Comparative Analysis

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Writing on 2 or more texts

preparing for an essay on the poetry of Samuel Wagan Watson

How to structure an answer - patterns

• Look for patterns andd group poems, ideas, and use of conventions andd techniques
• HOW patterns
  • Symbols
  • Motifs
  • Imagery
  • Hybrid phrasing
  • Structure
  • Pacing
• WHAT patterns
  • Representations
  • Ideas about cultural identity
  • Nation identity
  • Australian History
  • Attitudes
  • Values
• Draft a thesis and topic sentences that outline those patterns
• ONE pattern per paragraph: HOW + WHAT
• Either choose 3 HOW(techniques/poetic devices) patterns and identify the ideas they construct
• Or choose 3 WHAT(ideas) patterns and identify the techniques that construct them

Tracing patterns across 2 poems

• Cheap white goods
• Dingo lounge
• Patterns:
  • HOW - symbols of western market culture, industrial culture, symbols of indigenous culture
    • Imagery
    • Tone
      • Sardonic, bitter, critical
  • WHAT - devaluing of indigenous culture, commodification of indigenous culture (Western Capitalist values - making money), death of indigenous culture, domination by mainstream Western culture (dismissive attitude towards indigenous culture)

Poems/Meanings

jaded olympic moments

• title: stating how the aboriginal dance at the 2012 Brisbane Olympics was nothing more than a publicity stunt, that it was “jaded” (false)
• highlighting how much land is worth to indigenous australians
• potentially criticises colonial ideas by illustrating the negative effects of colonialism
• highlights separation of race/colour
  • “it’s still very much an US and THEM kind of deal in this modern dreaming”
• also highlights the different cultural values between colonists and aboriginals
• how disadvantaged aboriginals are
  • “we’re city people without a language and some of us have even less”

cheap white-goods at the dreamtime sale:

• title: ironic, sarcastic, sardonic, stating the devaluation of indigenous culture, likening them to cheap white goods
• highlights how little aboriginal culture is valued
• how their culture is like a theme park attraction, i.e. people are interested in it, but don’t actually want to engage
• compares their culture to “cheap white-goods”
  • perhaps implies that their culture is worth as much as a knock-off brand, or represents that their culture is a knock-off of others, e.g. other religion such as christianity
• sacred sites, e.g. uluru, are not treated with the same amount of respect as other monuments are
• furthermore, sacred monuments are not viewed as such by european/american society

Practise Essay 1

Explain how Samuel Wagan Watson’s application of various discourses challenges and/or promotes certain ideologies in 2 poems

The oppression of Indigenous Society and their values has long been a part of Australian history. From events ranging from the Stolen Generation to the 1969 Referendum, Aboriginals have long been persecuted due to the effects of colonialism, more specifically, the effects of post-colonialism. Samuel Wagan Watson challenges the post-colonial effects on the Indigenous culture, in his 2 poems, Jaded Olympic Moments, and Cheap white-goods at the dreamtime sale. More specifically, 3 ideas are promoted or challenged; The devaluation of indigenous culture, devaluation of indigenous people, and promotes the importance of land to the Indigenous Australians.

Watson challenges the devaluation of indigenous culture as an effect of post-colonialism in his poems jaded olympic moments and cheap-white goods at the dreamtime sale. In cheap white-goods, the title itself is highly sardonic, devaluing their culture to “cheap white-goods” at a sale. This highlights the extent (or lack thereof) to which indigenous culture is valued by the colonisers. Furthermore, in the quote, “sacred dances available out of the yellow pages”, the ‘sacred dances’ are represented as a product, one that can be marketed. In other words, the sacred traditions and cultures of the indigenous Australians are represented in the poem as a capitalistic by-product, fit only for demonstration for the entertainment of people. Additionally, their spiritual places are referred to as “comatose totems [littering] the landscape”. This illustrates that their culture is slowly being forgotten, and also represents the oppression of their culture by colonists. Similarly, in jaded olympic moments, the “capping off a sterling period of post-funeral melancholy after my young cousin’s passing” is used to highlight the disregard to indigenous customs and traditions. Traditionally, in Indigenous culture, death is an important time, and customs must be carried out carefully. To disregard this after the persona’s ‘cousin’s passing’ is considered in their culture to be the height of disrespect. Additionally, this is caused due to thievery, as can be seen in “they made their way through the sliding-door and stole the lot”, which further highlights the negative effects of capitalism on the culture of Indigenous Australians. This also likens normal thievery to the colonisation of Australia, again presenting the idea that a multitude of opportunities and values were taken from the indigenous people.

Furthermore, the devaluation of indigenous people is challenged by Watson in his 2 poems. In jaded olympic moments, the title in itself suggests that the dance held at the 2012 Brisbane Olympics was nothing more than a publicity stunt. jaded olympic moments recounts the event when an “ochre-kissed women came out and did their thing in the center of the stadium we had tears in our eyes thinking, that’s our mob! but no, only a romantic would think that”. “only a romantic would think that” represents that the ideal that the Olympic Committee were going for was far from what should have been done, that their efforts were “jaded”, i.e. half-baked, and thus the people were not respected. Additionally, the persona refers to their current situation as, “it’s still very much an US and THEM kind of deal in this modern dreaming”. “US” and “THEM” connotes a feeling of separation, that Aboriginal people are not treated as “true” Australians, and are devalued because of this. “Modern dreaming” also implies that this modern society has devalued their culture and their people. Furthermore, in cheap white-goods, Watson refers to the colonisers as “murderers turning trustees”. This implies that the colonisers have not repented from their crimes against Indigenous people, and that it was just forgotten. Additionally, the persona remarks sardonically, “the dealers in Manhattan lay back and vomit; they’re the genius behind dot paintings and ochre hand prints”. This further demonstrates how little their knowledge and wisdom is valued, and how Western society believes that they are superior. “dot paintings” and “ochre hand prints” are traditional indigenous practises, and this quote illustrates the significance of this, by contrasting it to what Western society thinks it is, and attempting to adapt it, to colonise it, and label it as correct. Thus, the devaluation of indigenous people is challenged by Watson in his 2 poems.

Finally, the importance of land to Indigenous Australians is promoted by Watson in his 2 poems. In cheap white-goods, the persona believes that “Uluru; a site with grandeur the neolithic additive missing from that seventh wonder of the world expo”. This represents how much Uluru, a sacred site, is valued, and this is contrasted with Western Society’s standard of the “Seven Wonders of the World”. The persona believes, in conflict with Western beliefs, that Uluru is just as majestic and as important as the other Wonders of the World. Furthermore, the land of Australia is described as “pure soil in front of you; the dealers in Manhattan lay back and vomit”. Again, this highlights the importance placed on the natural world in Aboriginal culture, and refers to Western beliefs in a sardonic tone, mocking the contempt they have for Indigenous culture, and answering that contempt with their own. Additionally, jaded olympic moments also promotes this value of land. When referring to the thievery, the persona says in contrast, “if blackfellas had broken into the house; they would’ve taken Dad’s 10ft Landrights flag; ’cause it was worth just as much as Cathy Freeman’s gold”. Cathy Freeman was an Aboriginal Australian who won a gold medal in the Olympics. She was a large inspiration for the Indigenous community because of this. To value a land rights flag as much as this implies that this representation of their independence, no matter the monetary cost, is worth just as much. Watson further contrasts this in “three smack-head white boys; 18, 19, 20; the gear was gone without a trace…it made sense”. Again, this highlights the different values between Westerners and Indigenous Australians, that Western civilisation take the natural world for granted, and Indigenous Australians care for the land deeply, so much that it’s worth as much as a gold medal.

To conclude, 3 ideas are considered by Samuel Wagan Watson; The challenging of the devaluation of indigenous culture, the challenging of devaluation of indigenous people, and the promotion of the importance of land to the Indigenous Australians. Therefore, Samuel Wagan Watson challenges the post-colonial effects on the Indigenous culture, in his 2 poems, Jaded Olympic Moments, and Cheap white-goods at the dreamtime sale. The effects of post-colonialism on the Indigenous societies are still being felt to this day, and Watson demonstrates this in his poems.

Practise Essay 2

With reference to at least 2 poems by Samuel Wagan Watson, compare how they represent ideas and/or experiences

Indigenous culture and people have long felt the after-effects of colonists. Their culture has been mocked, their people disrespected. Samuel Wagan Watson highlights this in his 2 poems, jaded olympic moments, and cheap white-goods at the dreamtime sale. Using language features such as symbolism and irony (respectively) in his 2 poems, Watson challenges the devaluation of Indigenous society and their culture. However, when comparing the 2 poems, he also highlights the importance of the natural world, and it is evident that the 2 poems are similar.

In jaded olympic moments, Watson uses symbolism to highlight the devaluation of Indigenous people and their culture as a result of colonisation. For instance, the persona’s house is broken into, and the persona remarks, “They made their way through the sliding door; and collected the lot.” This symbolises how colonists invaded Australia and took land from the Aboriginals. “They” is ambiguous, open to interpretation, and it can thus be concluded that “they” refers to Western society, in an attempt to highlight this thievery. This also highlights how Indigenous people are preyed upon due to their station in Western society. Furthermore, the persona remarks that “It’s still very much an US and THEM kind of deal in this modern dreaming”. “US and THEM” symbolise the separation of colour, as a result of Western society, and also highlights the alienation of Indigenous society from Western Society. Additionally, “modern dreaming” implies that the sacred Indigenous notion of The Dreaming has been adapted by Westerners, and as a result, this alienation and segregation occurs, due to this twisted, warped, Western dreaming. Thus, Watson uses symbolism in jaded olympic moments to highlight the devaluation of Indigenous culture and society, as a result of colonisation.

In cheap white-goods, Watson employs the use of irony to illustrate the marginalisation of Indigenous society and culture as a result of capitalism. For example, the persona remarks that “sacred dances [are] available out of the yellow pages.” The “yellow pages” is a phonebook that lists the names of businesses, and their phone numbers. If sacred dances are available, this implies that as a result of Marxist Ideals forced upon them, Indigenous society