An Apology to Aboriginal Australia

In regards to what had happened to the aboriginals during the time period of making the rabbit-proof fence, the Australians owe the Aboriginal Australians an apology. When we all realize and think about what had happened to the Aboriginal Australians back then, it must have been the most painful and fearful moments of their lives. Throughout those time periods, these people went through such pains of being torn apart from their families and went through so many fearful things that were unnecessary, especially for young children. If we think from our perspective of how our kids might have been taken away or we could have been split apart from our parents at a young age, we can slightly realize the terrible times they had to go through and survive. As seen in the film, Molly, her sister and the cousin was taken away, they were literally getting torn apart from their mom and although the parents were begging and screaming the man had no heart and just forced the girls into the car. Also, the way the Australians spoke to the Aboriginal Australians was shocking. For example, when the British man puts the little girl into the car he says, “Stay still or I will lock your mom up!” these sorts of languages are not appropriate to use to especially the little ones. The man was threatening the child in terms of her mother and through this we can imagine how scared she must have been. The aboriginals kept going through this pain because the British kept taking away the children like they took away Molly again and also her children after. In result, Molly had to make the long trip again with her children, but yet they came back again and took Molly’s child. Although the British thought they were doing the right thing and kept going with stealing the aboriginals’ generations, it was still the most terrifying and unpleasant moment of their lives so the Australians should at least say sorry to the Aboriginal Australians.

Rabbit Proof Fence- Protagonist Molly

Describe the character of Molly and discuss whether you think she is a hero or not. Give reasons to support your opinion.

Today during humanities class, we watched a movie on “The Rabbit-Proof Fence” about a true story that happened to Molly and her two sisters. Reflecting on the movie, I thought through about Molly’s characterization and whether she is a hero or not. A hero is someone who takes action for something that is necessary and someone who thinks and takes care of others first. In the film, Molly proves as being a hero when she decides to escape from Moore River. On the last night before she leaves, she thinks about everything that had happened so far in the Moore River. Once she has her thoughts together, she decides that the place is bad and that these people have bad influences. Therefore, she makes up her mind to escape and leave the place with her sisters to go back home to her mother. This is heroic because Molly had escaped the place in order to keep her sisters and herself from danger and all the unpleasant things that might happen. Throughout this film, Molly is characterized as a brave girl who likes to take risks and explore. She is also shown as a good tracker as her grandmother tells her so in the beginning of the story. This helps her later on to escape the Moore River trying not to be caught. In his film, Molly takes on a huge responsibility in replacement of her mother to take care of her sisters and make sure they survive to meet their family again.

Colonization- Ethnocentricity

How did the ethnocentricity of the British and the First Australians cause conflict between the two groups?

The ethnocentricity of the British and the First Australians caused conflict between the two groups. Once Pemulwuy killed McIntyre, this was when the strong friendship of Governor Phillip and Bennelong changed. Governor Phillip was in rage and under a lot of stress. He seeks for revenge and to kill every aboriginal. However, Bennelong does not understand why Phillip is mad and McIntyre was the one going around their land and shooting the aboriginals. This conflict created war against Governor Phillip and Bennelong. Further throughout their lifetime, when the settlers move to new land, the British thinks it is fine to take over the land of the natives and make it suitable for their own life. On the other hand, the natives were upset and unhappy with what the British were doing because they were taking over the natives' land without asking for permission or discussing with them. This, again, created a war between the British and the natives. Throughout the lives of the British and the First Australians, there were varieties of conflicts they had to face from ethnocentricity.

Julius Caesar Duet Acting

Our passage selection is Act two Scene two Lines 8-48;

CALPURNIA

What mean you, Caesar? think you to walk forth?
You shall not stir out of your house to-day.

CAESAR

Caesar shall forth: the things that threaten'd me
Ne'er look'd but on my back; when they shall see
The face of Caesar, they are vanished.

CALPURNIA

Caesar, I never stood on ceremonies,
Yet now they fright me. There is one within,
Besides the things that we have heard and seen,
Recounts most horrid sights seen by the watch.
A lioness hath whelped in the streets;
And graves have yawn'd, and yielded up their dead;
Fierce fiery warriors fought upon the clouds,
In ranks and squadrons and right form of war,
Which drizzled blood upon the Capitol;
The noise of battle hurtled in the air,
Horses did neigh, and dying men did groan,
And ghosts did shriek and squeal about the streets.
O Caesar! these things are beyond all use,
And I do fear them.

CAESAR

What can be avoided
Whose end is purposed by the mighty gods?
Yet Caesar shall go forth; for these predictions
Are to the world in general as to Caesar.

CALPURNIA

When beggars die, there are no comets seen;
The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.

CAESAR

Cowards die many times before their deaths;
The valiant never taste of death but once.
Of all the wonders that I yet have heard.
It seems to me most strange that men should fear;
Seeing that death, a necessary end,
Will come when it will come.

Re-enter Servant

What say the augurers?

Servant

They would not have you to stir forth to-day.
Plucking the entrails of an offering forth,
They could not find a heart within the beast.

CAESAR

The gods do this in shame of cowardice:
Caesar should be a beast without a heart,
If he should stay at home to-day for fear.
No, Caesar shall not: danger knows full well
That Caesar is more dangerous than he:
We are two lions litter'd in one day,
And I the elder and more terrible:
And Caesar shall go forth.

Context:

Calpurnia is begging Caesar to not go to the Capitol. They are at their house and this occurs on the morning of the Ides of March, which is the day the soothsayer had warned Caesar. The night before, there had been strange omens in a terrible storm and Calpurnia is also concerned and frightened by her dream of Ceasar's death (fountain of blood).

Significance:

The significance of this passage is that through Calpurnia's begging, we can see another characterization of women. In the earlier scenes, Portia had kneeled down to Brutus to get what she wants. This portrays women as kneeling down to men easily to get their way and what they need. Also, through Calpurnia's dreams, there is foreshaowing of Caesar's death. The things that she describes happened in her dream happens in Caesar's murder. This passage of Calpurnia's speech increases the audience's tension and creates mood for suspense before Caesar's great death scene (the climax).

My Learning Profile

In Humanities class, we learned about our learning profiles and how we learn best. As profile A learner and a Logic Dominant person, I learn best when focusing on the details of subjects. I need the detailed study and examination of the subject in order to understand better and I express feelings and ideas in words. Processing by writing also helps me to learn, and language is very important to me. It helps me learn structured learning the best and is helpful and useful to have the orderly sequencing of information beforehand. These ways will help me learn best to organize my thoughts and ideas.

I need to challenge myself to see the bigger pictures of things and to connect to information emotionally or kinesthetically. I always think before acting and am able to move forward and pick-up details even when under stress. Adding on, I need to see the orderly sequencing of information of what we’re going to do in class, so that I can prepare beforehand. Challenging myself to see bigger pictures and interpret things in different ways will allow me to enter part of my gestalt hemisphere and learn in different ways.

The strategies that would help me in my learning are to understand I formation from a whole perspective, emotions and movement. This process will help me see different a lot of possibilities and ways to figure things out in different situations. Positive and enjoyable movement exercises/experiences will help me to develop the necessary skills in order to interact emotionally and use my imagination and creativity fully. This will help me to develop my learning skills.

I would like the teachers to know that I learn best by focusing on the details, instructions and prefers the orderly sequence of what we are going to do in class given beforehand. Therefore, it would be appreciated if they handed out assignments with detailed instructions so that it will help me to know exactly what to do and also to have a list of the things we will do in class on the board so that I could prepare all my things.

Learning about my learning profile was very helpful and important because it informed me about the different strategies I can use to benefit my learning progress.

Here is a picture of my learning profile on my electronic portfolio page. https://sites.google.com/a/iskl.edu.my/shchoi15/home