What is "The Stranger on the Shore" in Michael Gow's Away?

[Musa]

I need to look more closely at the play-within-the-play of "The Stranger on the Shore" in "away" as it symbolically represents Coral's healing. The problem is I can't find anything about "The Stranger On the Shore" anywhere online! If anyone knows the composer or any details, I'd greatly appreciate the help.

[conic curve]

I'm going to be studying this text next term for school

Basically the stranger in the shore (which is a scene which led a change in Gwen) represents her enthusiasm;the play was led 'thunderously by Gwen' and her sour disappointment with the production of Midsummer Night's Dream in the beginning 'very silly choice if you ask me' shows she has become more appreciative of others rather than her materialistic possessions.

In the performance of ‘The Stranger on the Shore’ by Tom, Coral achieves some acceptance of life when she says that “I’m walking, I’m walking” representing a return to life. Coral learns to experience life and the final transformation occurred throughout Tom’s playlet which restored her.

Tom’s playlet the “Stranger on the Shore” reveals that Gwen has completely changed as she stands up and applauds for Coral.

Please note, I haven't read the book yet, but this is what I researched

[ssarahj]

I need to look more closely at the play-within-the-play of "The Stranger on the Shore" in "away" as it symbolically represents Coral's healing. The problem is I can't find anything about "The Stranger On the Shore" anywhere online! If anyone knows the composer or any details, I'd greatly appreciate the help.

'The Stranger On the Shore' is a really interesting part of Away, but as far as I know it was written by Michael Gow as part of his text, its not a play in its own right.

For majority of the play you would have noticed that she's really distant/weird/slightly psychotic which is all a manifestation of her grief of losing her son. So in terms of Coral's healing, ‘The Stranger on the Shore’ is symbolic of her beginning to move on.
The act of walking is symbolic throughout the whole thing, because she's able to heal and return to some sort of normal existence. There's also a big metaphorical transition from being in the depths of her grief to being back in the real world and ready to continue with life. Tom's role in this is also really cool since you can interpret ‘The Stranger on the Shore’ to be his way of coming to terms with his mortality and letting go of his life so that Coral can live hers.

Here's some powerful quotes that can be analysed:
- “But it is so cold here on the silent bottom of the deep, and so lonely”
- “How I yearn for the land, the sky, the grass, but to walk causes me terrible pain”
- “You must return to your own world and your own people”
- “I’m walking, I’m walking, I’m walking [in her own voice] I’m walking, I’m walking”

This is an extract from my essay which talks about this section of the play:
As the play progresses, Coral begins to heal as she discovers her ability to resume everyday existence without her son. Gow mirrors Shakespeare through implementing the device of a play-within-a-play, ‘The Stranger on the Shore’ which is symbolic of Coral’s return from the, “silent bottom of the deep”, to, “[her] own world and [her] own people”. She demonstrates this meaningful paradigm shift by stating, “[in her own voice] I’m walking, I’m walking, I’m walking”, representing her renewal through being able to metaphorically ‘walk again’. The transition of speaking in her character’s accent to, as the stage direction specifies, “her own voice”, symbolises her regaining control over her life.

If you have any more questions or need more specific help feel free to post back!! 

[conic curve]

ssarahj

Did you do Away by Michael Gow for discovery at school?

[ssarahj]

ssarahj

Did you do Away by Michael Gow for discovery at school?

Yes! 

[conic curve]

Yes! 

Ah fantastic, we can now make a discussion thread for AWAY by Michael Gow AOS so then we can discuss and share ideas. What do you say? (this will have to be next week though)

[ssarahj]

Ah fantastic, we can now make a discussion thread for AWAY by Michael Gow AOS so then we can discuss and share ideas. What do you say? (this will have to be next week though)

Sure, I'll be happy to help, I also saw a stage production of it this year.

Side note: I'd recommend that you wait until you've actually read the play before doing too much more research. I found it way more compelling to read it/perform it, in class for the first time since I knew next to nothing about it. You'll have plenty of time to discuss and analyse it all throughout your HSC year.

[EmileeSmith]

I'd love to see a thread for Away!!

[ssarahj]

I'd love to see a thread for Away!!

Awesome, I love your enthusiasm! We'll definitely get onto this ASAP 

[EmileeSmith]

thank you sooo much!!