposure, fear, resilience, transcendence, compare and contrast the how to use a range of strategies when planning your essays about Tracks freedom, letting go and resistance, exclusion and inclusion, uniqueness and Into the Wild. These strategies, or graphic organisers, such as Venn Unreliability of whose story is being told?, authenticity, reality, creative licence, diagrams, scales and data charts are especially useful tools in assisting representation interpretation, memory, limitation, the power of distance (temporal, geographical, spiritual, emotional), the importance of text, storytelling you to explore the similarities and differences between the texts. two texts. The two texts are Stereotypes of women being seen as ‘the other’, survival, enrichment, defying the odds, and men in nature alienation, social non-conformity, expectations of gender, power of TYPES OF QUESTIONS gender SampleThere are three types of questions: ■ Concepts within themes compared and contrasted in • the themes, issues and ideas • the social, historical and cultural context Cultural context questions • the genre and style. Cultural context questions ask you to consider the cultural background in which the regards to: themes, cultural Common words used in essay questions include the following. text is set, the events in history that shape the text, and the social worlds that both texts reflect. • Discuss: Debate the arguments for and against the topic backing up these ideas with You might be asked to explore the aspects of society the authors, or characters see selected evidence from the text. Provide a conclusion. as important (views) and their judgements on those views (values). • To what extent: Assess the evidence in your text that would support an argument. Robyn Davidson is a woman in the 1970s trekking across the Australian desert, and context and genre. This section Also look at alternative explanations. Chris McCandless is a man in the 1990s in the Alaskan wilderness, however, there are • Do you agree?: An opinion is being sought as to the extent to which the statement or commonalities between the worlds they leave and the worlds they enter. quote is accurate. Evidence will be provided to support or contend the point of view. also provides practical tips and • Quotations: Essay questions that use quotations are a way to delve into the issues Genre questions embedded in a text. You should make reference to the quote and the ideas that Genre questions could ask you to think about the conventions of the genre and it raises. consider how and why the authors conveyed their ideas in certain ways. Despite the different genres of these texts, we need to consider the features they Theme questions ideas on how to compare texts share, and differences in their representations of setting, narrative perspective and Themes are prominent, recurring ideas that pervade a literary work. Both Tracks and other textual elements. Into the Wild explore themes related to: • the journey of self-discovery THE COMPARISON as well as practice topics. • landscape • unreliability of representation How to compare • stereotypes of women and men in nature. The following section shows you a number of ways to compare the two texts. A variety of methods have been used, such as tables that allow you to chart and track data and graphic organisers that let you see quickly the links and variations. In a comparison essay, you must critically analyse any two texts pointing out their similarities and/or differences. It could also be called a compare and contrast essay. Your task could be comparative only (looking only at similarities), contrasting only (pointing out the differences) or both comparative and contrasting. 30 PEARSON english • VCE Comparing Guide Comparing: Tracks and Into the Wild 31 iv PEARSON english • VCE Comparing Guide Before you start ■■ DEVELOPING A CONTENTION Writing the essay Writer’s toolbox The contention is the overarching Writer’s toolbox ■■ BRAINSTORMING THE TOPIC statement that answers the topic. It Begin by brainstorming the topic. Consider any sub- When you brainstorm you Make sure you are developing an argument should ask questions about is the central argument that runs the and not falling into the habit of storytelling. questions that are raised by the topic, and think the topic. A good way to whole way through the essay. A good If you find yourself writing about what about what evidence you have from each text to This section provides a do this is to make sure you way to develop the contention is to work happens for the majority of your paragraph, support these ideas. answer or include the Who? out what your supporting arguments then you are probably storytelling. The following diagram shows how to ask questions What? Where? Why? When? Try arguing a case by asking Why? and will be. From there, you can conclude about the topic: Both texts explore the concept of the Which? and How? of the topic. How? in each paragraph.