Were All Australian Now Poem Analysis Essay

This was exemplified in Menzies speech on the declaration of war when he stated, “…. Great Britain has declared war on her, and that, as a result, Australia is also at war…There can be no doubt that where Great Britain stands, there stands the people of the entire British world.” (Mason 2014, pg.163) This explains that wherever Britain was, Australia would be by their side showing their mateship between the two countries. When Menzies states ‘There can be no doubt’, it portrayed a strong message to all Australian soldiers meaning that no matter what happened they were committed to their ‘Mother Country’. Additionally, Australia was very close to Britain, explaining that we fought together and protected one another until the very end. This was depicted in a primary source image of a kangaroo, representing Australia, and a vicious dog, representing Britain, taking down a soldier together. (Refer to Appendix 1) By showing Australia and Britain as a team, it shows how the war made them a team and the strength between them if they worked together. In the image, the kangaroo wears a cowboy hat, stating their national identity as a relaxed country lifestyle whereas, the vicious dog wears a steal war helmet stating its seriousness and confidence at war. (Japan & Australia in World War 2, N.D) Thus, the strong alliance with Britain undeniably resulted Australia to enter the

Prior to World War 1, Australians on the whole suffered due to their geographical isolation, which technology had yet to defeat. Transport was solely by arduous sea journey, which restricted travel and communication with the rest of the world. The mass transfer of Australian youth to fight in Europe enabled the world to see for the first time the unique culture which was developing in this far away land. Recognition and respect was quickly given for the courage, good humour and strength in adversity displayed by Australian soldiers. The easy going egalitarian troops challenged the military norms of their British counterparts. While this

The most effective poems convey the poet’s idea and influence the Reader’s Response. This is certainly true when considering the poetry of John Foulcher is a contemporary Australian poet who writes about his observation of everyday life, people and places, as well as religious history. The poet’s voice is distinctive and he writes in a condensed style where each word and image is very important and has layers of meaning. He also often uses very harsh and violent imagery in his poems, which can be very shocking to the reader. Foulcher uses a range of techniques in his poems to communicate meaning, including similes, metaphors, personification and onomatopoeia. The poems that will be discussed in this essay are Martin and the Hand Grenade

Australia is filled with many different aspects in which makes it the country it is today. I believe it is important to study texts that explore aspects of Australia by studying texts such as ‘The Club’, by David Williamson, a play written in 1977 about an Australian football club and movies such as “The Castle”, directed by Rob Stitch in 1997, about the daily life of an Australian family when their happiness is threatened when developers attempt to buy their house to expand the neighboring airport. Both these texts show us what Australian life was like in the past. By us looking at themes such as language, tradition and the mateship shown we are able to explore different aspects of Australia that make it what it is today.

Through the use of poetic devices, the author has successfully encouraged the audience to explore their thoughts on Australian identity and to reflect on our nation’s history.

Comparatively Lindsay Murdoch presents an article, They were only 19 ... and some were even younger published by the Sydney Morning Herald on the 16th of February 2012. It explores the non-fictional sorrowful memories of the Australian veterans of WWII stationed at “Singapore, the Fortress of the Empire” before being captured. The visual is of the five men along with their evocative but accurate comment drawn from memories of an absolute reality. Ultimately, these texts provide the individual histories of men and women that were captured by the Japanese during WWII. Thus displaying their joint suffering on and off the battlefield as that is the reality of their situation.

Present day Australia is met with the issue of outlining a sense of a nationwide community, after the breakdown of the British race patriot idea in the mid-1960s with the introduction of multiculturalism. The Euro-centric perception of Australia was annulled and it was incapable in playing a significant part in Australian policies and priorities. It triggered a calamity of national identity and meaning. The credence that Australian’s were apart of Britain, united by history, tradition and blood needed to be revised. A people who had recognized themselves so strongly with the British race now had to accede their race awareness and apprehend the notion of being a now multicultural society. The dawn of multiculturalism also provoked a quandary for balancing a respect of the British heritage with the abating relevance of the British connection and to construct a new language of community from the residues of the old British ways.

Australians are known for their bravery and mateship. Defending our country at war is a significant part of the Australian identity. Donald Bruce Dawe who was a soldier during the Vietnam War has written about the horrors that these soldiers faced in his poem “Homecoming”. Jeff Cook’s “Grandpa what did you do in the war?” also highlights the struggles associated with being involved in war. This piece was written for the soldiers who returned home and the ones that lost their lives fighting for Australia.

“On the other side of our barbed wire fence were twenty or thirty Aussie men – as skinny as us – and wearing slouch hats. Unlike the Japs, they had hairy legs. And they were standing in rows – serenading us.”

Australia’s identity has always been a complicated one. Starting with Aboriginal genocide, 1800’s cowboys and villains, two world wars and a bunch of poems describing them, it makes it difficult to conclude on what being an ‘Aussie’ really is. Thankfully, the two thought-provoking poems Nobody Calls Me a Wog Anymore by Komninos Zervos, and My Country by Dorothea Mackellar both use their discerning selection of themes to reflect modern attitudes in some extent. Along with their themes, Nobody Calls Me a Wog Anymore and My Country both use their story to capture the attributes modern Australians possess to some degree.

Many Australian war poems and songs represent or contradict an aspect of the nation’s identity and views. The ballad ‘I was Only Nineteen’ by John Schumann follows the journey of Mick Storen in the Vietnam War, and the atrocities witnessed while there. The theme portrays the continual struggle to cope with the post-effects of war, which provides the nation a new perspective of heroism and hardship (Marshall 2016).

Roberts-Smith also introduces his article with a short anecdote, serving in the Australian Defence Force, which then makes the reader feel emotional towards the writer making them feel like they know the reader more. Including an anecdote can engage the reader more and conveys Roberts opinion. In contrast, Russell’s tone is mirrored by the small, uninviting headline, “End Australia Day”, making the readers feel unsteady. The technique of personal attack towards those who celebrate Australia Day is used to make the reader feel offended so that they continue to read about the controversial topic in hope to make them adjust their

As it not only marks the initiation of our controversial war history, signifying the first time our country joined together in unity. It becomes the focal point for remembering all the soldiers who have fallen in horrors of war, the continuous suffering which family members endured. Through the ANZAC legend, future generations have a responsibility to remember not only those who served, but all contributions made, during the era in which the legend was born. We have an obligation to respect the soldiers, honouring the unique characteristics of each individual, ensuring we don’t stereotype the courageous

He goes on to use pathos in the 2nd paragraph with the quote “their sons and their brothers and their husbands to fight and die in extraordinarily high proportions” he does this in this quote by putting a identity on the soldier that is fighting in the war. This uses people's emotions to get people to speak against the war. He continues to use the emotions

Australian’s have a unique proud culture. This culture differentiates them from the British motherland. Through many decades Australia has formed a unique, which at its foundation is made from mateship. Mateship or friendship is the core of Australian identity as this was instilled into them through events such as war. WWII in particular demonstrates the level of mateship shown by Australians as many made the ultimate sacrifice in order to save a mate. The stories of ‘The Magic Pudding’ by Gary Crew & Shaun Tan and ‘Memorial’ by Norman Lindsay will demonstrate how mateship is a significant part of how Australians see