2010 HSC Exam Question: What elements of your prescribed text are used to create a distinctly Australian vision? In your answer refer to your prescribed text.
An Australian vision is a representation of Australian culture, values and ways of life. In particular, it is a perspective on how Australians think and behave and the way they view their communities, their environments and themselves. The series Sea Change presents Australian visions of life in a coastal community, family life and law order. The song ‘I am Australian,’ written by Bruce Woodely and Dobe Newtown, represents Australia’s history and social unity. Both texts use a variety of techniques to convey distinctly Australian visions.
A ‘seachange’ is a move from the busy and frantic lifestyle in the city to a more relaxed and peaceful life in a coastal community. This idea is shown in the opening credits of Seachange by the quick montage of city images and the fast paced music. This then contrasts with the slow-panning over a blue ocean and open landscapes while the fast beat music is replaced by slow chords. The close-up image of the ‘Bridge Closed’ sign highlights Pearl Bay’s seclusion away from the busy city. These techniques suggest an ideal Australian vision where community relationships and a balanced lifestyle is preferred over long work hours and material success.
In the episode, ‘Manna from Heaven’ we see the way that family life is an important aspect of Australian vision. Pearl Bay is infested with Phillipine Bora and Laura searches for her beliefs about what’s important in her life. In the scene where Laura is cleaning the kitchen with her daughter Miranda sitting on the ground, a ‘two-shot’ is used to create a sense of closeness between the two characters. This effect is emphasised by the dialogue when Laura tells an anecdote of how Miranda believed in angels when she was young. The background sound effect of waves and birds creates a sense of peace which suggests that Laura has found happiness in her family life. A similar idea is conveyed in the episode ‘Law and Order’ where Laura reconciles with her sister. A close-up of Laura’s hand on her sister’s shows her willingness to be close to her. Rupert’s rhetorical question, ‘He’s still our cousin isn’t he?’ shows how important the family relationship is. This is furthered by the upbeat background music which creates a positive tone and the long-shot of all the family members standing closely together. In this way, family relationships are shown to be an important part of the Australian vision.
The episode, ‘Law and Order’ illustrates a distinctive vision of the Australian legal system. The bridge became opened and so the court was going to be moved to Port Deakin. The residents engage in a ‘civil disobedience campaign’ so that they could save the courthouse. Meredith takes a gun and Western show-down music is played in the background and slow motion is used. This shows how Meredith is prepared to fight to keep the courthouse local. The dialogue of a rhetorical question, ‘Will somebody take some bloody notice?’ and the strong colloquial language shows Meredith is genuinely upset about the closure. Meredith points out the irony in the way that the opening of the bridge will lead to the closing of the court and ‘us all being deserted.’ The townspeople protect Meredith’s identity saying, ‘I don’t think she looks at all familiar.’ This shows how friendship and community can sometimes be stronger than legal rules. This idea is emphasised by the over-the-shoulder shot showing Meredith sitting down and the other characters in a circle around her.’ In this way, the legal system is shown to be an integral part of the town’s identity and Australian life.
The song, ‘I am Australian’ presents a vision of Australian history and multiculturalism. The song describes how Australians have different pasts but are united in being Australian. The first verse refers to the Aboriginal ‘dream-time’ and the ‘dusty red soil plains.’ This imagery describes Australia’s history and landscape of deserts and dusty roads. The use of idiom in ‘I’m a bushy, I’m a battler’ shows how many Australians worked hard to survive the harsh environment of early Australia. The chorus ‘We are one, but we are many’ is a paradox to show that even though Australians come from many different cultural backgrounds they still feel connected to each other. The repetition of the collective pronoun ‘we’ further emphasises this idea. Finally, the use of a background choir during the chorus suggests a vision of unity through multiculturalism in Australia.
In this way, the series Seachange and the song 'I am Australian' present distinctly Australian visions. Seachange shows the attractiveness of life in a coastal town, the important role of family and the legal system in Australian society. The song ‘I am Australian’ shows Australian history and its unique multicultural community. These visions of Australia are all unique and represent different parts of Australian life and culture.
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