Ruby Moonlight

Introductory activities

Many students will be unfamiliar with this text type, the verse novel, so some introduction to the genre itself will be useful. Two good references are this interview from Writers Victoria with Lisa Jacobson, and an interview with three prominent verse novel poets, noting that none of the writers featured in the latter interview are Indigenous writers, although Steven Herrick is Australian.

It could be presumed that students have some understanding of colonisation and early 19th century Australia, however, the cultural perspectives underlying that knowledge may need to be challenged. It would be very useful to refresh or redirect their memories, especially from an Indigenous perspective. A good starting point can be found on the ‘Working with Indigenous Australians’ site, but teachers may wish to go further and look closely at the Frontier Wars and other examples of European conflict with Indigenous peoples. The Magabala Books’ non-fiction title, Jandamarra and the Bunuba Resistance by Banjo Woorunmurra and Howard Pedersen, is an excellent account of one series of such encounters that occurred just before Federation.

The following introductory activities have been designed to engage students in the themes and ideas from the text.

Activity 1: Fear can fuel the hardest hatred

Students respond in writing to the statement, ‘Fear can fuel the hardest hatred’ (‘Caution’, p. 49).

Students should be encouraged to think about the statement and what they think it means and how it impacts both on today’s society and on our past. To support students’ thinking and writing, teachers are encouraged to use stimulus images and quotes from a variety of historical sources e.g. the Holocaust, the Jim Crow laws and their Australian equivalents, and the current refugee crisis. In a think/pair/share process have students discuss the statement, in relation to the following quotes (PDF, 105KB) and images (PDF, 1023KB)  prior to writing. Please note that some of these images are quite confronting and teachers should use their discretion and judgement as to how and when they are used.

While students may bring up white Australian and Indigenous history, this activity is designed to have students look outside their world and Australia, and think about the idea of fear and hatred generally so as to think more openly about the concepts. They will be applied more specifically later in this unit.
(ACELT1640)

Personal response on reading the text

Begin by doing a text orientation. A text orientation is a part of the ‘Scaffolding literacy’ approach, where the teacher provides an overview of the text. The text orientation allows the teacher to support students’ understanding of the plot, in a structure that may not be familiar to the students. This suggested script (PDF, 281KB) should be tailored to suit the students in the class.

After working through the text orientation have students discuss the main ideas that they noticed. By ensuring students have a basic understanding of the plot, they will better be able to access the story when reading.

Read the text as a class. Because it is written in verse, it is important that the students hear the text aloud. Use stop points to discuss and digest the text.

Stop after:

• ‘Warning’
• ‘Ambush’
• ‘Shelter’
• ‘Bunyip’
• ‘Tempo’
• ‘Vision’
• ‘Promise’
• ‘Caution’
• ‘Kuman’
• ‘Detour’
• ‘Torn’
• ‘Muddle’
• ‘Jury’
• ‘Sunset’

When stopping have students add to the ‘Chat chart’ below. Begin by scaffolding and modelling on the board.

The following questions can also be used to prompt thinking, however, allow students to share their reactions first.

• What happened? (How do you know?)
• What did you notice about the poems?
• What feelings do you think the poet was trying to evoke?

Activity 2: Chat chart

Teacher model response

After reading, direct the students to re-read the text. As they read they should record more ideas in the chat chart. Encourage students to think about the impact on them, and what they identify in the text. There are no wrong answers. For students who struggle to connect with the text, ask them to record any connections they make with other texts or connections within the text. Not each part has to be filled out equally; however they should attempt each part. The focus is on having students re-read the text to continue to make meaning.
(ACELA1564)   (ACELA1565)   (ACELT1639)   (ACELT1640)   (ACELT1641)

Activity 3: Yarning circle

Using the yarning circle structure, have students discuss their reactions to the text. Prior to the discussion, students should record dot points to discuss, and should use the chat chart as a guide to their responses. They can use the key questions as a guide. Allowing time for students to think through their ideas and responses will ensure the discussion is robust. Students should also be encouraged to build upon other students’ responses. The point of this yarning circle is to talk about the text as a whole, as opposed to analysing each poem or part individually.

Key questions to include in the discussion:

Emotional reactions:

• What feelings does the writing evoke?

Reaction/thoughts to the structure:

• What did you notice about the structure of the poems?
• How did the structure affect the story?

Pace of the narrative:

• What do you notice about the narrative structure?
• How would the story change if written differently?

(ACELA1566)   (ACELA1571)   (ACELT1641)   (ACELT1642)   (ACELT1812)   (ACELY1750)

Activity 4: Effects of colonisation on Aboriginal life and culture

Using the picture book The Rabbits by John Marsden and Shaun Tan as a second, illustrative text, have students look through the images. Facilitate this as a class, asking them guiding questions about what they see, repeating symbols and the use of colour.

Read the text to the class (without showing them the images).

Students then read the text as a whole, noting both the images and the text and how they work together.

After discussing the story as a whole, turn to pages 11 and 12. As a class, analyse this double-page spread using the Technique, Field and Effect retrieval chart.

After analysing as a class, in pairs have students analyse another double-page spread.

Informally have students present their double-page spread. Where possible, present from page 1 onwards, this will allow students the chance to see the progression and change in the images and words.

Summarise the learning into a paragraph response: ‘What was the effect of colonisation on Aboriginal life and culture?’
(ACELA1567)   (ACELT1639)   (ACELT1640)   (ACELT1641)

Synthesising tasks

‘Fear can fuel the hardest hatred’

Refer back to the statement ‘Fear can fuel the hardest hatred’ in the poem ‘Caution’.

Skim read the following poems, looking for how the word ‘fear’ appears.

• ‘Morning’ – fear in their eyes
• ‘Beast’ – Ruby flees in frantic fear
• ‘Caution’ – the fear mongers still hunt
• ‘Broken’ – mob sit eyes wide with fear
• ‘Torn’ – fears’ chill returns
• ‘Jury’ – on community faces filled with fear
• ‘Jury’ – the publican fuels fear

Create a concept map documenting how fear is presented in the novel. The attached example will provide a guide for this: Fear concept map (PDF, 468KB).

Extension: Students should summarise their thoughts and feelings into a journal response addressing the statement ‘Fear can fuel the hardest hatred’ in relation to themes in both Ruby Moonlight and the picture book, The Rabbits.
(ACELT1640)   (ACELY1776)

Overview

Ruby Moonlight is a verse novel set in the late nineteenth century. The novel looks at the intense and brutal impact of colonisation; it follows the story of a young Aboriginal girl whose family is massacred, leaving her as the sole survivor. The poems are written in the third person and present tense.

These innovative poems take up traditional narrative voices, bringing past conflicts vividly to life with short lines that are lucid, refined, and luminous. Colonialism and survival are set against the natural world, love, and the desire for human engagement. The writing is delicate yet strong, the tone is pitched so well the reader is not distracted by the agile technique that carries the narrative forward. 
Judges’ citation, Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry (2013)

The writer’s craft

Activity 5: Character analysis

To scaffold students’ understanding of the text after reading, have them complete a character analysis chart. Use the think/pair/square strategy to support understanding and encourage them to share. Have them record their ideas individually using the character map Y chart (PDF, 97KB), focusing on:

• What do they look like?
• What do they do?
• What do they say?

Students then share in a pair, adding their partner’s ideas to their Y charts and further discussing their ideas. The pair then finds another pair and repeats the sharing process. The teacher might like to continue this sharing process by using the noisy round-robin strategy. In a noisy round robin, each pair is required to share an idea – students cannot repeat ideas that have already been said. Students should be encouraged to add to their Y chart, building further on their ideas.

Students then analyse how Ruby and Jack interact together. Students should be encouraged to add quotes to support their thinking and ideas. Students will come back to this document and add more details after analysing the novel further. This analysis allows them to begin to build their thinking and examine the juxtaposition of Ruby and Jack. Initially, students may provide more basic responses; by referring back to this activity after the poetry analysis, they should be able to further extend their understanding. Again the teacher may wish to utilise the think/pair/square and noisy round robin strategy to build the initial ideas.
(ACELT1640)   (ACELY1749)

Activity 6: Poetry analysis

As a class re-read the poems from ‘Nature’ to ‘Silence’. The teacher scaffolds the analysis process for the poems; this will be a model for students who will be expected to do this in small groups.

To support students understanding of purpose and narrative structure it can be helpful to look at the English Textual Concepts – Narrative.

In particular, the following points about narrative are relevant:

Narrative provides structures for expressing ideas and values. That:

• Stories represent broad aspects of humanity, society and culture, made particular and personal to interest the responder
• Stories often revolve around complication or conflict (external or between characters), which may rise to a climax before falling to a resolution.
• Plot structures can control responses to the story
• Values are embedded in narratives through selection of details of events and characters and choice of language.

When looking at the purposes and narrative structures of the poems ‘Nature’ to ‘Silence’, students should be encouraged to look at where their poems fit in the whole, as well as how poems in their set may change the structure. For ‘Nature’ to ‘Silence’, the information presented acts as an orientation. ‘Nature’ and ‘Harmony’ introduce the environment, the setting, and the tribe while, ‘Warning’ and ‘Ambush’ thrust us into the first complication. The plot structure is chronological and in the set presented, we are hearing the voices of the tribe and then in ‘Silence’ we meet Ruby.

Depending on the ability levels of your class you might like to give more or less information. Alternatively, give each poem to a different group and have them analyse that poem and present it to the class.

Divide the students into 10 even groups. Each group will focus on a set of poems listed below. Students will remain in these groups for this and Activities three to four.

• ‘Shadow’ (p. 12) to ‘Shelter’ p. 17)
• ‘Wash’ (p. 18)  to ‘Bunyip’ (p. 23)
• ‘Shack’ (p. 24) to ‘Food’ (p. 29)
• ‘Friends’ (p. 30) to ‘Beauty’ (p. 35)
• ‘Tempo’ (p. 36) to ‘Vision’ (p. 41)
• ‘Murmur’ (p. 42) to ‘Depart’ (p. 47)
• ‘Spring’ (p. 48) to ‘Falling’ (p. 51)
• ‘Mud’ (p. 52) to ‘Broken’ (p. 60)
• ‘Torn’ (p. 61) to ‘Message’ (p. 67)
• ‘Cursed’ (p. 68) to ‘Sunset’ (p. 74)

Students can follow the suggested guidelines above and they will be required to present their ideas in a panel discussion. While students need to read closely the set of poems and identify the purpose of the section in the narrative structure, when analysing the poems in the Technique, example and effect table (PDF, 269KB) they do not need to look at each poem in the same depth, instead, have them identify the key parts.

1. Read through the poems
2. Analyse the poem using the Technique, example and effect table (PDF, 269KB).

• Look for examples of shape: What poem is it, what shape is it, how does it affect the flow of the poems?
• What examples of literary devices can you find and what do you think they’re saying?

3. Explore the purpose of the poems and how they fit into the narrative structure.

(ACELT1640)   (ACELT1641)   (ACELT1642)   (ACELT1643)   (ACELY1749)

Activity 7: Structure – tension graph

Using the poems ‘Nature’ to ‘Silence’ model the rise in tension using this graph (PDF, 478KB) with them. Using the same model for the other sets of poems, have students discuss and demonstrate how tension is (or isn’t) built up in their sets of poems. Students should support their ideas with evidence, referring back to the literary techniques in the poems that help build the tension. This links back to the English Textual Concepts notion that:

Stories often revolve around complication or conflict (internal, between characters or of a character with society), which may rise to a climax before falling to a resolution.

Visualising the tension can help support students to identify the techniques the author is using to do this.

The class can then combine their various graphs for display to look at the rise and fall of tension across the story. When looking at the overview as a whole, the students might decide to change or edit some of the points of tension. Using post-it notes have them add to or edit the tension graph.
(ACELT1639)   (ACELT1640)

Activity 8: Style – Fear

Referring back to their concept map (PDF, 468KB) from the Introductory activities in section one, have students analyse how fear is presented in their data set of poems. Model with ‘Nature’ to ‘Silence’, showing how fear is represented – an example model is included here (PDF, 719KB). Using post-it notes have them record ideas and add them to the class tension graph.
(ACELT1639)   (ACELT1640)

Activity 9: Panel discussion

After completing Activity 4 above, have two to four students present their findings in a panel discussion. The physical set-up of the room should allow the students to sit at the front looking out into the audience. The purpose of the panel discussion is to reproduce a small group discussion for the benefit of a larger group. The experts (the students who completed the analysis) present their findings to an audience (the class). Each of the panel members must talk and present their ideas, they can have differing ideas and are encouraged to discuss these. The audience is able to ask probing questions.

Where possible, present the poems in chronological order, this will allow the students to build on their knowledge and see how it develops throughout the text, this will help them with the character examinations in Activity 6 below.
(ACELT1640)   (ACELT1642)   (ACELT1643)   (ACELT1641)   (ACELY1749)   (ACELY1813)

Activity 10: Character description

Have students refer back to their work in Activity 1. Given the work of the previous activities, students should add more information to their character response sheets, particularly the middle section that asks students to analyse the interactions between Ruby and Jack.

Using this information, have students write a detailed character description of Jack and/or Ruby. A character description is not a retelling, it is about utilising all the information given to us in a text to write an in-depth description. This level of thinking enables students to share what they’ve learnt about the characters and also what they have inferred. Where possible it is important to add literary devices like metaphors or similes to describe the character. Model the character description with another character from the work: ‘the man with no music in his heart’.

His face was hardened with dirt, deep lines creased his forehead, his eyes were black and as empty as his heart. The man with no music in his soul reached for his drink, his fingernails blackened with dirt. He was average height but he felt taller, the layers of dirt, grit and sweat adding to his presence. His black eyes brightened at the mention of gems, then a cloud passed over them again. The man with no music in his soul wiped the beer away from his mouth with his sleeve, ‘another one’ he snarled to the publican. 

To further support students in this activity Read Write Think has a bank of sample character descriptions.
(ACELT1814)   (ACELT1644)   (ACELY1776)   (ACELY1756)

Synthesising task

Working with imagery

Students pick one of the poems from the verse novel. They are to create a visual representation of the poem; they will need to justify their use of colour, texture and symbols. Students should be encouraged to present their points of view and interpretations of the particular poem. In a gallery walk, have them share their visual representations. While presenting to fellow students, each student should explain their poem of choice, their interpretation, use of colour, texture and symbols.

To help scaffold this task have students refer back to the picture book The Rabbits, looking back at their analyses of the colour, symbols and lines. Depending on your class you might like to read Window by Jeannie Baker. This is a book with no text, it demonstrates how students can use texture to tell a story.

Prior to creating their images have students look at what emotions are represented in their poem. This is not the emotion it necessarily evokes in them, but the emotion the characters are feeling, the emotion the writer is describing. Students then describe/draw/place what colour, line and texture they would use to represent it. Completing this retrieval chart will not only help them plan their image but also help support their written rationale.

Robert Plutchik’s emotion wheel could help support this, as could the following example of a retrieval chart for the poem ‘Falling’ (PDF, 522KB).

Have students play around with symbols that represent fear. Students can also identify other themes they think are important to their poem such as love, friendship, etc.

Students should be encouraged to present their visual images in a medium in which they are comfortable; some students may wish to use paper, scissors and glue to create a collage or a drawing, while others may wish to create a digital image. The visual image should be accompanied by a written rationale explaining the choices they made in creating their visual images.

Create your own visual representation of one of the poems.

Synthesising task requirements

Alternatively, download the task requirements (PDF, 727KB).

Image

• Use colour, lines and/or texture to represent the emotions from the poem.
• Use symbolism to represent  themes in the text.

Written rationale

• Describe the colour, lines and/or texture used to represent emotions from the poem.

Language:

• Use accurate spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
• Select appropriate vocabulary and quotes.
• Edit for clarity and meaning.

(ACELT1644)   (ACELT1814)   (ACELT1640)

Ways of reading the text

Sarah Holland-Batt states in an article titled ‘Verse novels in review’ that the novel Ruby Moonlight explores:

…broader ideas about colonialism’s hierarchies and power structures, and its lingering historical impact on the first peoples of this country, on language, and on the very landscape itself. One of the most remarkable things about Ruby Moonlight is the subtlety with which its political implications are handled: Eckermann invites (rather than dictates) political readings of what is, at heart, a simple and highly engaging narrative. 

Holland-Batt, Sarah (2013) Verse novels in review. Southerly , 72 (3).

With this in mind, the following activities are designed to look at the different perspectives and points of view you can use to analyse the verse novel.

1. Those of Aboriginal people
2. Those of the colonisers

Activity 11: Perspective

Read the English Textual Concepts website’s definition of ‘perspective’ (the first two paragraphs of the webpage beginning with ‘Perspective is a lens…’).

Students analyse a poem or part of a poem from different perspectives. As well as looking through the eyes of Aboriginal people and the colonisers, students are encouraged to look through the individual perspectives of Ruby and Jack.

Model this activity using the poems ‘Visitor’ and ‘Moon’. Read the poems and look at how each of the characters’ perspectives is depicted. Where possible add evidence to support the ideas. For example in ‘Moon’, we are inferring Jack’s reaction to Ruby being with the tribe.

‘Visitor’

‘Moon’

Selected poem

(ACELT1639)   (ACELT1640)

Activity 12: Change the voice

The poems are written in the third person but rely heavily on voice. In this activity, students choose a poem and write it from another character’s point of view. Activity 1 acts as a scaffold for this task and students should be encouraged to use the same poem as above. Students can write in prose or re-write it as a short story. Students should be encouraged to keep the essence or spirit of the original poem but also to think deeply about what their character is feeling, seeing and doing and how that impacts on their interpretation. Students can use  language from the poem in their own versions.

The following examples could be of help for students in their approaches:

‘Moon’ from Ruby’s point of view

Sitting here in the moonlight, I look around, I am Moonlight moiety of the Shadow tribe and these mob are Cloud people of the Eastern Shadows. Our language and laws are the same. I feel pulled towards them, I know they’d treat me like family, protect me, love me, I know I’d belong here. Sitting here in the moonlight, I think about what Jack is doing, is he looking at the moon and thinking about me? I catch the old dancer staring at me, he moves slowly towards me, sitting down he speaks ‘you my new wife? leave that colourless man!’ I feel the shame across my face, he has been watching me. He saw me, before I ever saw him. 

‘Empty’ written from Ruby’s point of view

He stands there at the door watching me leave. I can feel the sun kissing my body, I feel free. I turn slightly, he still hasn’t moved. I can see my dress lying empty on the floor. I can see the emptiness in Jack’s face. I look forward and see him, I am coming home again. 

(ACELT1814)   (ACELT1644)

Activity 13: The power of language

As a class read: ‘Discovery, settlement or invasion? The power of language in Australia’s historical narrative’

Discuss the key points the author is making in the article. In light of this, have students analyse the language used by the author in the poems. Have them look at some of the examples that describe some of the white men in the poems. Decide whether the author is using positive, neutral or negative language. Students need to give reasons to justify their response.

Ask students to consider the choices the author has made. In a yarning circle discuss the following questions and statements:

• Why doesn’t the author refer to the pale man in ‘Smoke’ more viciously as they are about to attack the clan?
• Why do you think the author chose to write the story in the third person?
• What deliberate choices do you think the author made?
• Why do you think the language choices are so important?
• How would the story be different if the author used negative language to describe all the white people?

(ACELT1640)   (ACELT1812)

Synthesising activity

The power of Ruby Moonlight 

Refer students back to the quote by Sarah Holland-Batt at the start of this section, noting that Ruby Moonlight explores:

…broader ideas about colonialism’s hierarchies and power structures, and its lingering historical impact on the first peoples of this country, on language, and on the very landscape itself. One of the most remarkable things about Ruby Moonlight is the subtlety with which its political implications are handled: Eckermann invites (rather than dictates) political readings of what is, at heart, a simple and highly engaging narrative.

Holland-Batt, Sarah (2013) Verse novels in review. Southerly, 72 (3).

Ask students to consider whether they agree or disagree with this statement in light of their recent analysis? Students should summarise their ideas into three or four structured paragraphs, and be encouraged to look back over their recent work and to use quotes to support their ideas.
(ACELT1640)   (ACELT1812)

Rich assessment tasks

Task 1: Visual essay (Receptive and productive modes)

Ruby Moonlight is a verse novel rich in layers and stories. For this task, students are required to create a visual essay tracking the relationship between Ruby and Jack. A visual essay can also be known as a photographic essay and relies on the use of images to tell a story or point of view. Students should create their own thesis or defining statement prior to creating the images. Images can be drawn, painted or photographed. Students can also be encouraged to use websites such as Pixabay, which has images that are licensed by Creative Commons, free for commercial use or don’t require attribution. Please ensure that students check the copyright usage arrangements for all images they select; just because they are available online doesn’t mean they are automatically available for use.

Download Task 1 assessment task requirements (PDF, 183KB).

Image selection

• Six to ten photographs or images
  • These images may be your own or used from the internet. If copying from the internet please ensure all images are appropriately Creative Commons’ licensed for use. Acknowledge all images in a bibliography.
• Images are arranged in an order that best supports your point of view or argument.
• Images can be presented digitally or on paper.

Analysis

• Discusses the emotional connection between our past and our future
• Analyses perspectives on Australian history
• Discusses how the perspective has affected our history
• Uses symbolism to represent themes in the text.

Rationale

• A one-to-two paragraph rationale is written to share your thesis statement and to explain how the images explore this.

Language

• Uses accurate spelling, punctuation, and grammar
• Selects appropriate vocabulary and quotes
• Edits for clarity and meaning.

(ACELY1756)   (ACELY1757)   (ACELY1776)

Task 2: Moving beyond the text (Productive mode)

Students are to think deeply about what they’ve learnt in this unit of work; they should draw upon the characters, themes, points of view and historical elements studied. From here students should propose their own rich assessment task. What is it that they would like to further explore and how can this be represented? Some ideas could include:

• ‘Don’t keep history a mystery’ (National Reconciliation Week 2018 theme)
• How does Australia feel about its history? Why does Australia hide its history?
• Why does history repeat itself in Australia?
• The effect of colonisation on Aboriginal Australia.
• Invasion Day.

Ideas for presentation:

• graphic essay
• feature article
• poem
• speech/debate/presentation
• short film
• song
• opinion piece/letter.

Download Task 2 assessment task requirements (PDF, 194KB).

Analysis

• Discusses the emotional connection between our past and our future
• Analyses perspectives on Australian history
• Discusses how the perspective has affected our history
• Uses symbolism to represent themes in the text.

Language

• Uses accurate spelling, punctuation, and grammar
• Selects appropriate vocabulary and quotes
• Edits for clarity and meaning.

(ACELY1756)   (ACELY1776)