Feature of the concept

Diving into the Wreck (Adrienne Rich)

Away (Michael Gow)

This Area of Study

requires students to
explore the ways in
which the concept of
Discovery is
represented
in and
through texts.

Through poetry; The wreck and the

procedure of the dive is a metaphor for the
journey of discovery.

Through drama/play; The course of a vacation and the

exposure to different circumstances evoking selfdiscovery and rediscovery.

Discovery can
encompass the
experience of
discovering something
for the first time or
rediscovering
something that has
been lost, forgotten or
concealed.

Rich almost touches both concepts of

discovery and rediscovery. The wreck could
be compared to both.
There is a ladder. (Its)... always there.
We know what it is used for, we who have
used it.

I know. They want me to think Im going to be right

as rain.
Tom has the right to know that he has a cancer of the
blood. When he eventually finds out, he pities his
parents, the poor bastards.

Discoveries can be
sudden and unexpected
or they can emerge
from a process of
deliberate and careful
planning evoked by
curiosity, necessity or
wonder.

Discovery, in this case, is a well thought out

process with lots of preparation.
I put on the body armour the absurd
flippers...grave and awkward mask.
It is evoked by curiosity and wonder,
probably by the book of myths.
I came to explore the wreck the wreck
not the story of the wreck not the myth.

The attitude towards holidaying is different in the

three families. In Toms family, the attitude is laidback and relaxed making space for new experiences.
This could have been evoked by necessity as they are
not very privileged.
Oh...were going to drive for a bit. See what we find.

Discoveries can be
fresh and
intensely
meaningful in
ways
that may be emotional,
creative, intellectual,
physical and spiritual.

The process of descending into the ocean

rung by rung . As the speaker hits the
ocean, theres a gradual loss of the blue
light the clear atoms of our human air
until the blue air is bluer and then green
and then black I am blacking out. This

During the play that Tom and Coral create, Coral says,
Im walking, Im walking.
This can symbolise Coral finally accepting her
situation regarding her sons death. She is finally
moving on and taking her first baby steps.
What do you think of me? You must hate me? Why

speaks of the panic caused by the loss of

tangibility of familiarity and safety.
Yet my mask is powerful.. it pumps my
blood with power.
In a way, this could speak of the power of
the earlier preparation that forces life and
power into the speaker; the journeys not
ended.

do you still bother?

After Gwen is faced with the stark reality of Toms dim
future during their quick paddle, Gwen takes on a
change of heart. In many interpretations this point in
the play is compared to baptism that results in her
rising with a new, compassionate mindset.

They can also be

confronting and
provocative. They can
lead us to new worlds
and values, stimulate
new ideas, and enable
us to speculate about
future possibilities.

the drowned face always staring toward

the sun... face sleeps with open eyes whose
breasts still bear the stress
The drowned face staring almost longingly
towards the sun or the blue light

I mightnt like it there.

In Away, this idea of confronting discoveries leading
to new worlds can be taken quite literally in Corals
case. She has found solace in an imaginary, conjured
place where she can just stare and smile and say
nothing. The stimulus here is the grim death of her
son at during his service at the military.

Discoveries and
discovering can offer
new understandings
and renewed
perceptions of
ourselves and others.

I came to see the damage that was done

and the treasures that prevail.
Although Rich is in awe and wonder in the
beginning of the poem to view and salvage
the mysterious treasures of the deep, the
wonder seeps away and the descriptions of
these long awaited treasures become dry
and unenthusiastic. whose silver, copper,
vermeil cargo lies obscurely inside
barrels left to rot.

There is a time for being grief stricken, theres a

time for weeping and wailing but it comes to an
end.
In this case, the revelation of the death of Roys son
and Corals absurd behaviour towards others has
provoked him to say these profound words. This
creates an opportunity for the reader to see a side of
Roy thats otherwise overshadowed by his colloquial
manner, Mrs Papa Papalapa Papalax

An individuals
discoveries and their
process of discovering
can vary according to
personal, cultural,
historical and social
contexts and values.
The impact of these

I am having to do this not like Cousteau

with his assiduous team but here alone.
This poem was written in a time period with
intense feminist issues. Here, Rich is
drawing attention to the partiality in the
availability of opportunities to men and
women.
a book of myths in which our names do

Some people may be happy living like pigs but Im

not. I will not have you hanging around with that kind
of life A sad dirty life.
Gwen has a strong contempt towards those in the
lower class. This might be due to her personal
experience, As God is my witness, I will never be
hungry again.; Sacrificed! Gone without.
Her social values towards complacency is reflected,

discoveries can be far

reaching and
transformative for the
individual and for
broader
society.

not appear.
However, this discovery evokes this final
line which in some interpretations is that
the speaker is provoking others to come to
attempt to let their names to be sounded.

Im sick to death of people who dont try for a

better life fight their way out with their bare
hands.

Discoveries may be
questioned and
challenged when
viewed from different
perspectives and their
worth may be
reassessed over time.
The ramifications of
particular
discoveries may differ
for individuals and their
worlds.

Having read the book of myths, loaded the

camera and checked the edge of the knife
blade Whatever the speaker has read
(or discovered) in the book has prompted
her to anticipate threat or danger.
However as she finds solace with the
many who have always lived here, she
discards these feelings. In fact, she feels
like it easy to forget what (she) came for

In a funny kind of way were happy. Even while were

very, very sad. We have no regrets no hopes.
Harry and Vics collective discovery of Toms cancer of
the blood has left them with a dominantly positive
attitude. Although, stereotypically this would bring
about depression, they have chosen to value the time
left to them to spend with Tom.

By exploring the
concept of Discovery,
students can
understand how texts
have the potential to
affirm or challenge
individuals' or
more widely-held
assumptions and beliefs
about aspects
of
human experience and
the world.

The words are purposes, the words are

maps.
The book of myths might have been a
guide or instigator for the speakers
curiosity to swim to the wreck. However, it
is not until, she gets to thing (she) came
for that she is able to strip away her
preconceptions and assumptions as she
becomes one with the ocean, the
mermaid and the merman and the
drowned face that sleeps with open eyes

For most of the play, Gwen possesses a sort of disdain

towards Harry and Vic, making sour comments, They
both work in a factory They shouldnt be going on
a holiday if they cant afford one.
Some people may be happy living like pigs
She sort of feels like its the poor lifestyle is a choice
theyve made and that they are complacent in their
wretched circumstances. But it is later revealed,
Remember for a while This country all we can
think of is the cold, tiny houses We felt held back.
They have moved on from their life as pigs and
taken the motive to move to Australia to abandon
their former lifestyle.

Through composing and

responding to a
wide range of
texts, students may

Since this poem was birthed during the

time of gender inequality and a time of
strife for the feminist views, it can be said
that Richs view and the choice of words to

Repercussions of the discovery of her sons death:

Youre still alive. Youre still alive and talking and
laughing.
Sometimes, discoveries can be very devastating and

make discoveries about

people,
relationships, societies,
places and events and
generate new ideas. By
synthesising
perspectives, students
may deepen their
understanding of the
concept of Discovery.

describe this metaphoric dive has been

influenced by the yearning to break free.
Once she descends into the ocean and sees
the damage, she becomes androgynous
discarding the differentiation of male and
female. She believes everyone, regardless
of their sex, should be given equal
opportunities.

jarring that the individual can be in denial or in need

of something that will replace that loss. In this case,
Coral sees her son in Rick. Although she is not drawn
to him in a sensual way, it appears so as she chides
him to stay with him and to come away into the
dark. We can clearly see through her language that
that is not her intention.

Students consider the

ways composers may
invite them to
experience discovery
through their texts and
explore how the
process
of
discovering is
represented using a
variety of language
modes, forms and
features.

Rich uses short, concise, matter-of-fact

lines to give us a detailed step by step
procedure of her descent into the ocean
(discovery).
She uses personification, The ladder
hang(s) innocently
My flippers cripple me, I crawl like an
insect. She uses this simile to show the
measures that she had to undertake in
order to be ready for the dive are restricting
her; outside her comfort zone.
... but here alone; I have to learn alone;
and there is no one to tell me
Repetition to inform and warn the reader
that discovery is a solitary journey that has
to be mostly experienced and learnt alone.
We are, I am, you are Rich includes the
reader to beckon and invite them on her
journey or on their own journey.

Gow uses common, colloquial language to allow the

reader to participate and join the drama.
He uses allusions to Shakespearean drama,
Midsummer Nights Dream and King Lear.
He uses symbolism in many cases to effectively
communicate the essence of the drama.
Since it is a play, he uses the stage directions to
emphasise some parts of the drama.
Kids scurry about in garish light. to The light
becomes bright, summery, morning.

Other notes:
Spiritual regeneration for a sense of belonging and harmony with each other and nature. In the first three acts, this is
explored realistically within a highly formal theatrical structure including parallel scenes, soliloquy and choric farce

 In the final two acts, the idea of redemption is explored both symbolically and realistically - a storm washes away the
debris of materialism and leaves the characters unburdened to deal with nature. Gwen is changed through a symbolic
baptism by water that takes place in the sea off stage
The sea is a dominant symbol for healing in this play
Coral is taken on a journey in pursuit of her dead son and finally she and Roy are reconciled through the gesture of the
collecting sea shells
Four major elements involved here: Myths and beliefs; rituals; social groupings; status of people
'Attachment' plays an important part - Gwen's to materialism, Coral to her dead son, Roy to status and position, and
Tom to his idea that sexual union can bring him some kind of fulfilment
Parallels with A Midsummer's Night's Dream
quarrels and complications - in The Dream, Oberon, Titania, the King and the Queens of the fairies are arguing over a
boy stolen by Oberon from Titania. Her refusal to make peace angers Oberon who tricks her into falling in love with a rude
mechanical - Bottom. When she awakes from the enchantment she is reconciled with her husband
In Away, Roy estranged from Carol who blames Roy for sending their son away to Vietnam where he was killed. She
forms an attachment to Rick, a fitter and turner. She returns from this in the end to reconcile with Roy.
Tom represents 'Puck' in that his closeness to death triggers off an almost magical transformation in the lives of those
who are touched by him
In The Dream Hermia's father opposes the relationship between the two lovers, Hermia and Lysander. The two decide
to run away to Athens and elope. Lysander tries to snuggle up to her in the woods but is refused - like Tom and Meg