Monthly Archives: September 2019

After Darkness by Christine Piper

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Brief Analysis for Mainstream English Year 12 Students studying After Darkness by Christine Piper AOS1 Unit 3 Analytical Study

Christine Piper’s historical fiction, After Darkness deals with suppressed fragments of the past and silenced memories.  The protagonist, Dr Ibaraki attempts to move forward with life whilst also trying to hide past confrontations as well as any remnants of his past wrongdoings and memories.  The novel chronicles 2 journeys – the first is Ibaraki’s physical journey from Japan to Broome, to South Australia and back to Japan.  In the process, the young doctor undertakes a second, more private journey towards a greater understanding of self.  What begins as escape from his past ends as an opportunity to redeem it.

Piper’s Message of Author is clear here – Ibaraki learns the notions of duty that have been inculcated [taught] from boyhood are less important than values such as empathy, forgiveness and the courage to speak out in the face of blatant immorality.  The relationships Ibaraki forms during his exile, particularly at Loveday, are critical to this metamorphosis [transformation].  Therefore, the novel is a story of personal growth that charts the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist.

The text consists of three intertwined narrative strands

  1. Ibaraki’s past in Tokyo in 1934
  2. His arrival in Broome in 1938 to work in a hospital there, and
  3. His arrival in a detainment camp in Loveday (South Australia) in 1942 after the outbreak of WW2.

The final chapter Tokyo 1989 concludes Ibaraki’s story, moving into the present tense to describe his life as an elderly man living in Tokyo.  Now in his 80’s he has to face the guilt of his past by writing a letter to the media which resolves the conflict between his conscience and the cultural values that have silenced his voice for so many years.  In a way everything in Ibaraki’s life has been leading to this moment.

Structure – Importance of Place

By moving between the 3 settings Piper emphasises the importance of place.  Each setting plays a critical role in Ibaraki’s emotional journey.  The chapters set in these different times and places are linked in that ideas or patterns of behaviour explored in one chapter, feed into the next.  Within each setting, events move inexorably [inevitably] towards a climax that marks an important turning point in Ibaraki’s life.  This structure enables the protagonist to look back on events with the hindsight imposed by time and distance, allowing Ibaraki to evaluate his choices and learn from past mistakes.

Historical Context of the Text

Piper draws on real events that occurred in Japan and Australia before and during WW2.  The most infamous part of the historical context is Unit 731, a covert [secret] medical research branch of the Imperial Japanese Army.  The young Dr Ibaraki is caught up in this research, where victims from Manchuria were injected with bubonic plague, typhoid, anthrax, cholera and other deadly pathogens, vivisections were conducted, without anaesthetic, to determine the progress of the diseases.  For many years the Japanese Government suppressed the truth of these horrific crimes.  It was not until 1989 that mass graves of bones were discovered in Shinjuku district of Tokyo.  Local residents fought official attempts to shut down investigations but gradually the facts about the horror started to emerge.

Language Devices

Piper writes in expressive, controlled prose and uses imagery, simile, metaphor, personification, foreshadowing that not only establish context but also delineate Ibaraki’s relationship to the landscape.  Often the imagery reflects his emotional state either directly or subliminally [subconsciously].

Language Devices Examples
Page Language Quote Explanation
1 Sense of place & colour imagery of landscape “The sun spread on the horizon, bleeding colour like a broken yolk” Ibaraki abandons his customary restraint to describe what he sees around him evokes a strong sense of place
46 Colour imagery of landscape “A pink spur of land crested with green rose out of the milky blue water” At first sight of Broome Ibaraki is struck by the unexpected colours
46 Colour imagery of landscape “a curve of rich red sand that bled into the azure sea” Broome is a strange clash of colours nothing like Ibaraki had ever seen in Japan
125 Colour imagery & nature “…the birds of paradise …spear shaped orange and blue petals perfectly encapsulate Broome’s hostile beauty” Juxtaposing the open beak of a bird represented by the bird of paradise plant is both hostile and beautiful
3 Landscape imagery that delineates Ibaraki’s emotional state “…. Haunted its edges, their limbs stretching skywards, as if begging for forgiveness” Travelling to Loveday by train Ibaraki passes a river flanked by dead trees the image hints at the guilt that haunts Ibaraki
198 foreshadowing “snow was falling as I walked home from the station – the first snow of the season” Foreshadowing the storm about to come in his life
174 foreshadowing “the rust coloured arc made me think of the transience of life.  And how with just one ill wind, everything could change” Foreshadowing trauma to come the fine red desert dirt is a reminder of life transience that everything can change & imminent crisis
13 Simile & Landscape imagery that delineates Ibaraki’s emotional state “… like blistered skin” Beside the camp Ibaraki sees a row of red gums with bark peeling from their trunks reminds him of the corrupted flesh of the victims in Unit 731 from Ibaraki’s past
204 Imagery of light and darkness Plunged into “darkness” Images of light and darkness are woven through the text, juxtaposing Ibaraki’s experiences in Tokyo with those in Australia.  After his marriage fails, he is plunged into darkness
45 Imagery of darkness that delineates Ibaraki’s emotional state “I was glad for the pocket of darkness that hid my tears” Ibaraki does not share the nationalistic fervour of the other Japanese when Broome is bombed instead, he mourns the destruction of the town and concern for former friends left behind
274 Imagery of light and darkness Broome is a “vivid wash of light” Comparing to the darkness he felt in Japan, Broome is a bright light, suggesting that things have become clearer during his time in Australia
Title metaphor “After Darkness” Darkness in the title acts as a metaphor for WW2 and the horror that affects nations and individuals alike.

The darkness also suggests the moral darkness that implicated Japan of committing war crimes on innocent people in Unit 731 representing the depths of depravity they reached.

After the darkness of war, the Japanese nation and individuals involved must make peace with themselves by coming to terms with their past.

Ibaraki writing a letter to the press exposes the darkness of Unit 731 to the light.  Moral doubt and secrecy are replaced by moral clarity.

In Piper’s novel issues associated with Identity / Culture / Place underpin dilemmas about Truth / Lies / Secrecy / Openness / Honesty / Discretion / Guilt / Failure / Forgiveness & Renewal

Race & Identity, Racism vs Nationalism

The fraught relationship between race & identity is seen at individual & national levels.  Physical hatred, fear and paranoia of the Japanese interned in Australia is a clear result of the war.  Other differences are characters who do not fit one race or the other as half castes.  The fenced off divide in the camp between the Japanese, Italians & Germans highlights segregation.

Duty

Characters are motivated by a sense of duty, beliefs & misconceptions about what this entails provide the moral tension at the heart of the novel.  Ibaraki grew up with the weight of family expectations on him to be a doctor.

During his time at the lab he faces a conflict between his conscience and sense of duty that has been underlined all his life.  Saving face and not bringing dishonour and shame on oneself or family is the dilemma Ibaraki faces regarding the work in Unit 731.  But his greatest betrayal is to himself, not speaking out against the evil.

Choices

The overarching context of war determines the destinies of many of the characters in the text, exerting a crucial influence on the ways in which personal stories are played out.  Ibaraki understands many of his choices have been driven by fear and his notions of duty and honour over conscience or love and as a result all his personal relationships have suffered as a result.

Loss

The text highlights the effect of men who find themselves classified as enemy aliens.  The text also explores the idea of displacement when Ibaraki loses his job and marriage, he also loses his sense of belonging.

Guilt & Atonement

Working at the research unit in Tokyo Ibaraki naively thinks he is working to develop vaccines for good purposes but the opposite is the reality.  This horrific past remains a wound that is impossible to forget.  By exposing the truth in the 1980’s he redeems himself.

Silence, Keeping Secrets & Loneliness

The theme of silence is prevalent in the novel.  Kimura threatens Ibaraki never to talk about the work in the lab.  He hides secrets all through his life leaving him lonely.  Piper stresses that opening up to people you care about is the way to maintain healthy relationships with mutual trust.

Past vs Present – concept of time

The dichotomy of past and present is encapsulated through the passing of time in the text mirrored with the three narrative strands and transformations in the environment as well as characters.  Piper alludes to the fact that the present is impacted by the past.

Friendship

Piper exults the power of friendships formulated in life makes undergoing bad circumstances much better.  Friends understand one another on an emotional level and provide support needed.

Personal Conscience, Regret & Shame

Personal conscience is a prominent theme that humanises the regrets and mistakes one can make in their life.  Ibaraki pushes people away in order to realise that it makes the feeling of guilt and pain return.  Piper considers the necessity to speak your mind when a problem arises as the detriments that could occur afterwards can cause guilt and shame to last a lifetime.

Hope

Piper postulates that hope can be a significant guiding force for an individual when they encounter difficult circumstances in life.  Some characters enable Ibaraki to be a better person such as Johnny and Stan and they give the support he needs to overcome obstacles in life.

 

Analysing Argument

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 Unit 3 Analysing Argument Year 12 Mainstream English

Students in Year 12 need to analyse and compare the use of argument and persuasive language in 2 or 3 media texts on an issue for the SAC in Unit 3.

Students in Year 12 need to analyse the use of argument and persuasive language in an unseen text or texts for the VCE English Exam.

The Task is referred to on the front page of the exam for Section C: ‘Write an analysis of the ways in which argument and written and visual language are used in the material on pages 12 and 13 to persuade others to share the points of view presented’.

How to Read, Analyse and Write a Language Analysis in 4 Steps

Don’t feel stressed, follow my 4 main step process below which will unlock your concerns about language analysis.

For the SAC you may be asked to analyse 2 or 3 media texts, however, for the Exam it may be 1 text and a visual.

Use my Language Analysis Essay Structure Using 3 Media Texts to complete your essay (see link below).

language analysis essay structure using 3 texts

Handwrite your Essays

An important tip is to practice writing your essays in handwriting.  The exams are all handwritten, not typed on a computer.  If you have trouble with your writing, ie. it is not easy to read for your teachers to mark, then please do something about it well before the exams in October-November.  If you feel your writing is terrible in cursive then print instead.

Year 12 you may Analyse 2-3 Media Texts in the SAC

Remember that in Year 12 you may be given 2-3 media texts to analyse and write your language analysis essay for the SAC.  Therefore you will need to the follow 4 main steps of analysis each time you analyse the 3 media texts you are given.

Carefully Annotate your Texts

A really important step in this process is to carefully take notes or annotate all the persuasive techniques in the texts.  This annotation will help you to link your persuasive techniques together when comparing and contrasting the 3 media texts in your essay.

The following 4 main steps will help you to understand how to analyse persuasive language:-

Step 1: Read Carefully and Take Notes (Annotate on the 2-3 texts you are given in the SAC or 1 only if you are answering Section C in the exam)

You will need to read the article at least twice.  In the 15 minutes you are given before you can pick up a pen use this first reading to identify the writer’s point of view on the issue and their main arguments.  Then in the second reading, focus on how language (and any images) are used to present this viewpoint and to position the reader to agree with it.

Ask key questions using What? How? Why? for each of the 3 media texts (or just 1 text)

  • What is the writer saying? > Identify the main contention.  > Track the supporting points or arguments.  A good approach is to put these in brief annotations around the article by clearly showing each Argument and numbering them so you can identify each Argument in your comparative analysis with the other articles > identify the audience the author is targeting with his arguments > Remember to look at the Similarities & Differences  as your Points of Comparison between the Texts > Use your Comparison words = to express similarity of the point of view expressed in the article = supports / reinforces  /endorses /confirms / corroborates > to express differences in the point of view expressed in the article = contradicts/ challenges / disputes /negates / opposes
  • How is it said? > Write a few key words to describe the writer’s tone and style  > Highlight some of the persuasive words, phrases and techniques being used
  • Why is it persuasive?  > Why are some of the highlighted words and techniques persuasive?  > Think about how the author makes the readers = think (logic based) / feel (emotion based) & do (a call to action) >  What effects do they achieve?  >  Do the techniques help to persuade the audience to agree with the writer?  How?

Step 2: Prepare Your Ideas for Writing

  • Rewrite the main contention in your own words.  This forces you to clearly understand the writer’s point of view, and allows you to refer back to it as you write.
  • List the supporting points or arguments – you may want to quote them directly from the text
  • Select the language and techniques you are going to analyse
  • Select some examples, including brief quotations, to use as evidence and for close analysis.  Choose the most obvious examples but also those that give you the greatest range of techniques.  Choose examples that also allow you to show how the writer progressively persuades the audience

Step 3: Plan Your Structure

As in all essays, your analysis will have an Introduction, Body and Conclusion.

Remember to use appropriate Linking Words to connect your sentences and paragraphs so that your essay will flow smoothly and give your analysis cohesion.  Some examples of Linking Words = by contrast / conversely / furthermore / just as / however / in addition / moreover / whereas / on the other hand / similarly / therefore / while

  • Introduction: What is the writer saying?  > You must include the following information in the Introduction: CATTACIS =
    • Context (what is the big issue?)
    • Author of text
    • Tone
    • Title
    • Audience
    • Contention > Use phrases such as: ‘The writer contends that’, ‘The writer argues that’, ‘The writer asserts that’ or ‘The writer is adamant that’
    • Intention
    • Source
  • The Body: How is the writer saying it?  > The body of your analysis consists of a series of paragraphs in which you analyse the major points and persuasive techniques.  > Break the body paragraphs into 3 strategies = Opening Strategy / Body Strategy / Closing Strategy > the three key questions used to structure the body paragraphs are: (1) What is the writer saying?  (2) How is the writer saying it?   (3) Why are the language and techniques persuasive?
  • The Conclusion: Why is it Persuasive? > Sum up the overall effectiveness of the article in persuading readers.  > Mention which persuasive techniques work best and why > Show how the language used positions the reader/audience to agree with the author > how does the language make them think/feel or do something?

Step 4: Write your Language Analysis

  • Use the plan you have constructed and stick to it.
  • Edit carefully, check that you have explained how language is used to position and persuade the reader.
  • When you have finished writing, use my 10 Point Checklist to check your analysis:
  1. Author                           Who wrote the piece?  His/her credentials?
  2. Text type                       Is this text a letter, opinion piece, speech, editorial?
  3. Publication                    Where did the piece appear and date?
  4. Audience                       Who is the writing appealing to?
  5. Contention                    What is the author’s main point of view of writing?
  6. Main arguments            What are the author’s main points to back his contention?
  7. Title                               How is the title persuasive or engaging?
  8. Tone                              What tone best describes the persuasive techniques?
  9. Persuasive techniques  Name at least 5 techniques.  What is their intention?
  10. Visuals                          Cartoons, photos and pictures used to link the contention

Image result for pictures of snoopy reading

Language Analysis of a Cartoon

Just as writers use techniques such as exaggeration, tone and emotive language to manipulate and position readers, so too cartoonists can use many highly persuasive techniques.

Be Careful to Consider = If the cartoon is in a separate box from the article it may be a STAND ALONE Cartoon which has it’s own point of view on the issue.  That said, the cartoon may agree with one text and disagree with another text, therefore, it could have 2 opinions about the issue.

When analysing a cartoon that may be included along with the persuasive writing text, ask yourself the following questions:

  • What is the main point of the cartoon?
  • What is the issue being represented?  What is the context of this issue?
  • Who are the central figures/characters?  What are they doing or saying?  How are they represented?
  • What visual strategies does the cartoonist use to persuade us to agree with the point of view presented?
  • Why did the author include the cartoon with the written text?
  • Does the cartoon enhance the point of view of the author?
  • What is significant about the background of the cartoon?
  • Is there a caption?  Dialogue?  Are other words used?  What do they add and how do they persuade?
  • Is the cartoon linked to the other 2 media texts?
  • If it is linked with a similar main contention, then describe how it is similar to the other media texts
  • If it is not linked and has an alternative main contention to the other 2 media texts, then describe how it is different to the other media texts

 

 

Suspense in the film Rear Window Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

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 Image result for rear window imagesFor Mainstream English Year 12 students studying the film Rear Window Directed by Alfred Hitchcock for AOS1: Unit 3, Reading and Creating Texts, Analytical Response Outcome.  See below some of the suspense scenes along with film techniques to help when you write your Analytical Response Essays.

The question is “How does Hitchcock create suspense in the film Rear Window?”

Thorwald’s suspicious actions / limited information / close up / camera dissolves into black

Chapter 7 – Jeff wakes to the sound of thunder and rain / early hours of morning

Jeff watches Thorwald leave in the rain with a suitcase / close up of his watch reveals it is 1.55 am / its early hours of the morning / Thorwald leaves the lights on inside his apartment but the blinds remain down / Thorwald walks down the street, the darkness of the alley he enters raises the sense of suspense / we want to know why Thorwald is acting suspicious / Hitchcock has purposely limited our information by confining our point of view to that of Jeff / Hitchcock has drawn us into to participating through intellectual participation / This builds the suspense and engages us more in the film and particularly what Thorwald is doing / Later a close up of Jeff’s watch tells us it is 2.35 am when Thorwald returns with his case / Thorwald goes out again and returns as the buildings dissolve into black / Jeff struggles to stay awake and finally he is asleep / The audience but not Jeff sees Thorwald leave carrying a suitcase leading a woman who is dressed in a black hat and coat leave the apartment

Lisa searching for clues in Thorwald’s apartment / parallel editing / cross-cutting / cinematography / sound / close-ups / point of view shot

Chapter 15 – Lisa’s risk to prove herself to Jeff / Miss Lonelyhearts attempted suicide / Thorwald’s impending threat

Lisa has climbed up the fire escape onto a balcony and into Thorwald’s apartment via a window / She is rummaging through Thorwald’s apartment trying to search for clues / In this scene we have two views from Jeff’s point of view / One of these is Lisa searching the apartment and another of the hallway leading to Thorwald’s apartment / Thorwald had previously left the apartment after Jeff making a fake phone call to Thorwald telling him to meet him in a restaurant / Lisa finds Mrs Thorwald’s wedding ring / As we see this, we also see Thorwald coming up the hallway towards his apartment and we know that neither one knows the other is on the opposite side of the door / This captures the perfect parallel editing while building up suspense / We are helpless as an audience to helping Lisa / Jeff is watching in panic / Cross-cutting between Lisa’s search and Jeff’s agitated response heightens the suspense /

The drama also unfolds in Miss Lonelyhearts apartment as she writes her suicide note / cinematography shows both floors at the same time / Sound of music from the songwriter’s ‘Lisa’ ballad stops both Lisa momentarily from impending danger from Thorwald and Miss Lonelyhearts is distracted /

Thorwald then attacks Lisa / close up of Jeff’s anguished face as he watches helplessly / Lisa shows Jeff the ring behind her back / Thorwald realises he is being watched / Chilling point of view shot he looks directly at Jeff / Jeff tells Stella to “turn out the lights” in the apartment / The audience is warned of the threat Thorwald poses

Jeff waiting for Thorwald to enter his apartment / cross cutting /cinematography / close ups / high angle shot / sounds of footsteps & struggle

Chapter 16 – climax of the film

Jeff does not know what Thorwald is doing and then suddenly Jeff’s phone rings / Jeff answers the phone and there is no sound on the end / the absence of sound builds up even more suspense / camera zooms into close up of Jeff’s face, eyes darting with horror / high angle shot as Jeff twists his face, before pivoting to face the door, highlights his vulnerability / Jeff is waiting helpless and immobile in his apartment / The camera cross cuts back and forth between Thorwald who is slowly getting closer to Jeff while Jeff is waiting as suspense builds / Jeff hears loud footsteps on the stairs, seconds later, the light under the door goes out / Jeff is fully a participant in the drama rather just a spectator /

Thorwald enters the dark apartment and asks Jeff “What do you want from me?” / the camera pans back and forward from Thorwald to Jeff as Thorwald continues to demand what Jeff wants & asking for Jeff to “get the ring back” / Jeff explains he can’t because “the Police have it by now” / Thorwald knocks over a chair and tries to lunge at Jeff and is temporarily blinded by exploding flash bulbs / The white light followed by a dull red circle expands the fill the frame / Thorwald’s final lunge at Jeff is filmed from below emphasising the mortal threat he presents to the defenceless Jeff / Jeff looks over at the window and yells to Lisa and Doyle to attract their attention to his predicament / sounds of struggle with Thorwald trying to strangle Jeff /

As Jeff hangs from the balcony conveys the urgency of the situation / Camera cuts from Jeff struggling with Thorwald to shocked response of neighbours who come out of their apartments to see what’s going on / Police rush to the rescue as Doyle, Lisa and Stella run down to the courtyard / The Police grab Thorwald off Jeff / Jeff’s fall from the balcony is filmed with a high angle shot / Jeff hits the ground but he smiles with pride at Lisa protectively cradles his head in her lap / Jeff says to Lisa “Gee I’m proud of you” foreshadowing the start of a new chapter for them

Moral Integrity Essay of the Natives in The Lieutenant by Kate Grenville

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 Image result for images of the lieutenant by kate grenvilleFor Mainstream English Year 12 students studying the novel The Lieutenant written by Kate Grenville, AOS1: Unit 3, Reading and Creating Texts, Analytical Response Outcome.  See below an Introduction with clear Main Contention and Message of Author colour coded and a brief Plan of Body Paragraphs with Conclusion.

Prompt:               “Grenville’s characterisation of the natives in The Lieutenant suggests that they have greater moral integrity than the British”.  Do you agree?

Define moral integrity = following your moral or ethical convictions & doing the right thing in all circumstances

Introduction / Main Contention / Message of Author

The moral decay at the heart of the British settlement of NSW in 1788 was destructive, immoral and self-perpetrating [committing].  In Kate Grenville’s novel The Lieutenant she ensures that the arrival of the British on Australian shores is to be interpreted not as one of history’s memorable moments but also as a scene of farce [mockery] and arrogant assumptions imbued [infused] with an implication of violence towards the local native men, who are assumed to have the mentality of children.  An inauspicious [unfavourable] first contact, throughout which it is the natives who maintain dignity.  In fact, the novel pivots [hinges] on the notion of moral integrity.  How the young Daniel Rooke comes to harbour a mature and moral outlook that defines him as an adult is the central driving force of the narrative.  Yet for all his dominance, Rooke is not the only character to display worthy values.  Grenville surrounds her protagonist’s tale with other ethical characters, in particular the natives, who serve to throw Rooke into relief [respite].  This not only illuminates Rooke’s progress as a character but gives the natives a moral autonomy and certitude [assurance] of their own.  Above all Grenville highlights how the relationship between Rooke and the natives Tagaran and Warungin shows a more hopeful perspective of possible harmony between two different cultures when patience, tolerance, understanding and moral integrity are valued instead of conflict.

Brief Plan of Body Paragraphs and Conclusion

Body Paragraph 1     Rooke’s journey towards moral integrity is born out of understanding the might of the British Empire

Body Paragraph 2     Warungin – proud leader and protector of his people – intelligent and intuitive – shows dignity & simple friendliness – feeds the troop fish echoing the biblical miracle of Jesus – he is compassionate even though the British intended harm – symbolism of the hatchet & bags nearby and the possibility of violence

Tagaran – has unique qualities – is intelligent and fearless – her connection to Rooke reminds us of the central theme of language as a mode of communication which is essential in all human relationships

Body Paragraph 3     Rooke’s crisis of morals in the punitive expedition – his ethics are compromised – he considers his participation in the mission to mark him with the same moral stain he believed the Governor had shown in ordering the be-headings of the natives

Conclusion / Message of Author

Unfortunately, the first settlement of the British on native land in NSW in 1788 contrasts sharply with any attempt at harmony when a British Officer shatters a native shield with gunshot.  Yet as the narrative unfolds Grenville paints a picture of the British as terrifying, unthinking and powerful against the natives who are rendered powerless but showing more moral integrity.  Certainly, the character of Rooke is represented as admirable and moral, who saw the natives as not so different from himself, which underlies the adage of treating others as you would like to be treated yourself.  By demonstrating Rooke as an admiral character the text argues that human commonality should be respected.  More importantly, the novel suggests that friendships with people who have strong morals, goals and interests can make for bonds which reward both parties.  It is through the native characters of Warungin and Taragan that Grenville highlights the importance of searching for common ground and understanding rather than submission to a greater force and conflict.

Left Hand of Darkness by Le Guin Essay Introductions

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Introductions for Revision of The Left Hand of Darkness

The Left Hand Of Darkness By Ursula K. Le Guin

For Mainstream English Year 12 students studying the novel The Left Hand of Darkness written by Ursula K. Le Guin, AOS1: Unit 3, Reading and Creating Texts, Analytical Response Outcome.

See below a series of Introductions with clear Main Contention and Message of Author colour coded to help you.

Prompt ‘Genly’s narrative is a journey towards greater self-knowledge’.  Discuss.

Main Contention / Introduction / Message of Author

Ursula K. Le Guin describes fantasy as journey inward to self-knowledge which becomes the natural language for telling “the spiritual journey and the struggle of good and evil in the soul.”  The journey is one of literature’s most prominent archetypal symbols, telling of man’s journey through life.  In her novel The Left Hand of Darkness Le Guin explores how Genly’s outer journey parallels his inner journey.  Genly’s growth towards greater self-knowledge is not immediate but is a gradual process being placed in an alien culture and the challenging even life-threatening experiences that result.  In fact, Genly’s most important journey is not from planet Terra to planet Gethen but his onerous and risky journey across the wastes of the Gobrin Ice, together with Estraven, the native, the ‘Other’.  Genly’s view of Estraven transforms from feelings of distrust and alienation to a sense of acceptance and a shared humanity.  They both begin to see one another without the filtering gaze of androgyny, kemmer, the alien and political machinations occluding their view.  While they both grow, it is Genly’s transformation that is most profound.  Consequently, this journey across the ice reflects another more significant voyage of Genly’s true journey is a pilgrimage into himself and of his self-knowledge of the relationship with the ‘Other’.  Once Genly is able to accept that Estraven represents another race and perspective on life, he understands his role of Envoy as more spiritual, a notion he had only understood in the abstract previously.  Le Guin’s basic principle that, to understand oneself, we must be able to understand the other acts as a redefining tool of one’s identity and understanding of place in society.

Prompt “Light is the left hand of darkness and darkness is the right hand of light.”  What role do binary opposites play in the narrative?

Main Contention / Introduction / Message of Author

The Left Hand of Darkness is shaped by author Ursula K. Le Guin’s study of the Daoist philosophy of yin and yang; opposites and reversals.  Nowhere is that more evident than the carefully crafted binaries and juxtapositions that exist on almost every level in the narrative.  Le Guin not only highlights the important role opposites play in the narrative for the sake of contrast; but she stresses the necessity of accepting both extremes to realise the whole.  The quote from Estraven in chapter 15:“Light is the left hand of darkness and darkness is the right hand of light” is a clear reference to the complimentary relationship between opposites in the yin and yang.  In fact, the entire story is one of a correlation between opposites from the structure of the narrative, the androgynous nature of the Gethenians, the anthropology of Karhide and Orgoreyn, the characters’ relationships and the contrasting themes woven into the fabric of the novel.  Yet when Le Guin asks her readers what is left without gender in the cold, harsh and isolating world of Gethen, her answer is love.  Genly and Estraven’s love, in spite of the binary differences between, became the bridge that enabled both characters to accept each other’s differences.  All of these facets of the novel are crucial for readers to comprehend Le Guin’s belief that society can live in harmony if there is a better balance of integration between binaries than struggling with dualism.

Prompt ‘Fear is the underlying cause of the conflicts in The Left Hand of Darkness’.  Discuss

Main Contention / Introduction / Message of Author

In her novel The Left Hand of Darkness Ursula K. Le Guin not only explores the important role opposites play in the narrative for the sake of contrast, such as fear and courage; but she stresses the necessity of accepting both extremes to realise the whole.  In fact, Le Guin investigates how fear binds people together and also disperses them therefore challenging the ways in which a fear of difference or the ‘other’ leads to a fear of change.  King Argaven is the personification of this fear and it is at the core of his political anxiety.  In this sense fear is central to the underlying conflicts in Le Guin’s text particularly in relation to political change in both Karhide and Orgoreyn.  Patriotism and shifting political alliances are significant themes in the novel and offer insight into the role that fear plays in shaping human societies and behaviours.  In a broader sense, fear of the ‘other’ not only underlies conflicts in the text but it also prevents characters from transforming themselves and their society in positive ways.  Genly’s misunderstanding of the differences between himself and the Gethenians is based on fear.  However, his eventual acceptance of both change and the otherness of Estraven suggest that fear can transform into empathy and subsequently, friendship and growth that ultimately is the author’s message of hope.

Prompt “The story is not all mine, nor told by me alone”.  How do the intertwined narratives affect the reader’s understanding of the text?

Main Contention / Introduction / Message of Author

In her novel The Left Hand of Darkness Ursula K. Le Guin asks her readers to question the multifaceted nature of the novel to enable a more complete and unbiased perspective of her imagined world of Gethen.  She interweaves the narrative structure to demonstrate that truth is not funnelled through a single lens rather a great truth is all encompassing.  Le Guin weaves a complex and sometimes contradictory picture of reality, showing that a variety of viewpoints gives a more complete picture than a single viewpoint ever could.  Le Guin uses many different voices and styles that are constantly shifting as narrative perspectives and genres shift.  Her imaginary narrative weaves deliberately to disrupt the predictable traditional narrative so the reader becomes like an amateur anthropologist like Genly casting around for meaning for ways to make sense.  As primary narrators Genly and Estraven together present a chronological story with narration from two different perspectives.  While they never explicitly tell lies in their storytelling, their interpretations of events often differ, as each one shapes the narrative through his version of the truth.  Other chapters make use of documents such as field reports, religious texts and folktales give depth and help tell the whole story of Gethen, but when read together, the various viewpoints intertwine and help to create an expansive, multifaceted picture of Le Guin’s imagined world of Gethen.

Prompt: ”What is more important the journey or the destination?”

Main Contention / Introduction / Message of Author

In her novel The Left Hand of Darkness Ursula K. Le Guin explores how Genly’s outer physical journey parallels his inner spiritual journey towards self-knowledge.  Moreover, the journey is crucial to the success of the destination to bring Gethen into an alliance with the Ekumen.  As a consequence, the trust and positive character of Estraven is a key component in both the physical and spiritual journey of Genly and the harmonious unification of Gethen once they join the Ekumen.  In an interview with Carl H. Freedman Le Guin explained fantasy as the best medium to describe the journey inward to self-knowledge, because for her, the journey to other planets, to outer space, is a metaphor for the journey inwards in the unconscious.  In effect the whole of Left Hand of Darkness is a journey for readers into Le Guin’s fantasy world of self-discovery.  Ultimately, Le Guin elucidates that the story of the journey is equally as important as the significance of the destination.  Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”.  The text shows how this statement is relevant to the physical and spiritual journey of Genly.  He takes a step towards his mission’s success but at first, he can not see the end goal, but with the help of Estraven, he achieves his goal of unifying Karhide and Orgoreyn within the Ekumen.

Prompt: “Why is the juxtaposition of man and nature in The Left Hand of Darkness so important to Genly’s relationships and acceptance on Gethen?”

Main Contention / Introduction / Message of Author

In Ursula K. Le Guin’s novel The Left Hand of Darkness nature and its relationship to the characters are an essential theme.  Le Guin uses her knowledge of the Tao in her novel, with its principles within nature, that emphasizes the metaphysical foundations of nature, stressing harmony and balance.  In effect, Le Guin explores how man and nature are a unity and how man’s fate is part of the function and the totality of the universe.  Le Guin elucidates through her character of Genly, that man can find peace only when he is completely attuned to the universe.  Genly, an alien on Gethen, is constantly cold and is unable to adjust to the climate which becomes a metaphor for his inability to understand and accept the Gethenians.  He is foreign to their androgyny, their environment, and their climate. Therefore, it is even more meaningful that it is on the Gobrin Ice, in bitter cold, that Genly learns to adjust himself, mentally and physically, to the cold planet and its inhabitants.  It is when Estraven comments that Ai “sweats like one of us” that the ice between them begins to melt.

Analysis of The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

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For those Year 12 students studying Mainstream English, The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin is from the VCAA’s List 1.  The novel forms one of the texts in Area of Study 1, Unit 3: Reading and Creating Texts.

Did you Love The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin or Hate it?

Science Fiction as a Genre is sometimes defined as being an analytical and foretelling narrative at which a type of prediction is made.  Quite often Science Fiction is so bizarre that you read it and become so confused you put it down and never pick it up again.

For those Year 12 students who have read The Left Hand of Darkness did you get the story the first time?  Or did it take you repeated readings to understand it?  Once you read the novel a couple of times so many layers become obvious that you can understand why Le Guin won many prestigious literary awards for her writing.

I must admit the first time I started to read The Left Hand of Darkness I had to ‘get my head around’ the structure of the narrative, the names of the characters, the countries, the Hainnish calendar and Ursula K. Le Guin’s terminology for her fictional Hainnish Universe all set in the year 4870.  While The Left Hand of Darkness is definitely part of the Science Fiction Genre, the narrative does also cover other Genres such as Fantasy, Mythology, Legend, Folklore and Feminism.

This Analysis Uses Shortened Versions of the Names of Characters

In this analysis of The Left Hand of Darkness, I have used a shortened version of the names of the two main characters rather than use their much longer versions that Le Guin has in the novel.  So Therem Harth rem ir Estraven is just ‘Estraven’ and Genly Ai is just ‘Genly’.  All my page number references are for the 1992 Orbit Edition of The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (as pictured above).

Le Guin’s Purpose of Meaning

Le Guin’s purpose in this novel was not, in her own words, “[to predict] that in a millennium or so we will all be androgynous, or [to announce] that… we damned well ought to be androgynous.”  Rather, she is observing that, in some ways, “we already are.”  Le Guin’s purpose is not to convince us to move in a certain direction towards the future; rather, she is enabling us to examine ourselves from a different perspective and embrace alternate forms of identity and reality.

Two Halves of the Whole – Yin and Yang

Once I began to understand that The Left Hand of Darkness is not simply a science fiction novel; I could see how Le Guin’s described the novel in her own words as ‘a thought-experiment’.  It forces us to examine ourselves and the nature of our existence.  It provides a deep, scholarly, metaphorical analysis on gender, patriotism, and the concept of opposites.

The more I delved into the story I began to appreciate the characters of Genly and Estraven and how Le Guin developed the concept of “self and other”.  Then I discovered the clever contrasts Le Guin explored of the binaries and the juxtapositions that exist on almost every level of the novel.

What fascinated me the most was the Daoist philosophy of yin and yang, opposites and reversals, which is shaped so beautifully by Le Guin.  In true Daoist fashion, The Left Hand of Darkness not only highlights opposites for the sake of contrast, but stresses the necessity of accepting both extremes to realise the whole.  The entire story is one of integration, on the personal, international and cosmic level, from existing divisions towards reconciliation and balance.

Le Guin asks us to question the very nature of binaries [dualism] themselves as Estraven said in the lines of the Handdara to Genly (p.190):

Light is the left hand of darkness
and darkness the right hand of light
Two are one, life and death
together like lovers in kemmer,
like hands joined together,
like the end and the way.

The Bond between Genly and Estraven

The central bond between Genly and Estraven is explored by Le Guin with immense subtlety.  Le Guin cleverly describes the changes in a relationship that almost founders on misapprehensions and mistakes.  Estraven is Genly’s surest and most selfless ally, and yet is the person Genly most distrusts.  In his innocence and ignorance it seems that Genly will not survive the power struggles of which he has become the living symbol.

As Genly comes to accept Estraven as he is, he becomes less absorbed, more aware of his actions on his companion and in the end a wiser and more appreciative person.  Genly’s companionship (is it really love?) with Estraven profoundly changes him and how he perceives the alien world that is now his home.  Genly’s growth highlights the notion that one’s own wholeness of being can arise from a relationship in which both parties strive to accept one another.  Estraven admits to Genly that they were “… equals at last, equal, alien, alone” on the Gobrin Ice (p.189).

However, in a heart-breaking reversal of expectation it is Estraven who finally pays the price in chapter 19 ‘The Homecoming’.

The Inhospitable Landscape of Gethen

What I did love was Le Guin’s wonderful creation of the inhospitable landscape of Gethen. The journey that Estraven and Genly make together on foot across the Gobrin Ice is described in all its frozen spendour.  I was awestruck by the bleak beauty of this fictional planet and the prose and imagery of Le Guin as Estraven and Genly trekked through a “deep cold porridge of rain-sodden snow” (p.176), past a volcano with “worms of fire crawl down its black sides” (p.184).  Le Guin took not only Genly and Estraven on a bitter winter journey, but us as readers, as we too saw the raw fury of nature on display in Gethen.

What is the Significance of the Title?

The title comes from the Handdara religion recited in a poem by Estraven on page 190 (shown in detail above).  It refers to dualism and the importance of unity of opposites.

Le Guin’s Style of Writing

Le Guin’s writing style is descriptive with finer details of life on Gethen from architecture to weather patterns, diets to travelling habits.  The novel is a blend of nature writing with anthropology and an understanding of a people’s connection to that place.  Her treatment of Gethen as both a setting and a character infuses her world with vivid descriptions of landscape, character stories, adventures and traditional mythology.

Le Guin’s Narrative and Tone

Some stories are in 1st person narrative when Genly is reporting or from Estraven’s journal but when myths, legends or tales are told the narrative is in 3rd person omniscient.  The myths form a backdrop for the story and explain specific features about Gethenian culture as well as larger philosophical aspects of society.

Le Guin presents the novel as Genly’s field report to the Ekumen so his tone is exact.  As Genly develops understanding of the Gethenians he evolves with more awareness and he becomes descriptive.

Estraven’s chapters take on a journalistic tone since they are journal entries.  The mythological stories have a folk tale tone.

The narrative can also be seen as a Bildungsroman or coming of age story of Genly as his journey of transformation.

The Plot in a Nutshell

The plot consists of 3 major sections and a brief conclusion.  The first section is set in Karhide, the second in Orgoreyn, the third on the Gobrin Ice and the conclusion is set in Karhide.

In a nutshell it is the story of an icy snowbound planet called Gethen (Winter) where a solitary envoy from the Ekumen, Genly Ai is sent to try and persuade the inhabitants of Gethen to join a federation of nations for the purpose of expanding trade and an interplanetary alliance.  Gethen is an isolated and harsh world of ice and snow whose inhabitants are unique in their physiology as they are androgynous beings; neither male nor female.  Unfortunately Genly discovers two hostile nations, Karhide and Orgoreyn gearing up for war and his arrival feeds the rivalries between the two states.

In Karhide, King Argaven is reluctant to accept Genly’s diplomatic mission.  In Orgoreyn, Genly is seemingly accepted more easily by the political leaders, yet he is arrested, stripped of his clothes, drugged, and sent to a work camp.

Rescued by Estraven, the deposed Prime Minister of Karhide, Genly realizes that cultural differences, specifically shifgrethor, gender roles and Gethenian sexuality, had kept him from understanding their relationship previously.

During their 80-day journey across the frozen land of the Gobrin Ice to return to Karhide, Genly learns to understand and love Estraven and is able to fulfill his mission to join Karhide and Orgoreyn within the federation of the Ekumen.

 Major Themes/Issues/Ideas

Language / communication / storytelling / gender / politics/ religion / fear of difference & fear of change / the ‘other’ / acceptance / duty / man & the natural world / warfare / love / human relationships / dualism / yin & yang / unity / loyalty / betrayal / honour / ethnic differences /respecting differences / sexuality/ androgyny

 Symbols and Motifs

Shadows / light / darkness / the ansible [communication device] / religious teachings / keystone / yin & yang / shifgrethor [equality or honour]

Characters – Major

Genly Ai = the first Envoy of the Ekumen on Gethen.  He is the protagonist of the novel, a native of Terra (Earth).

Estraven, Therem Harth rem ir = is a Gethenian from the Domain of Estre in Kerm Land in the southern part of the Kardish continent.  He is Prime Minister of Karhide at the beginning of the novel.

Argaven, Harge XV = is the King of Karhide during the events of the novel.

Tibe, Pemmer Harge rem ir = is Argaven’s cousin and later becomes Prime Minister of Karhide when Estraven is exiled.

Obsle, Yegey, Shusgis = are Commensals that rule Orgoreyn.

Faxe, The Weaver = is a Foreteller of Otherhord

Ashe = is Estraven’s former kemmering

Characters – Minor

Goss = helps Genly find his way to the Fastnesses

Mavriva = is a fur trader who helps Estraven

Thessicher = is a old friend of Estraven but later betrays him

Arek = is Estraven’s dead brother

Sorth = is Estraven’s son

Esvans = is Estraven’s father