Literature SAC - Adaptations and Transformations

[sarah.vincent]

So at my school we are doing our 'Adaptations and Transformations' SAC second in the year, here is a very quick practise SAC I completed during the holidays, could someone provide me with some advice/tips/suggestions? That would be great ! Our novel/film is 'The Eye of the Storm' by Patrick White

PROMPT: Elizabeth Hunter states "All ailments are heredity, as are moral flaws." To what extent is this true in 'The Eye of the Storm'?. Discuss using the novel by Patrick White and the film directed by Fred Schepisi.


What is proclaimed by both the novel The Eye of the Storm by Patrick White and film directed by Fred Schepisi, reveals certain elements of the matriarch Elizabeth Hunter’s quote “all ailments are heredity, as are moral flaws”. Although it should be acknowledged that Mrs Hunter and her children possess distinct similaties, what is ultimately suggested is further “flaws” that Dorothy and Basil attribute to their “barren childhood”, implying environmental factors, blaming the behaviour of their mother specifically for affecting their now “barren li[ves]”. Novel and film appear to establish inconsistent emphasis, with Schepisi repeatedly utilizing zoomed camera angles to cornerstone cracks in the walls and rotting food, in order to highlight the “flaws” of a failing matriarch. Furthermore, employing Basil’s accentuated narration as direction for the viewer, providing only little insight into the desolate lives of Dorothy and Basil. Conversely, white exposes the characters in direct detail, framing their backgrounds and providing deeper characterisation of all characters involved. Whilst doing this, White leaves them vulnerable for the readers to judge and dissect their “moral flaws”.

White employs vast language to expose the minds of the characters, often detailing their hatred for others, more commonly each other. Dorothy describes her mother as a “jewelled scabbard in which a sword was hidden” which would “impale the hearts of those who worshipped” p173. This allows the readers to understand the true criticism that Dorothy and Basil hold towards their mother, their ability to hold grudges appears profusely in the film rather than the novel, evidently so in the obvious behaviour of avoidance in the children that the viewers witness. Much of the novel revels in the irresistible likeableness of Elizabeth, Dorothy perceives her inability to “define her love for her mother”, such that “it had remained something beyond her understanding” p73, the novel continues by sporting the similarities between Elizabeth and her children, much like the element of Elizabeth’s denude, the movie touches on this briefly. Dorothy reveals through her anguished narration, that she too, possesses a “gift for entertaining aged men” inherently a “moral flaw” from her mother. My Wyburd supports this, surmising that Dorothy is a “horsed-version of her mother”. Conversely, the film alludes to Dorothy as quite awkward, especially with men, her character is provided as fridget, cringing at the word “penis”, appearing totally dissimilar to her affluent mother. Elizabeth appears to reveal more daughterly appreciation in Flora, claiming they are the same in the love life, whereas “everything Dorothy tastes turns into a sour lemon.”

Both novel and film acknowledge the corrupt marriages of both Dorothy and Elizabeth, however, the novel provides a deeper insight into the dividends of both. Dorothy reflects on her marriage, to which “she failed”, conjuring that she “perhaps never loved” her husband, instead, “she had only drowned in admiration, for his title…”. Similarly, Mrs Hunter never truly loved her husband “as he deserved”, although their was some true affection, especially in Mr Hunter’s final days, contrast to Dorothy’s husband, Mr Hunter genuinely treated Mrs Hunter with affection and kindness.

The distinction of identity emerges as consistent in Elizabeth and her children, their ultimate “moral flaw” is their dearth ability to be themselves.
Mrs Hunter places a focus on appearances, even if this suggests creating “an illusion” fabricating a false façade. Both Hunter children possess different facades, maintaining contrary demeanours. Basil, is an actor, which in turns implies a need to manipulate one’s self to suit a different person, this acting is then placed further into his real life, having to prepare himself for interaction with his mother, . Alternatively, Dorothy’s French self, Princesse de Lascabanes, relays as an alter ego, with Dorothy determining a divide between her old Australian self Dorothy Hunter and her new French self; “the Princesse de Lascabanes was at liberty to shut herself up in Dorothy’s Hunter’s room”. Her French persona produces a difference in herself, she often cringes at the things she says while withholding her as the Princess. Novel and film appear to place a focus on this, however, the film has manipulated the way the children are presented, furthermore, it uses fragmented scenes, intertwining with each other using hard cut editing, such as the scenes between Dorothy and Athol Shreve, and Flora and Basil. Dorothy’s scene revealing false reality and Basil’s a sense for “real[ness]”.

The Eye of the Storm written by Patrick White and film directed by Fred Schepisi, establish individual focuses on what consists as “moral flaws”, however, both appear consistent in acknowledging that there is in fact “moral flaws” in each of the characters, whether these are heredity or not can be further questioned. The most important idea that both novel and film possess is the hurt that each individual withhold being themselves, accepting your current situation and past can reveal as impossible. As quoted from the film “We are not really our best when we are ourselves,” and from the novel; “I have never managed to escape being this thing Myself” p49. And for the Dorothy and Basil Hunter, that is the ultimate “moral flaw” that they have inherited.