Activities for Chapters 7-13 of Romulus, My Father.

This set of activities examine closely the passage in Chapter 13 where Anna Funder interviews Karl-Eduard von Schnitzler. Student activities relate to the subtle use of words and phrases to mean very different things by the interviewee and the interviewer, the way in which Funder interprets body language and tone of voice, the language used to indicate the interviewee genuinely believed in the values of the East German state and Funder’s views as explicitly expressed and suggested in the language used.

Assessment task for the text Stasiland: It is not only the subject matter but also the use of different perspectives that makes Stasiland confronting. Discuss this statement making detailed reference to your prescribed text. (2017 Higher School Certificate). Included is an overview of the Discussion Text Type, how to answer a discussion question using correct language features and structure and a marking guide (rubric) to the task. The task is designed for Australian Stage 6 students of the VCE/HSC.

This resource gives an overview of the time context to the memoir, Romulus, My Father including the political, economic and social status of Australia in the 1950s and how the decade is reflected in the text. There are passages from the text that reflect the times and how the characters interact with the music, laws, discrimination and values of the 1950s. Students analyse these passages to look at these links.

Raimond Gaita uses beautiful descriptive language to evoke his childhood home, Frogmore. He choice of words and phrases transport the reader to another place and time. Unusually, he declines to pass judgment on the poverty-stricken conditions of the farm in which he was raised, indicating that our memories of childhood are predominantly positive as we accept the harshest of conditions as being the norm.

Newspaper article from The Sydney Morning Herald, Profile: Raimond Gaita. Includes focus questions.

Analysis of ezine article by Peta Yoshinaga, John Marsden, bestselling Australian author and educator, on schools, successes and latest novel South of Darkness, published on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation News site. The article examines Marsden’s life and inspirations and emphasises resilience in overcoming adversity. The resource is part of a unit of work on Tomorrow When the War Began, NSW Stage 5 English K-10 Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum.

Revision activity for Ruth Park’s novel, Playing Beatie Bow. Students decide if the statements about the text are true or false.

This resource includes a map of central Victoria with the key places discussed in the text. A student activity asks students to write the events that take place in 9 of these locations. The next activity provides passages from the text that describe Baringhup and the influence of the setting on the author.

Romulus, My Father - Activities for Chapters 1-6

Like Alice, Anna falls through the rabbit hole into the strange world of Berlin in 1990 and into the world of people’s memories of East Germany, 1945-1989. As a stranger in a strange land, she must question everything she thought was real to make sense of a society where suspicion, surveillance, double-speak and danger govern everyones life. This resource provides background on Anna Funder as author and as a character in her own text. It provides passages from the text and activities relating to the background and character of Anna.

Research task on Erich Mielke, head of the East German Stasi. Questions focus on using the information gained through research to make an assessment of his contribution to East German society and impact as head of the Stasi.

3 Cloze activities on Stasiland: Biography Anna Funder Investigative Journalism Theme: Resilience

Book review by Janet Maslin from the New York Times and student activities.

Information report assessment task on the novel, Mister Pip. The task is: Select one of these themes from the text: fantasy vs reality, living in a warzone, tradition vs modernity, hybridity, strangers in a strange land, storytelling. How does the text help the reader to understand the theme? Give examples to support your report.

Background notes, key passages and student activity relating to Matilda Laimo, the protagonist in Lloyd Jones’ novel, Mister Pip.

Analysis of scenes from the film version of Mister Pip. Students analyse details of the scenes, notably atmosphere, colour, gestures and poses and camera angles.

Grace represents the tragedy. Her fall from a life of promise to the ravages of major depression foretell the tragedy of the village’s fall from idyllic paradise to being ravaged by the redskin army. This resource includes background notes on Grace, key passages from the text and student activities.

Background information on the history of Bougainville since 1889, stifled attempts at independence and the civil war from 1988-1996 when the Autonomous Region of Bougainville was declared. This background explains the context in which Mister Pip is based. The student activity involves completing a timeline of key events in the civil war.

Ezine article from The Monthly entitled ‘From Frogmore, Victoria’ and written by Helen Garner. She describes a visit to the sites in the text, Romulus, My Father with the author and the reactions of Raimond Gaita and herself to each of the sites in the light of the events that took place there. Student activities included.