We imaginatively forge connections between familiar places and strange places because we experience places in the mind.
What are some things that you can talk about to answer the question?
An example:
1. Caylin Calandria forges connections between the death of her mother (familiar) and the death of other living creatures (even causes this death- strange) so that death can make sense to her and she can have control over it. This is a coping mechanism and a way of making the memory of her mother's death (the story within her mind) seem within her control. - this fits with internal landscapes. Internal because she is manipulating the external world (killing birds and rabbits) so that she can help to change the way she feels about a real memory experience. If she can distance herself from death and also control it she can feel better about it
What are some more examples from the film?
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Jindabyne- Geographic Landscape
The Geographic landscape is all that is external (everything that can be seen).
The Geographic landscape is the landscape that links with ALL of the other landscapes, in the film it symbolises the internal, social, historical, natural and political in different ways.
EXAMPLES
1. Hidden Valley
- hold many of the stories- what happened to the girl?, spirits, what really happened with the men? previous trips stories (connection to the internal and historical landscape)
- Men's business- "secret mens business" - no women allowed out here (political- gender)
- Sheer effort to get there- snaking of the trail through the wilderness (masculine effort- relates to gender hierarchies)
-constant long sweeping landscape shots underline the significance of the landscape and the characters connection to the landscape. The vastness of the landscape shows how insignificant the men are compared to the natural.
2. Hidden City (under Water)
- water is metaphoric/symboilc of weakness and frailty
- When in the water characters appear weak and lost
- Tom nearly drowns (death symbol)
- Camera always looking up - watching the characters- who are 'alive' - spiritual
- 'Tom nearly 'snatched' when Clare was swimming (powerlessness)
- Susan found in the water facing down in the water (spirit world connection)- can't move from one plane to another (men stopped this connection to the spirit world by tying her up- interfered with what was natural)
- also a metaphor for the hidden secrets of Jindabyne
Water is nature; nature has all of the power.
The Geographic landscape is the landscape that links with ALL of the other landscapes, in the film it symbolises the internal, social, historical, natural and political in different ways.
EXAMPLES
1. Hidden Valley
- hold many of the stories- what happened to the girl?, spirits, what really happened with the men? previous trips stories (connection to the internal and historical landscape)
- Men's business- "secret mens business" - no women allowed out here (political- gender)
- Sheer effort to get there- snaking of the trail through the wilderness (masculine effort- relates to gender hierarchies)
-constant long sweeping landscape shots underline the significance of the landscape and the characters connection to the landscape. The vastness of the landscape shows how insignificant the men are compared to the natural.
2. Hidden City (under Water)
- water is metaphoric/symboilc of weakness and frailty
- When in the water characters appear weak and lost
- Tom nearly drowns (death symbol)
- Camera always looking up - watching the characters- who are 'alive' - spiritual
- 'Tom nearly 'snatched' when Clare was swimming (powerlessness)
- Susan found in the water facing down in the water (spirit world connection)- can't move from one plane to another (men stopped this connection to the spirit world by tying her up- interfered with what was natural)
- also a metaphor for the hidden secrets of Jindabyne
Water is nature; nature has all of the power.
Jindabyne- Social/ Cultural Landscape
The Social Landscape refers to where the characters belong and where they feel most like their true selves.
Vanessa- relates better to Ireland and defines herself by relating to the Irish culture
Aboriginals- define their identity through spiritual and natural connections
Clare- doesn't have a solid identity, is a very confused character because she doesn't belong anywhere. She is like a stranger in her own home (she has no power), she has a strong American accent (an outsider to the Australian Jindabyne)and doesn't know where her loyalties lie (son or sister, husband or Susan's family)
Can you think of anymore examples or anything more to add under the banner of social landscape?
Vanessa- relates better to Ireland and defines herself by relating to the Irish culture
Aboriginals- define their identity through spiritual and natural connections
Clare- doesn't have a solid identity, is a very confused character because she doesn't belong anywhere. She is like a stranger in her own home (she has no power), she has a strong American accent (an outsider to the Australian Jindabyne)and doesn't know where her loyalties lie (son or sister, husband or Susan's family)
Can you think of anymore examples or anything more to add under the banner of social landscape?
Jindabyne- Historical Landscape.
This landscape ties in very closely with the social/cultural landscape as it holds all of the stories which help to define the characters.
A LANDSCAPE TELLS US ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON IT
-A landscape carries historical meaning and the mythologies of the people who live on it.
-A strong relationship exists between places and identity.
-Australian identity is reevaluated through the transcendence of cultural archetypes and rigid social boundaries- we aren't expected to be our stereotype. Stewart can be Australian even though he is Irish if he can bond with the Australian history/ landscape. (when he tells the story of Old Jindabyne he is showing he is part of the Australian identity because he can relate to the place - even though he wasn't there he can become a part of the history by retelling the story)
- Australia's trouble history with our indigenous people is also a part of this landscape.
STORIES
- associated with place (social and cultural)
1. stories of the Dreamtime and spirits of the dead finding release
2. The newsreel shown tot he primary children telling the tale of Old Jindabyne submerged under Lake Jindabyne... and several original homes moved to the newly established town of Jindabyne
3. Caylin Calandria's story of the drowned town
4. Stewart's story of the sound of the drowned town
5. The story told in the poem recited by Stewart before the men leave for their fishing trip
6. the Irish Celtic story of St Brigid told when Stewart and Vanessa ask her to bless the house.
Why do you think these stories were included?
What do they show about the characters and the imaginative landscape?
A LANDSCAPE TELLS US ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON IT
-A landscape carries historical meaning and the mythologies of the people who live on it.
-A strong relationship exists between places and identity.
-Australian identity is reevaluated through the transcendence of cultural archetypes and rigid social boundaries- we aren't expected to be our stereotype. Stewart can be Australian even though he is Irish if he can bond with the Australian history/ landscape. (when he tells the story of Old Jindabyne he is showing he is part of the Australian identity because he can relate to the place - even though he wasn't there he can become a part of the history by retelling the story)
- Australia's trouble history with our indigenous people is also a part of this landscape.
STORIES
- associated with place (social and cultural)
1. stories of the Dreamtime and spirits of the dead finding release
2. The newsreel shown tot he primary children telling the tale of Old Jindabyne submerged under Lake Jindabyne... and several original homes moved to the newly established town of Jindabyne
3. Caylin Calandria's story of the drowned town
4. Stewart's story of the sound of the drowned town
5. The story told in the poem recited by Stewart before the men leave for their fishing trip
6. the Irish Celtic story of St Brigid told when Stewart and Vanessa ask her to bless the house.
Why do you think these stories were included?
What do they show about the characters and the imaginative landscape?
Jindabyne- Political Landscape- RACIAL
An individuals experience is what gives a landscape meaning. People experience the landscape differently depending on the personal circumstances of their life, their race, their religion, class and gender.
The landscape takes on a politicised meaning through the representation of distinct or dual experiences, such as the contrasting experiences of Aboriginals and Anglo-Saxons.
RACIAL HIERARCHIES IN A POLITICAL LANDSCAPE
Inner landscapes projected onto the external world reveal the ways that Indigenous Australians are marginalised in a cultural landscape which values Anglo-Europeans.
An example of this is Clare's ignorance to the Aboriginal belief that the spirit doesn't leave the body of the dead until after it has been officially blessed into the spirit world. She shows this when she visits Susan's deceased body. This shows racial superiority because it shows that Clare feels her Anglo Saxon beliefs are the only beliefs.
Can you think of any other examples of racial hierarchies? (even where racial hierarchies are questioned)
The landscape takes on a politicised meaning through the representation of distinct or dual experiences, such as the contrasting experiences of Aboriginals and Anglo-Saxons.
RACIAL HIERARCHIES IN A POLITICAL LANDSCAPE
Inner landscapes projected onto the external world reveal the ways that Indigenous Australians are marginalised in a cultural landscape which values Anglo-Europeans.
An example of this is Clare's ignorance to the Aboriginal belief that the spirit doesn't leave the body of the dead until after it has been officially blessed into the spirit world. She shows this when she visits Susan's deceased body. This shows racial superiority because it shows that Clare feels her Anglo Saxon beliefs are the only beliefs.
Can you think of any other examples of racial hierarchies? (even where racial hierarchies are questioned)
Jindabyne- Political Landscape- GENDER.
THE LANDSCAPE CONVERYS POLITICAL MEANING
GENDER HIERARCHIES IN A POLITICAL LANDSCAPE
An individual's experience is what gives a landscape meaning. People experience the landscape differently depending on the personal circumstances of their life, their race, their religion, class and gender.
The landscape itself takes on politicised meaning through the representation of distinct or dual experiences, such as the contrasting experiences of men and women.
What are examples from the film that show the contrasting/ unequal experiences of men and women?
GENDER HIERARCHIES IN A POLITICAL LANDSCAPE
An individual's experience is what gives a landscape meaning. People experience the landscape differently depending on the personal circumstances of their life, their race, their religion, class and gender.
The landscape itself takes on politicised meaning through the representation of distinct or dual experiences, such as the contrasting experiences of men and women.
What are examples from the film that show the contrasting/ unequal experiences of men and women?
Jindabyne- Natural Landscapes
THE NATURAL LANDSCAPE IS IMAGINED AS AN IDYLLIC SPACE
- Aboriginals- sense of harmony between Aboriginals and idyllic natural world
Where in the film is the Natural landscape imagined as an idyllic/ ideal space?
- Aboriginals- sense of harmony between Aboriginals and idyllic natural world
Where in the film is the Natural landscape imagined as an idyllic/ ideal space?
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