Introductory activities
Narrative organises and shapes our understanding of the world. Through vicarious experiences with texts, students can test their perceptions of the world against those represented in literature. In the following learning sequences, students will analyse and experiment with the key concepts of context, genre, character, and point of view, reflecting on how they operate in – and how they influence readers’ responses to – texts.
Central to this study is the exploration of Craig Silvey’s Jasper Jones as an example of the bildungsroman genre (i.e. a coming-of-age story featuring a character who moves from innocence to knowledge). Silvey’s narrative is driven by a protagonist who is responsive to, and inseparable from, the social world around him. Students will examine whether there are any connections between their worlds and values and those depicted in the text.
The activities in this resource are designed to introduce key concepts through a close study of the novel. These will be directly transferable to other related texts. Note that while the resource is presented as a complete unit of study spanning five or six weeks, it contains a broad range of learning activities and tasks that you can adapt to suit your own contexts/needs.
Context
In this learning sequence, students will consider how texts are aesthetic and cultural constructions shaped by the contexts of both author and reader. They will see how the author has crafted a text that offers a particular perspective on historical, cultural, and literary contexts. When responding to a text, students are always aware of the author’s presence. Responding to Jasper Jones specifically, they will draw on contextual knowledge (both historical and contemporary) as well as intertextual connections.
The following activities will encourage students to reflect on how texts portray certain social values.
The White Australia policy
Introduce the concept of context by alerting students to the White Australia policy adopted by various Australian governments between 1901 and 1973. Introducing Jasper Jones through this lens will familiarise students with the prevailing attitudes and policies that were part of Australian cultural life in the 1960s. The attitudes suggested by the White Australia policy can be drawn on later in considering the characterisation of Jeffrey Lu and his family. One arresting exercise is to have students undertake a sample dictation test from this period (instructions are available here).
Having completed the test, students can discuss their view of its suitability. Point out some of the conditions: one full reading, pausing for a few seconds after every couple of words, and only three mistakes allowed. Some suggested discussion starters include:
- How do composers use language to establish authority and position responders?
- Speculate on why the passage about the swagman would have been used for a dictation test in Australia, and what values are implied.
- Examine how language is used to position those taking the test.
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Now read the poem ‘Be Good, Little Migrants’ by Uyen Loewald, which appears in Growing Up Asian in Australia (pp. 225–226) and Growing Up in Australia (pp. 156–157). Discuss how the poet conveys the experiences of new Australian migrants, and reflect on the expectation for them to discard their existing cultural identities. This discussion can foreshadow the changing aspects and expectations of Australian identity over time.
For more contextual information and activities on the White Australia policy, refer to the ABC Education Digibook on this topic.
Protest and social change
Invite students to discuss any pins or badges they have encountered that represent contemporary social debates (e.g. climate change, disability advocacy, rethinking 26 January). Present some more historical examples such as:
- Women’s suffrage (1905)
- White Australia policy (1906)
- Anti-conscription (1917)
- World peace (1950)
- Aboriginal land rights (1975–1985)
You can find additional badges at the Museum of Australian Democracy’s Wear Your Colours website. In reviewing these pins/badges, students can identify and discuss:
- the subject matter
- the linguistic and visual choices
- the use of inclusive or polarising language
- the values represented and whether students agree with these
- what the pins/badges say about the world we live in
Jasper Jones is set in a small country town in Western Australia in the mid-1960s. This was a period of burgeoning cultural change and questioning in Australia. Divide students into groups and allocate each group a pin/badge from the list above. Have them determine the focus of the protest and whether it is still relevant today. They can also consider:
- the questions these pins/badges raise about Australian cultural values
- how their values as readers influence their responses to texts
Students could then choose TWO badges and update them for today’s context. The nature of the alteration will depend on the student’s point of view and how they wish to position the responder in relation to the cause. Students should also include a justification that accounts for how their choices address the context (words, layout, colour, size); whether they have observed much change regarding the social issues; and whether (and why) they have chosen to use inclusive OR polarising language.
The changing role of women
The characterisation of adults in Jasper Jones is a key area for exploration. In this activity, students will explore the changing role of women in 1960s Australia in preparation for reflecting on the character of Ruth Bucktin.
Start by discussing how advertising operates as a mirror to our lives. Then show students this 1970 Victoria Bitter advertisement, followed by the 1965 photograph of activists Merle Thornton and Rosalie Bogner. These women chained themselves to the bar at the Regatta Hotel in Brisbane to protest their right to drink alongside men. This moment is also depicted in the first minute of this ABC iview video.
Discuss with the class:
- What do you notice about the representations of men and women in the advertisement and the photograph?
- If we assume that the advertisement is a mirror to Australian domestic life in the late 1960s, what was society like?
- How do you think people felt? What values are suggested?
- What patterns of representation do you see?
- What might happen when you reverse these patterns?
Have students work in small groups to create a script, advertisement, OR roleplay that interrogates the assumptions in these texts. For example, what if men were being excluded from the sale of some item?
Context, character, and point of view
NOTE: All page references are drawn from Allen & Unwin’s 2010 edition of Jasper Jones.
This sequence introduces students to Charlie Bucktin and Jasper Jones using an extract from the novel; a poem by American writer Stephen Crane; and an artwork by Kuku Yalandji, Waanji, Yidinji, and Gugu Yimithirr artist Vernon Ah Kee. This last piece is an intertextual artwork that uses text, specifically in the language of the coloniser, to reveal the underlying racism in Australian society.
Display Stephen Crane’s poem ‘In the Desert’ and have students write down the specific pictures the poem brought to their mind on their first reading. By actively applying their imagination, they will see that engaging with a poem involves making representations of the text based on their own disposition and experience.
Have students describe what they imagined in a class discussion. They could mention the place, the time of day, or who/what they thought the creature was. Have them describe how the creature appeared and behaved.
Ask students what they felt when they imagined the poem. They might comment on the emotions of the creature. They will also likely comment on how they responded to the poem and what they imagined when they read it. These discussions will draw out interpretations of the poet’s tone and attitude, and commentary on the symbolism of the heart.
Next, display Vernon Ah Kee’s artwork ‘becauseitisbitter’ and discuss how the artist has chosen to represent the poem. Discussion points may include:
- the bold font and black and white colour scheme
- the change in the title (do students think this shifts the meaning of the poem?)
- the effect of compressing the words, with no spaces, and how this influences the act of reading
Now turn to p. 51 of Jasper Jones and read the following extract:
I turn to Jasper. He looks exhausted. And it occurs to me that there is no break in this for him, there’s no comfort, nowhere he can go and lie down and be looked after. Not anymore. If he had anywhere in this world, it’s the place we’ve just come from; the place that has just broken his heart and put him at risk. He’s right: shit has been taken from him his whole life.
He looks done in and drunk, but he arches his back with a jolt, projecting that toughness again.
Consider this alongside Ah Kee’s artwork and have students identify the resonances between the two texts.
Provide students with a definition of point of view (see p. 26 of the English Textual Concepts and Processes booklet, which is p. 14 in the overall document) and how it operates in narrative. Mention that point of view involves understanding that the author engineers what we see and how we relate to a situation, to characters, or to ideas in the text. In Jasper Jones, point of view is expressed through the narrator, Charlie; because we are invited to adopt his point of view, readers might align themselves with his character. It is important that students understand that Charlie is the narrator but NOT the author of the text.
Ask students to explain Charlie’s view of Jasper on p. 51. Have them identify and discuss how language is used to present Charlie’s perspective. Consider the emphatic use of ‘no’; the emotional rhythm of the syntax; the absence of ‘place’ for Jasper; and how, together, these are means by which Silvey positions the responder to have empathy for Jasper.
Southern Gothic tradition
Silvey has stated that his interest in the Southern Gothic was one of the influences on Jasper Jones. Have students research elements of this genre (Melbourne Theatre Company has a useful explainer) and note how the texts often portray rural settings that may seem idyllic, but are actually built on social and historical repressions that create a sense of alienation for particular groups (i.e. places where injustice is often institutionalised). These repressions often include racism, slavery, and the patriarchy. Southern Gothic texts aim to tell the ‘whole story’ rather than just the story of the dominant social and cultural groups. They often substitute the supernatural with real people living in a realistic gothic horror situation, exploring the tropes of corrupt authorities, death, and destruction. The Southern Gothic also explores ‘the other’ – those existing on the borders of society.
Binary oppositions
Explain the concept of a binary opposition (related terms that are opposite in meaning). Have students complete the following table to identify the binary opposites and make some notes based on their initial response to Jasper Jones and any cultural expectations evident in the text.
Binary opposite 1 | Binary opposite 2 | Cultural expectations in the text |
white | black | |
included | ||
female | ||
rich | ||
mind | ||
insider |
Personal response on reading the text
Questions and comments while reading the text
As students read Jasper Jones, have them record their questions, comments, and reflections using a collaborative tool like Google Docs, Padlet, or similar. Having a shared record of thoughts expressed is particularly helpful when encountering new ideas. The intention is for students to feel challenged by what they read, and to want to question aspects of the text and reflect more broadly. This record can be revisited at any point in the unit.
Students can also undertake a reading log as they progress through Jasper Jones and track their response to Charlie’s point of view in the text. This will serve as a particularly rich resource for later reflection in the Close Study section.
Personal connections with own experience
Students should review the Racism. No Way! timeline with a particular focus on the 1960s. Reinforce the harmful impacts of discrimination and racism, both in Jasper Jones and in our own society. If appropriate, students could write in their journals about a time when they felt they had to be courageous in the face of opposition. What did this look and feel like? Some students may be willing to share their ideas, but do not insist on this. Be mindful of your class context and modify or omit this activity according to your students’ needs.
Black Inc. has been publishing its Growing Up series since 2008 (Reading Australia resources are available for Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia, Growing Up Disabled in Australia, and Growing Up in Country Australia). Introduce some of these books and read some extracts to the class. Discuss the point of view being presented and analyse the writer’s language. Then have students compose a personal reflection based on their own experiences as a young person growing up in Australia.
Identification with characters and situations
Ask students to reflect on which Jasper Jones character they most identify with and why. Give them 10 minutes to prepare a one-minute speech in which they name the character and explain their reasoning. They must use ONE quote or example from the novel to support their thinking. The speech should be informal, and the prescribed time limit will allow all students to share their ideas in a single lesson.
Later, set up four stations around the classroom. These will contain specific prompts and questions based on Jasper Jones (see below). They are designed to aid reflection and identification with the characters and their circumstances. Students will move between the stations in small groups, making notes based on their discussions.
- What was the most surprising thing about Jasper Jones?
- What moment in the novel made you most uncomfortable?
- Choose ONE character and share the time(s) when you were most proud of them for something they did or said.
- Identify ONE moment in the novel where you laughed/smiled/felt a warm ‘glow’.
Reflection on completion of the text
Have students complete a written reflection on how they felt upon finishing the novel. They might also include their thoughts on its significance and ongoing success, considering its adaptations (film and play) and many translations. Do students recognise and appreciate this ongoing celebration of Jasper Jones based on their reading? Silvey’s website has some excellent content in relation to this.
As a class, discuss the feelings readers can experience when they finish a text. Debrief about some of these and identify the mood that comes from completing a text. Students could journal about their own feelings and mood now that they have finished reading Jasper Jones.
Outline of key elements of the text
Plot
Zoom out and in
Zoom out to explore ‘big picture’ thinking by dividing the class in half. Have each group decide on the top 10 plot elements in Jasper Jones. Invite the two groups to share their lists. What is similar? What is different?
Now divide the class into quarters. Each group must compose a five-sentence plot overview of Jasper Jones. After sharing with the class, discuss what each group included and excluded from their overview.
Finally, have each student write their own six-word summary of Jasper Jones. Six-word stories are a well-known synthesis and summary tool. Zoom in on the detail by sharing the summaries, then creating posters to reflect the key ideas that students identified.
Character
The main characters in Jasper Jones are Jasper Jones, Charlie Bucktin, Jeffrey Lu, Eliza Wishart, and Mad Jack Lionel. Consider how these and other characters in the novel speak to different elements of small-town Corrigan. Also consider the nature of point of view: the characters are seen through Charlie’s eyes and portrayed via his first-person narrative voice.
You could assist students’ understanding by writing the main characters’ names on separate sheets of paper and displaying them around the classroom. As new information is revealed in the text, they could add it (along with important quotes) to the relevant character’s page. Students could also create posters to represent the characters, incorporating descriptions and key ideas/quotes from the novel.
Themes
There are various themes (big ideas) in Jasper Jones that are relevant to the Australian Gothic and bildungsroman genres. Students could select a few from the list below and map them according to the novel’s plot, character, and context. In their discussion and consideration of these, students should seek to identify relevant examples and explain their significance.
Themes for exploration include:
- appearances and perceptions
- innocence and guilt
- coming of age (bildungsroman)
- identity and personal voice
- courage and fear
- strength of character and personal growth
- racism, stereotyping, and prejudice
- deception and honesty
- escapism
Synthesising activity
Conversations that curate context
Revise with students the conventions of dialogue and conversation, including how these are structured and presented.
Students are to compose a dialogue between Charlie and a character of their own creation who lives in Perth, Western Australia in the 1960s. This character should have a similar age and background to Charlie. The conversation should focus on life and society in Corrigan, and the similarities or differences to life and society in the capital city in the same era. To prepare for this task, show students the short film ‘Life In Australia: Perth’. This is part of a series produced by the Australian government during the 1960s; more films from around the country are available from the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.
With this film as a stimulus, the dialogue should draw out other aspects of the context that shaped Jasper Jones, including the White Australia policy, fears of communism, gender roles, the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and the Vietnam War.
Students should plan their responses prior to writing. Once their dialogues have been written and edited, they could recite them with help from a peer (incorporating optional props, costumes, and set). Alternatively, students could record their conversations (video or audio) and present them to the class.
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