LETTERS HOME
TIM O’BRIEN
THE THINGS THEY CARRIED

FROM THE RAINY RIVER

Dear mum and dad,
I am sorry to be writing to you in this way. It is almost a struggle to be writing this letter and although I don’t know how you are right now I do hope everything is ok. I am staying at the tip top lodge at the moment with an old man Elroy Berdahl. He is good to me and I am fed, clothed and well.

Before I begin I need to apologise the wrath my cowardess actions may be causing you. But I had to go. If not to run from the war to run from my life and the confined space I felt like I was trapped in. Being drafted from the war frightened me. I know it seems kind of obvious but please acknowledge the fact that this is difficult to admit to myself let alone admitting it to a few of the only people in this world that I admire. Because of this I am sorry if I have disappointed you.

I do not understand the war at all. Infact I consider it to be rather useless. I laugh at the fact these people think they are fighting for freedom. It is all political lies and a huge cover up, for what I do not know but my beliefs lie firmly against the war. When I sleep at night I do think of those men. Fighting for their lives with no clue what they are fighting for. It saddens me and knowing that I may soon be one of these men leaves me paralysed.

I do not know what I will do. Please do not try to contact me. I wrote this letter to you to assure you of my safety I hope you can respect me to give me my space for I need some more time. I again apologise to you for my actions and any actions that I may take in advance. I wish I could reassure you but I do not know what I will do. I may or may not write you soon. Goodbye


Kind regards
You son Tim O’Brien

QUEEN OF THE CATTLE MARKET


Q1) Explain the impact of the headline on and photograph on the reader. How is this meant to influence our view of pageants?

The headline is one that automatically gets us intrigued. I think it is meant so as we see Ms Hawkins as a rather animal on show, purely a piece of meat.


Q2) What is Robin Riley’s main contention?

To argue that beauty pageants send a bad message out to the public that you have to be beautiful to be successful. And that beauty pageant are a sexually driven waste of time.


Q3) List the words and phrases that she uses to support her anti-pageant view?

- “That’s basically all they are, window dressing”
- Cattle markets
- Meaningless title and a useless crown
- “It was all about looks”
- Exploitative
- “Heretical display of exploitation and decadence”


Q4) Explain how the words and phrases help her convey her view. What is the tone? What issues does she highlight?

The tone of the article is rather satirical. With comments relating to other peoples opinions being rather sarcastic and the overall put downs towards these people she seems rather argumentative with her view
She highlights the past contestants and winners and some of their pathetically ditsy answers to a few of the questions asked. Opposing the view that pageant are not just about looks she laughs at the statement by rival contest Miss World’s in that they promised a contest about beauty with purpose. She is being critical of everything to do with beauty pageants.







Q5) Write a short response to riley supporting pageants.

Dear Ms Riley,
After recently reading your article entitled “Queen of the cattle market” I am really disappointed with your pessimistic view towards beauty pageants. Although I do appreciate your personal opinion I found that you actually shot yourself before you began. Stating that some people see it as harmless fun was reasonable. And you effectively argued about that but when you stepped towards freedom of choice you lost it. Freedom of choice is something as Australians that we have and you are right, she was just exercising her right. Although I do agree with you in the term that beauty pageants are pointless there are many people in the world that disagree. Some of these people even dream about winning these “cattle markets” as you like to call them. And who are we, who are you to shut these people’s dreams down. There are many other worse occupations in this world. I find that quite a few other accepted jobs in the community could be easily scoffed at too. Yours for example. You are getting paid to criticise other people in the world, criticise their decisions. Just as Donald Trump has no right to judge a woman’s beauty, I don’t believe you have the right to question their intellectual integrity. So as much as I do respect you opinion I think that laughing at these people’s dreams is not the answer.
Melanie Barnes

As part of our year 12 coursework we are required to analyse a current issue in the world. our teacher Mrs Blakey has chosen the GBH issue for us to tackle. This is an analysis of a few articles we had to tackle.

ARTICLE ANALYSIS - GBH
MELANIE BARNES

The issue of whether rave parties should be banned has been in circulating in the media because of recent overdoses on the illicit drug GBH at Two Tribes. Three articles that directly address this issue are “ We can’t rant about Raves “, “ call for dance party ban rejected and “one in five try killer drug GBH” which were all published in the herald Sun the week following two tribes.
In an article entitled “ We can’t rant about raves.” Jim Stynes argues that banning these major rave parties will only earn the Government a pat on the back and will stop us even prevent this problem from happening. He believes to attack the problem we need to focus on the reason people take these drugs, and what they need to gain motivation to live in their lives. To support this view Stynes points out that at rave parties there is medical care but at other smaller parties in which these people will be forced to attend in substitution of raves there is not, and time is everything with overdoses the medical attention provided could be a matter of life and death.
Stynes clearly supports rave parties. He says that he witnessed 20,000 people escaping their lives to come together and enjoy the music saying that raves are an almost tribal experience where people of varying backgrounds can feel a part of something greater, like they belong.
In separating the GBH problem from the rave party scent Jim Stynes does Stynes does not deny the problem of GBH needs to be dealt with. He makes it clear that the government needs to identify the real reasons young people are taking these drugs and take actions to tackle these problems.
Stynes effectively argues that understanding the underlying issues in our young peoples lives is key. Saying that to adopt the approach of harm minimalisation, it is vital to understand what our young are thinking and feeling. He backs this up saying that it is inevitable that many young people will experiment with drugs but that those who do it on a regular basis must be missing something in their lives and that this is where we need to put our focus.
He states that it is not the time to hide from the problem. Stynes as the co-founder of the Reach Foundation has worked a lot with young people and obviously cares for their well-being. He has insight into the problems these young people have that cause them to resort to drugs. Thus resulting in him believing that we need to make sure young people healthy enough to make the right choices.
In another contrasting article “ Call for dance party ban rejected” Christine Caulfield takes quite an apposing view. She presents the argument that rave parties encourage young people to take drugs. Caulfield uses the example of Mr Brooker who lost his best friend to drugs to demonstrate that there is a case to shut down these rave parties.
What Caulfield fails to mention is that the people that suffer from drug overdose are a vast minority. Only 10 out of a massive 20,000 ravers suffered overdoses while the rest went about having a great night.
In another article entitled “one in five try killer drug GHB” Patrick O’Neil and Christine Caulfield once again tackle this hotly debated issue. Despite the misleading headline the duo make a solid argument that shutting down rave parties would harbour devastating consequences as it would only drive the problem underground. To support these views they spoke to earth core coordinator Pip Darvall and the director of the harrowing dance drug movie “One Perfect day” Paul Currie.
Pip darvall questions what happened to a draft version of “A Guide to running safe rave Parties” stating that running safe rave parties is a better solution is a better solution to shutting them down entirely. This article also aims to raise awareness in young people in the dangers of GBH, as does Paul Currie’s movie “One Perfect Day” Mr Currie said that the recent two tribes Speculation affirmed the films importance and he hoped it lifted the lid on what was really going on.
The article also distributed some useful information about GBH. Although most people do know that GBH is a clear odourless liquid not many know that it is often distributed in clear sachets in a variety of bright colours to increase its appeal among young users. Paul Currie believes we need to bring all the facts into the limelight.
Overall all the articles present strong views against the problems of drug use and concern about the impact of GBH. However they do have different views against what action needs to be taken to prevent further drug overdoses. I strongly believe that demonizing rave culture is not the answer and that no matter who may be right or wrong action needs to be taken.

FEELING POEMS - THE THINGS THEY CARRIED

TIM O’BRIEN
ON THE RAINY RIVER – SHAME

Shame
Sounds like a silent howl
Smells like blood soiled pig flesh
Tastes like greasy pig stink in my throat.
Feels like fear spreading inside me like weeds
Feels like the whole worlds squeezing in tight
It’s my smouldering self pity
I don’t want to fight
Shame

LT JIMMY CROSS
THE THINGS THEY CARRIED - GUILT

Guilt
Sounds like absolute silence, then wind, then sunlight, then voices
Smells like ashes of a burnt photograph
Tastes like a dead mans dope
Feels like dead weight
Feels like hating someone you love
Feels like a story with no moral
Guilt

LT JIMMY CROSS
LOVE – LOVE

Love
Sounds like a gunshot that killed Bonnie & Clyde
Smells like a burnt photograph
Tastes like lingering memories
Feels like that legs of a virgin
Feels like hope that’s never going to die
Feels like he still loves her
Love

TIM O’BRIEN
FEAR

Fear
Sounds like ridicule and sensor
Smells like blood and hog stink
Tastes like greasy pig stink in my throat
Feels like a kind of schizophrenia
Feels like losing the respect of my parents
Feels like physical Rapture
Fear
MARK FOSSIE
LOVE – SWEETHEART OF THE SONG TRA BONG

Love
Sounds like it’s not crazy, it really happens
Smells like Darvon dreams
Tastes like nothing
Feels like I’ve never been better in my whole life
Feels like I cant find her
Feels like I cant let her go like that
Love

TIM O’BRIEN
TERROR

Terror
Sounds like my mothers voice calling out "Run!" (p44)
Smells like vomit (p44)
Tastes bitter (p45)
Feels like loosing the respect of my parents (p43)
Feels like walking away from my own life (p43)
Feels like weeds spreading inside of me (p45)
Terror


KATHLEEN O’BRIEN
INNOCENCE

Innocence
Sounds like "did you ever kill anybody?"
Smells like "...God I don't know what. It smells rotten"
Tastes like the exotic foods
Feels like "what did you want?"
Feels like "you’re pretty weird"
Feels like "I hope you’re having fun"
Innocence


RAT KILEY
LONGING

Longing
Sounds like the sound. You need to get a consistent sound
Smells like one more animal
Tastes like nothing a war
Feels like he’d slept with four girls, one night
Feels like I saw it man
Feels like no lie
Longing

MARK FOSSIE
LOSS – SWEETHEART OF THE SONG TRA BONG

Loss
Sounds Like “Please not a word”
Smells like freshly shampooed hair
Tastes like a bittersweet kiss
Feels like she’s here but so far away
Feels like something tentative and false
Feels like she’s lost
Loss

ok i understand that for alot of people this will not make much sense, it is afterall my memories but anyway here you are.

I REMEMBER

I remember the very first day I came to school with last years year 12’s gone. Our spot felt so empty. After a few shed tears I took a look around at the graffiti they left behind and thought the year through.
I remember when Leigh and Gene wrote a song about Muniur to the tune of an old Tupac song and how we made them sing it over and over till we were almost in tears of laughter.
I remember the day me & john were trying to light our cigarettes. It was windy and the flame wouldn’t light. Everyone was screaming our name, we were ignoring them because we just wanted to get them lit. We ended up looking up, just to see Mr McMahon’s face glaring at us. No- one would let it go. We were picked on for weeks.
I remember all the birthdays and the time it took us to the money for all of the presents, not to even mention the parties. But there was a new pain in the arse every month.
I remember each and every one of us chucking our guts up at one time or another. The pats on the back and holding each others hair back. I remember those evil passion pop bottles and us doing somersaults in Kayla’s spa. I remember Kimbo almost falling asleep on the pool cue, Kayla’s exorcist style chunder, Beck almost electrocuting all of us, Brizzy always thinking she knows best, Sideshow beck, sophisticated mama, enemy, fresh and the list goes on. They are all classic people and classic moments.
I remember everyone at my debutante ball in the middle of the dance floor jumping up and down to Khe Sahn only to have the clips on my dress undo and the whole front of my dress to fall down. I remember all of us in our drunken glory and some of the surprising hook-ups.
I remember Inverloch , I’m not even going to go into that one but I remember that no matter what we were doing it was always a blast. I remember how much fun school was each and everyday.
I remember the good times, I try to forget the bad but I do know that life goes on. It almost feels like the end of an era, but it’s ok. I don’t see them all as much and school sucks now but I will always have my memories and I will never forget.

DESCANSOS – THE ROBBERY

Never shall I forget that cold shiver that ran down my spine the moment we pulled in the drive or the absolute fear of what was to come. I will never forget my innocence and young confusion. Why would anyone do this?

Still in my head I can picture the house.I can clearly remember my first steps inside and how it all felt like a movie. I guess it hasn’t been until almost this moment that I have forced myself to look upon this in any other way than how it is in my memory. I can now see the dramatic impact that this event had on not only me but my entire family’s life.

A lot of questions arose that day. How could you be robbed in broad daylight in the middle of the afternoon on a main street? What reasons did they have not to take our main appliances the Nintendo the TV? Why had they targeted my mums one – off jewellery? That day influenced a lot of change. It was the first time I had heard slanderous comments from my father towards my mother, the first time I had understood secrets may lie beneath my family’s surface and it was probably among one of the first times I questioned the way the world worked. But the irony lies in my original reaction.
“Shit my CD players gone”

That year was a fairly miserable one. Two days after Christmas all my presents were stolen, along with my sense of security. My first CD player was a big deal. My friend since birth, god sister, and best mate and I had received the same one. I had played with hers but was not yet to put a CD in mine, and it was gone. I was devastated, shattered as all my jewellery and my expensive materialistic items were gone. I was too young and naïve to see the big picture though, my real loss. My sense of security.

I can still remember how cold that first night was. A chilly breeze glided through the house as our front door was broken and refused not only to lock but to even shut. I remember not being able to sleep properly. I remember awakening only to the screeching of angry adult voices …my parents, well my mum and stepfather they were angry, but not at the fact we had been robbed. They were angry with each other!

The screaming and yelling I heard during these nights will stay in my memories forever. I honestly thought that they were going to break up and I would be left again with my mother.

The time was odd. The police believed that it was the arrival of my father and I that had warned the burglars away. But I myself didn’t like that idea, for it meant that they were there when I was a very chilling thought.

The absence of my logical thinking was clearly present at the time. I couldn’t even remember the police phone number. And yet it was on the damn phone, as a big sticker. I remember searching through my room, happy that most of my stuff remained. My TV was there, my “treasures of the earth gem collection” remained but more importantly my new CD’S. Only now I had nothing to play them in.

Although at the time it was a fairly traumatic experience, a lot of good things did arise from the situation. Over the following few months it appeared that Mum and Dad resolved some issued that they had seemingly been hiding from each other for quite some time. My sister and I became closer as we were forced to move house and share a room. Even though we were at each others throats all the time I know that our bond grew.

And I guess I was forced to grow up. I had to be strong as it seemed everything and everyone around me was falling apart. But maybe the most relevant thing to me at the time that changed was that I filled my ever since birth, kind of god sister and really good friend with absolute envy. I had received a new CD player. It had a three disc spin and it was better than hers. And I could play with it whenever I wanted.

CLASS OF LOST KIDS...

Melanie Barnes
La Trobe Secondary College, Macleod

February 23rd 2004

To the representative for the SRC
Dear sir/madam,

Hello my name is Melanie Barnes and I am a currently a student at La Trobe Secondary College. I am writing to you to address the issue of increased absenteeism within our school. After recently reading an article published by the Herald Sun I think it is about time we do something to tackle this growing problem. Although I do believe truancy and absenteeism is a fairly global issue I do believe that there are a few things that we can do in this school to try and improve the situation.

As a student myself, I understand the struggle it can be sometimes to get out of bed in the morning and come to a place that you don’t want to be at. Because a vast majority of the students don’t enjoy being here I think that a few major changes need to be made to class curriculum. Certain classes I’m sure are attended more frequently than others. This is because they capture that child’s interests. I believe that if we make the other classes catch the child’s interests they will attend these regularly as well. Seems students are young they don’t understand how important these years are and if they can find something better to do than go to school they will.

That’s why I believe we need to add some variety to the curriculum and make it more interesting. It becomes a problem because we constantly do the same thing “year in year out”. We go to school sit in a classroom and half the time our subject matters overlap and it appears useless to be at school, as well as boring so hopefully adding some variety will lower truancy numbers and help improve attendance but it might just be the wake up call that parents need.

As the Herald Sun Article suggests, parent's disciplinary actions are softening. They are putting petty things such as family shopping trips in front of their child’s schooling, not knowing the impact it is having. The softening attitudes are leading to the children taking more “sickies” than truly necessary. This also comes under parents letting their children sleep in then giving them the day off because of this. I think that maybe for the parents to realise what they are doing as Shadow Education Minister Victor Parton suggests, maybe their child welfare payments need to be reduced for those that cannot get their child to school frequently enough.

To take another angle on in maybe our recording mechanisms need to be looked at as well. Our current systems record the absenteeism rate of our students but it doesn’t look at why. I think that the reasons for the child being away needs to be categorised and then recorded to enable a calculation at the end of each term and/or semester. After this a decision needs to be made to whether parents need to be contacted or the child requires special provision.

Well I thank you for taking the time to read my opinions and I hope that for future refrences for problems in this area you will take my ideas into consideration.

Respectfully,
Melanie Banes

STOLEN


Anne was a very young child when she was stolen. She is put into a children’s home but doesn’t remain there long as she is “chosen” and adopted into a white family. Anne grows up not remembering her past before her new family until one day as a teen she is told by her white parents that she is aboriginal. This sends Anne into a confused struggle for her identity. Is she black or is he white?

Unlike the other characters in stolen Anne has grown up being educated and well looked after. In all the scenes where the others are standing reminiscing their losses and troubles Anne exclaims on her material benefits. Anne is left very confused in the line up scenes as she doesn’t remember the home and is frequently ignored in her questions of reason “But why?”

Anne’s good fortune for being chosen is represented in the book by a white doll that she receives from her white adoptive parents. The doll symbolises a new beginning, a new life with a sense of security, a good education and a good “white” upbringing.

Although Anne doesn’t suffer from the loss of her family throughout her childhood after discovering that her true heritage is aboriginal she becomes confused with who she is and she loses the identity that she had become.

In scenes such as “ to tan or not to tan” and “ Am I black or white” we see her struggle with the concepts of being both black and white. In “to tan or not to tan” her troubles are portrayed more as a joke. As she pulls at her milky white skin laughing at the fact she lays there smothered in coconut oil attempting to tan when she is black. That is until the end where the reality of her situation sets in.

Both families escalate her problems as the pressure of making a decision between the two in “ Am I black or white”. In this scene it also shows her lack of understanding of her aboriginal family. She expects them to be more “at one with the land” as she puts it and is rather disappointed to find that they are all crowded in to a commission flat.

“Am I black or white” is a scene that truly documents the pressures she is emplaced with as both families lay a guilt trip on her. Both want he to be with them and both make her feel that she has to earn her place as a part of the family,. It also gives off the impression that she is surrounded with people that want her love but she is somehow left feeling alone as the two families trap her both screaming the exact same thing at her.

All throughout Anne’s life her white adoptive parents have told her that she is special because they chose her, however in this she is frequently reminded that she should feel privileged as she is and should feel lucky and grateful to them for all that they have done for her

Again in “Am I black or white” we get the feeling that the white family feels she should be appreciative as the mother bellows that she’s given Anne everything and to leave would be breaking their hearts, The father is much more straightforward, questioning Anne’s appreciation and telling her that if she goes to her aboriginal family he wont take her back in.

The whites also bring shame to Anne for being Aboriginal in “Anne’s told she is aboriginal” It is clear that they kept it from her but in saying that no one need ever know and that she only has to see her mum once they show that they are ashamed of her being aboriginal and they treat it as if it can easily be ignored.
Although Anne is deeply affected by all of this her hopes seem to rely on the chance that two families will learn to get along and she can live being both black and white. However deep down she knows this cannot ever happen. We see this directly as she addresses the audience in Anne’s scene and maturely tackles the problem. She is left still not quite knowing who she is, still struggling for her identity but she has grown enough to realise that she is lucky enough to have two families, and smart enough to love them both. And to live as Anne, whether that is being black or white.