Week 2 Questions ^_^

Worksheet 2: New Zealand Short Stories (1)

‘The Garden Party’, Katherine Mansfield:

1. Identify the major passages in the text that deal with the relationship between social classes, and especially Laura’s reaction to working class people.

2. What do their reactions to the accident ‘down the lane’ reveal about the different characters of Laura, Jose, Mother (Mrs Sheridan), Father (Mr Sheridan) and Laurie?

3. It is well known to critics that Mansfield often uses flowers and plants as romantic symbolism in her works, with The Prelude being perhaps the most

studied example. Can you find a possible example in ‘The Garden Party’?

4. Why do Laura and Laurie agree at the close of the narrative that life is ‘simply marvellous’, given the story’s tragic conclusion?

 ‘A Great Day’, Frank Sargeson:

1. What link do the two men in the story have?

2. Are there class distinctions between them?

3. Frank Sargeson was gay, though readers didn’t know this at the time. Does this affect your interpretation of ‘A Great Day’?

4. What motivates Fred to do what he does at the close of the story?

Week 1 Questions ^_^

Try to answer the following questions in the 'Comments' area

(Please do not put up your own 'posts', it gets too messy!)

The Aotea Waka Saga 

First, some factual questions analysing the story:

1. Why did Turi leave his island homeland of Hawaiki?

2. What role did Kupē play in the voyage?

3. Identify two acts of naming of the new land found in the text.

4. Identify three cases of intra-tribal fighting described in the story.

Now, more of a discussion point:

5. How would you describe Turi’s character?

6. What impression do you get of Maori tribal customs?

Cook’s and Banks’ Journals

7. Can you identify any descriptions of Māori culture or customs in the text still

practiced today? (google can help you with this)

8. Identify four passages where Cook or Banks describe New Zealand with a view to settlement or exploitation.

Now, more of a discussion point:

9. How are the Maori and European 'narratives of discovery' similar but different?

Remember, don't worry about making mistakes, but do try to answer the questions as best you can.

Have fun and create as much conversation as you can!

Welcome!!

Welcome, everyone, to the special paper Reading New Zealand!

The format here is very simple. Each week there will be questions posted.

To find answers, you have several resources.

1. The primary stories, poems etc, in the Reader for each week.
2. The brief little articles I've written for each week explaining the context.
3. The Powerpoints for each week which summarize the readings.
4. Each other!!

Blogs are about discussion, about having a conversation online.

Don't worry about making mistakes, what we are interested here is your interpretation of the texts we're studying.

However, where you can, try to support you ideas through specific references to the source texts, including page numbers, so that other can follow your trail!

I'm looking forward to joining in the conversation with you, and to meeting you all in Auckland,

best
Paul

_____________________
Dr Paul Mountfort
Programme Leader
BA English and New Media Studies
Chair, Centre for Creative Writing
AUT University
pmountfo@aut.ac.nz