Meaning of Life and Australian Cultural Identity Essay

â€Å"From separate catastrophes, two rural families flee to the city and find themselves sharing a great, breathing, shuddering joint called Cloudstreet, where they begin their lives again from scratch. For twenty years they roister and rankle, laugh and curse until the roof over their heads becomes a home for their hearts. † (Winton, 1991) Tim Winton’s critically acclaimed novel, Cloudstreet is a masterful tale of love, meaning and heartbreaking tragedy that speaks strongly of a post war Australian society that was essentially rebuilding itself after years of political upheaval and financial struggle. Good Morning/Afternoon Ladies and Gentleman. I am a representative of the National English Curriculum board and today I am here to demonstrate to you how Cloudstreet is authentic and believable, and as Marieke Hardy suggests: â€Å"It is Australian. Reading it felt like coming home. † Throughout Cloudstreet, there are numerous concepts that portray the Australian cultural identity; and the theme of religion and spirituality is especially prominent and appealing. The concept of luck, Aboriginal spirituality, and the search for the meaning of life, are all Australian ideas that Winton expertly portrays. Spirituality can be defined as â€Å"a concern for that which is unseen or intangible; as opposed to physical or mundane. † (Greenberg, 2008) It encourages a sense of peace and purpose within an individual and promotes a feeling of belonging. Additionally, religion can be defined as â€Å"the belief in, and worship of a superhuman controlling power. † (Religion) Both concepts are widely integrated into the core of the novel and are depicted through the Australian notion of luck. Luck, which some would argue has long been etched into the Australian consciousness as a common working class superstition, is, whether they are conscious of it or not, a form of religion for both families. The Pickles family, most notably Sam, rely on the â€Å"shifty shadow of God† (p 12) to warn them about future events, while the Lamb’s simple game of â€Å"spinning the knife† (p 53) acts as their metaphorical life compass. â€Å"The Lucky Country† (Horne, 1964) is a phrase that originated from a book of the same name written in the 1960’s, and since then, has gained widespread popularity and thus, been attached to the Australian culture for a long time. Winton has cleverly examined this historical background to incorporate an accurate facet of the Australian identity into the novel and its characters. Also related to the concept of luck, is the fact that after Fish drowns, Oriel, once a devoted and â€Å"god fearing† Christian, begins to question her faith and the reliability of believing in God. When Fish is resuscitated, but only â€Å"some of him comes back†, (p 32) both she and Lester are emotionally forced to abandon God and Christianity and instead, turn to luck, hard work and the idea that â€Å"life and death, was all there was,† (p 65) in order to endure their circumstances. This draws on the common â€Å"Aussie battler† tradition, of which a working class person overcame challenging situations through perseverance, faith and steadfast determination. In terms of the Australian cultural identity, Winton has again taken an important and recognized historical Australian idea and shaped it to evoke feelings of familiarity and intimacy between the readers and the characters of Cloudstreet. The frequent appearance of the â€Å"Blackfella† is yet another example of how the Australian cultural identity is portrayed through examination of Aboriginal Spirituality. However, in many scenes throughout the novel, the blackfella signifies both Christian and Aboriginal spirituality through allusion and comparison. For example, he is likened to Jesus by walking on water and again when he produces a never ending supply of wine and bread in Quick’s car. This comparison is particularly effective as it symbolises the â€Å"coming together† of Christianity and Aboriginality, which was a particularly delicate Australian issue during the time period of the novel, due to Aboriginal marginalisation and the rise of Christian ideals. Essentially, the Blackfella acts as a reminder of the original religion inherent to Australia and its development, during a time when social and political change was overtaking that of its native beliefs. The â€Å"Blackfella† also acts as the conscience of the characters when they have lost their way or their family unit is threatened. This can ultimately be seen when he leads Quick back to Cloudstreet after he runs away to the country, knowing that Quick feels secretly lost without his family, and needs them to feel fully alive. He also persuades Sam not the sell the house and states that â€Å"you shouldn’t break a place. Places are strong and important,† (p 406) referring to not only the house and its tragic Aboriginal history, but also to the fragile families who live inside it. In doing so, he ensures that the families stay whole and together, which is an important and dominating religious value for Aboriginality and Christianity, both during the time period of the novel and in our modern Australian society. Consequently, the â€Å"Blackfella’s† role in Cloudstreet is a significant contribution to the novel’s relevancy to the Australian cultural identity. The Australian cultural identity is also illustrated in Cloudstreet through the spiritual symbolism and personification of the river, and its connection to the character’s search for the meaning of life. This is particularly significant for Quick Lamb, who, is spiritually linked to the river in a number of ways. The river acts as a place of peace, purpose and belonging for Quick. Connecting with his mother when they go prawning, glowing after fishing in the country, and most importantly, falling in love with Rose Pickles, are the most significant spiritually defining events that Quick experiences while on the river. Through realising just how symbolically important the river is to him, Quick finally understands the true meaning of his life, and gains a feeling of belonging that allows him to finally shed his self-degrading title of â€Å"the lost lamb. † (p 310) Australia is a country that values the water. Geographically, we are surrounded by it, with most of our population residing close to the shores. As a result of this, the water is seen as a common gathering place, from which one cannot easily escape nor regard as irrelevant to the Australian way of life. Winton has taken this idea and incorporated it into Cloudstreet, to emphasise and promote a relevant part of Australian culture. Finally, the river’s spiritual and religious connection to Fish Lamb is perhaps the most important concept of the novel. After Fish drowns and has his soul ripped into two separate pieces (spiritual fish and physical fish), the river that he so desperately longs for, essentially becomes his gateway to the spiritual world; to the place where he belongs. It is not until the end of the novel when Fish is finally free to reunite with the water that he is truly whole again. â€Å"I burst into the moon, sun and stars of who I really am. Being Fish Lamb. Perfectly. Always. Everyplace. Me. †(p 424) For many, water in Australia is culturally considered to be the blood of the country; a place of cleansing and rejuvenation. Likewise, for Fish, the river embodies the epitome of the spirit of Australia in the form of life giving water. Although his life was initially taken by the water, it is eventually returned to him when his physical self re-joins his spiritual self. In conclusion, Winton flawlessly encapsulates the cultural identity and spirit of Australia in Cloudstreet through symbolic representations of luck, Aboriginal spirituality and the search for the meaning of life. The characters’ connection with religion and spirituality resonates strongly with the reader and successfully evokes feelings of belonging and familiarity that confirms Cloudstreet is indeed a classic Australian novel. Bibliography Associates, R. Q. (2008, September 16). Ideology in Cloudstreet . Retrieved 2013, from www. englishcurriculum. com. au Cloudstreet Notes. (n. d. ). Retrieved 2013, from Sydney Home Tutoring: http://www. sydneyhometutoring. com. au/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Details-Cloudstreet-notes. pdf. Dot Point Notes Cloudstreet. (n. d. ). Retrieved 2013, from Sydney Home Tutoring : http://www. sydneyhometutoring. com. au/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Dot-Point-Notes-Cloudstreet. pdf. Greenberg, N. (2008, October 8). Retrieved 2013, from Can Spirituality Be Defined: http://notes. utk. edu/bio/unistudy. nsf/935c0d855156f9e08525738a006f2417/bdc83cd10e58d14a852573b00072525d Horne, D. (1964). The Lucky Country. Penguin Books Australia. Religion. (n. d. ). Retrieved 2013, from Google Definitions: https://www. google. com. au/search? q=religion+definition Winton, T. (1991). Cloudstreet. McPhee Gribble.

Free Essays on Massachusetts Bay Colony

The Massachusetts Bay Company was formed by a group of non-Separatist Puritans who was being persecuted for their beliefs in England. The charter was brought along with the colonists, and was used as a constitution. The immigrants from England set sail on eleven ships in 1630 to the shores of Massachusetts. The Bay Colony’s first governor, John Winthrop, was an affluent Englishman who believed that a God had propelled him to lead the new colony. The skills of Winthrop facilitated the prosperity of Massachusetts. Fur trading, fishing, and shipbuilding industries boomed, as the Bay Colony quickly became the most dominant of the New England colonies. The Puritans believed that they had created a safe haven for freedom, but in truth, the Massachusetts Bay Colony was hypocritical in its religious, social, and political foundations. One of the main reasons the Puritans escaped to America was for religious freedom. It would be sensible for the Puritans to allow religious freedom in their fledgling colony, but the conflicts were inevitable. The Quakers, who ignored the Puritan authority, were persecuted with fines, floggings, and evictions. Anne Hutchinson challenged the Puritan clergy with unorthodox views. She claimed that people did not need to obey the laws of God in order to be saved. This was considered high heresy in the Puritan colony. Hutchinson committed another sacrilege at her trial, when she testified that her beliefs had come through God. The Puritans had little choice but to expel her, for she would contaminate the religious purity of the Bay Colony if she were allowed to stay. Another threat to the Puritans was a minister, Roger Williams. He demanded that the colony break from the Church of England and opposed the power of government to control religious behavior. The outraged Puritans planned to ship Williams off to England, but he fled to the Rhode Island area in 1636, where he established the first Baptist church in Ameri... Free Essays on Massachusetts Bay Colony Free Essays on Massachusetts Bay Colony The Massachusetts Bay Company was formed by a group of non-Separatist Puritans who was being persecuted for their beliefs in England. The charter was brought along with the colonists, and was used as a constitution. The immigrants from England set sail on eleven ships in 1630 to the shores of Massachusetts. The Bay Colony’s first governor, John Winthrop, was an affluent Englishman who believed that a God had propelled him to lead the new colony. The skills of Winthrop facilitated the prosperity of Massachusetts. Fur trading, fishing, and shipbuilding industries boomed, as the Bay Colony quickly became the most dominant of the New England colonies. The Puritans believed that they had created a safe haven for freedom, but in truth, the Massachusetts Bay Colony was hypocritical in its religious, social, and political foundations. One of the main reasons the Puritans escaped to America was for religious freedom. It would be sensible for the Puritans to allow religious freedom in their fledgling colony, but the conflicts were inevitable. The Quakers, who ignored the Puritan authority, were persecuted with fines, floggings, and evictions. Anne Hutchinson challenged the Puritan clergy with unorthodox views. She claimed that people did not need to obey the laws of God in order to be saved. This was considered high heresy in the Puritan colony. Hutchinson committed another sacrilege at her trial, when she testified that her beliefs had come through God. The Puritans had little choice but to expel her, for she would contaminate the religious purity of the Bay Colony if she were allowed to stay. Another threat to the Puritans was a minister, Roger Williams. He demanded that the colony break from the Church of England and opposed the power of government to control religious behavior. The outraged Puritans planned to ship Williams off to England, but he fled to the Rhode Island area in 1636, where he established the first Baptist church in Ameri...

History At Its Best essays

History At It's Best essays The French general Montcalm has allied himself with several of the Indian tribes native to America and is moving a large army south in an attempt to take Fort William Henry from the British. Magua, an Indian scout, intercepts the information about the impending attack on the fort and relays it to the British General Webb, to whom he is loyal. Webb decides to send reinforcements to Fort William Henry to help Colonel Munro, who commands the fort. Shortly after the reinforcements leave for Fort William Henry, Webb dispatches the young Major Heyward to accompany Alice and Cora Munro, the colonels daughters, who insist upon visiting their father. The Indian runner, whose name is Magua, agrees to guide Heyward and the young women to Fort William Henry by means of a shortcut known only to the Indians. Soon after they leave Fort Edward, they meet a stranger. Gamut is a psalmodist, a man who worships by singing Old Testament psalms. The mincing and dainty Gamut is out of place in the menacing forest. He left Fort Edward and lost his way. He announces his intention to join the group. Cora is amused by the stranger. Gamut joins their party and sings a religious song native to New England. He behaves seriously and venerably, as though delivering a sermon, and accompanies his psalmody with dramatic hand gestures. Magua eventually interrupts this performance, muttering a few words to Heyward, who translates his words to the others: they must be silent since hostile Indian tribes fill the forest. Major Heyward quickly and confidently scans the forest, pleased that he sees no sign of Indians. His unfamiliarity with the forest makes him unable to see what the trees hide, and he does not notice a wild-eyed Indian peering out at them through the branches. The opening two chapters of The Last of the Mohicans establish war, both historical and imagined, as the novels foundation. Cooper uses historical facts, rooting his narrative in actu...

How to Edit Quotes in an Essay

How to Edit Quotes in an Essay How to Edit Quotes in an Essay Quoting sources is vital when writing an essay. But what if the quote doesn’t fit the surrounding text? Or what if it’s too long? The good news is you can change a quote if you need to. But you also need to highlight your edits clearly in the text. Check out our guide below, then, to find out how to edit quotes in academic writing. Omitting Text from Quotations with Ellipses If a quote is too long, it may interrupt the flow of your writing. For instance: Smith (2007, p. 24) describes blancmange as â€Å"a sweet dessert that is generally made with milk or cream and sugar, although I also once had one that contained none of these ingredients, that has been thickened with gelatin, corn starch or Irish moss.† The middle part of this quote isn’t necessary for describing blancmange, so we might want to leave it out. To do this, we would use an ellipsis to show where we had cut something from the original source: Smith (2007, p. 24) describes blancmange as â€Å"a sweet dessert that is generally made with milk or cream and sugar†¦that has been thickened with gelatin, corn starch or Irish moss.† We now have the text we wanted to quote, but we haven’t had to include the middle bit. This makes it clearer and more succinct. Keep in mind, too, that you can write an ellipsis in several ways, including: In square brackets [†¦] Spaced (. . .) or unspaced (†¦) With a space before and after the ellipsis or without spaces As such, always check your style guide for advice on how to write ellipses. If you do not have a style guide, simply apply one type of ellipsis consistently. Changing or Adding Words in Quotations You can edit quotes by changing or adding words in order to: Integrate quoted text into your own writing Clarify the meaning of something Correct an error in the original text If you do any of these, use square brackets to show where you have changed the original text. For example, imagine we found the following in a book: Blancmange is delicious. The first time I ate it, I was in love. We might then want to quote the second sentence. But without the first sentence, it wouldn’t be clear what the â€Å"it† refers to. As such, we could edit the second sentence so that it works by itself: Smith (2007, p. 31) says, â€Å"The first time I ate [blancmange], I was in love.† It is now clear what Smith is saying without having to include the first sentence, but the reader can also see where we have changed the quote. Marking Errors in Quotations Finally, what if you don’t want to change an error in a quote? Or what if it contains something that looks like an error, such as an old-fashioned spelling? In cases like these, you can use the Latin term â€Å"sic† to show that you’ve kept something non-standard from the original text. This is short for sic erat scriptum, which translates to â€Å"thus was it written.† Usually, to use â€Å"sic† like this, you would place it in square brackets: His writings were riddled with errors due to his addiction, which he described as â€Å"a terrible but delishus [sic] shame† (Smith 2017, p. 2). The reader will then know that the spelling â€Å"delishus† comes from the quoted text, so it is not a transcription error. Unless you have a good reason for preserving an error, though, it is usually better to fix it and put the correction in square brackets instead. Summary: How to Edit Quotes in an Essay If you need to edit quotes in your writing, keep the following in mind: Use an ellipsis to indicate omissions in the text. Check your style guide for how to format ellipses (e.g., in brackets or not, spaced or unspaced). Mark additions or changes by placing the edited text in square brackets. Use the term â€Å"[Sic]† to show that you’ve duplicated an error from a source. This will ensure the reader doesn’t think you’ve made a mistake yourself. Different style guides may vary on these rules, so make sure to check yours if you have one. And don’t forget to have your work proofread.

Personal essay assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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Federal Government Housing Policies Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

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Examine citically the ways in which Marxist Theory seek to establish a Essay

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