What are we looking for in "Identity and Belonging"?

[methodsboy]

Hey
Similar to dekoyl's thread... We are doing The catcher in the rye and Witness for this context.
What particular aspects should be analysed in these texts/novels?
Thanks

[methodsboy]

anyone???

[Toothpaste]

Vague question. So I'll give general suggestions.

For Witness you can analysis each of the characters in terms of how belonging/isolation/lifestyle affects them.
i.e. John Book at the start: hard working cop, life revolves around his job.
What happens when he meets Rachael and her kid? He starts to grow some human compassion, etc.
When he's been excluded from the "cops" group, look at how he discovers a "new identity" with the Amish people.
The Amish don't really trust him either, what does that do to his sense of belonging?

You could also look at symbolism. Book's gun - violence, city life, his life as a cop ...
Barn raising - community/team work
The plain clothing the Amish wear
The bonnet Rachael wears. What does it symbolise when she takes it off?

Look at Holden in Catcher and his views on "phonies" etc. Where does he even belong? You can look at the people he encounters and how their relationship/lack of relationship affects him and his outlook on the world.

You just need to refer to those texts in relation to a prompt, draw out examples and make sure everything's relevant.

[methodsboy]

Vague question. So I'll give general suggestions.

For Witness you can analysis each of the characters in terms of how belonging/isolation/lifestyle affects them.
i.e. John Book at the start: hard working cop, life revolves around his job.
What happens when he meets Rachael and her kid? He starts to grow some human compassion, etc.
When he's been excluded from the "cops" group, look at how he discovers a "new identity" with the Amish people.
The Amish don't really trust him either, what does that do to his sense of belonging?

You could also look at symbolism. Book's gun - violence, city life, his life as a cop ...
Barn raising - community/team work
The plain clothing the Amish wear

Look at Holden in Catcher and his views on "phonies" etc. Where does he even belong? You can look at the people he encounters and how their relationship/lack of relationship affects him and his outlook on the world.

You just need to refer to those texts in relation to a prompt, draw out examples and make sure everything's relevant.

ok thanks.. i've only written one context essay in my life and i was just double checking on how to approach this context.

[Toothpaste]

For now I think you should just look for examples of "belonging"/"identity" in those texts and make a list then build on it.

Usually your teachers will get you to define "who you are" and "where you belong" before they start looking into the book/film in detail.
eg; "how is your identity determined?", "what makes a 'home'?", "are you defined under any stereotypes?"

EDIT: Have a look at the context section in the "Oxford VCE English". I like it.

[shonakennedy]

what is with all these ambiguous contexts? the one i did was encountering conflict, and i think it was the only straight forward one of them all. it doesnt take much to read between the lines with internal and spiritual battles and whatnot. but all these identities and belongings and whose realitys.... they make you wonder what the vcaa were on when deciding what to make us study. sure it broadens our minds, but geeze its wierd and far from straight forward. it sucks for all those people that struggle at english. i loved context, but i know many people who tried so hard all year to get their heads around it without any luck. its not fair really.


/end rant