I'm new to this forum, so I would like to say hi to everyone first
I have my HSC coming up soon...i'm hoping people can give me advice to improve my writing. I only started taking english seriously a few months ago...so my writing is horrible.
Section III
15 marks Attempt ONE question from Questions 3–5 Allow about 40 minutes for this section
Answer the question in a SEPARATE English Paper 1 Writing Booklet. Extra English Paper 1 Writing Booklets are available.
In your answer you will be assessed on how well you:
• demonstrate understanding of the concept of the journey in the context of your study
• analyse, explain and assess the ways the journey is represented in a variety of texts
• organise, develop and express ideas using language appropriate to audience, purpose and context
Question 3 (15 marks)
Focus — Physical Journeys
Texts may show us that the world of physical journeys involves unexpected detours.
To what extent do the texts you have studied support this idea?
In your response, refer to your prescribed text, ONE text from the stimulus booklet, Journeys, and at least ONE other related text of your own choosing.
The prescribed texts are:
- Nonfiction – Jesse Martin, Lionheart
- Supplementry - A Streetcar Named Desire
A physical journey requires an individual to experience the tangible elements of life to be able to move forward into their actual philosophy in experiencing a journey. Unexpected factors on our physical journeys can be calculated to a certain extent but according to C.G. Jung. He argues that any unexpected detour exists for a reason; not out of coincidence but totems. In my non-fiction prescribed text, Jess Martin explores this aspect heavily and there is a realm unknown to the individual that this physical journey is not out of coincidence, it is out of destiny. But Sigmund Freud argues the unexpected detours are created from desire. Is it from desiring one goal it leads to alternative goals? Possibly a goal which is suppressed in the individual’s psychological mind? Jesse Martin could simply be ‘chasing tails’, desiring a physical accomplishment filled with an unknown conclusion. Sigmund Freud analyses detours in our physical journeys, are they simply a by-product of our desire?
Jesse Martin’s actions are completely ostentatious in its nature and highly provocative to the medium of media. In his scenario it was ‘A 16 year old boy is attempting to travel around the world’ both Jesse Martin and the media coincided together to create an ample argument between parents, adults, teenagers; basically all the groups in society. Does this mean Jesse Martin just wanted attention? Or was it the media who exploited Jesse Martin? C.G. Jung argues otherwise, Jesse Martin must’ve been targeted by a totem to make this physical journey to seek both spiritual and physical realization. The spiritual world penetrated the physical world momentarily to create a destiny for Jesse Martin, to travel the world and explore nature in its most beautiful form. In correlation to detours in the physical journey, C.G. Jung believes this occurred due to totems. The totems afflicted certain obstacles to make the journey more meaningful, to create a sense of achievement in Jesse Martin. A physical journey without any detours is simply not a journey. A journey requires compromise and complications but both elements coincide delicately to create a moral in the physical journey. In a Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, the play-write endeavors Stanley’s physical journey from his child hood. Tennessee Williams employs nationalistic language to emphasise Stanley’s upbringing during the post modern World War two era. Stanley emphasizes his upbringing when Stanley mentions “don’t call me a damn Polack!” to suggest Stanley’s upbringing as unpleasant. But the unpleasant upbringing could possibly have shaped Stanley to be what he is today, a physically strong male which is able to survive in a post World War two era. In C.G. Jung’s opinion this was due to totems, the physical journey has made Stanley adapt to societies expectation where Stanley is immune to most life crisis which benefits him in the long run. The hardship of a physical journey is also explored J.T. Wilson, is it only possible for J.T. Wilson to create his first book because of his physical hardship and detours? Coincidentally this is exactly the same situation Stanley has been situated in with J.T. Wilson is able to become a great writer out of hardship of the physical world. Though many detours and unexpected surprises they have formed both J.T. Wilson and Stanley to become great people with perseverance. Even though a good upbringing Jesse Martin also demonstrates; though a good upbringing the totems have provided Jesse Martin with. It is possible to achieve a physical journey with a bit of complications to make it worthwhile, a text even worth studying for the HSC.
When the colors white and black side by side with each other the differences are heighten; similarly when you place Sigmund Freud and C.G Jung beside each other. The difference between the spiritual world and the world of desire is emphasized considerably. Jesse Martin’s journey around the world began and originated from desire. A desire to be unique, to fight the ideology that teenagers are unable to accomplish anything an adult could. In Jesse Martins case it was travelling the around the world in his yacht by himself. His first decision to adopt this philosophy has already begun his physical journey by setting his mind frame into accomplishing a near impossible goal. On Jesse Martins website, he claims to have become slightly psychotic on his journey. When Jesse Martin reviewed the video diary he had made, he does not recall all the traumas which he experienced. This suggests Jesse Martin faced severe life threatening situations which have caused him to have a physical detour of his journey. But it is not a proper journey if Jesse Martin didn’t face any complications or detours; it is almost as if a person achieved a goal which is incredibly hard without barley lifting a finger. There is no moral to the story, nothing but pride and self achievement. Jesse Martin desire to become famous has him to take advantage of the situations to make his story worthwhile. To tell the story of his fearful adventurous story to everyone he knows to gain respect and also other sexual benefits associated with it. It is only though desire Jesse Martin made this physical journey and the complications which occurred are caused by his own free will. The situation could’ve been easily fixed but it wouldn’t be a journey at all if it was easily resolved. All stories have a complication as a key element in their text which can also be seen in A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams where the play is controlled by mere passion, desire in other words. In A Streetcar Named Desire Blanche mentions ‘The opposite of death is desire’ the composer of the play intentionally employed dichotomy to emphasise the issue of reality versus illusionary. The plays complication opens with Blanche coming into a foreign town with just her luggage. The composer describes her as a moth like creature to symbolize her fragility. Her fragility is created from desire to become fulfilled after Allan’s suicide. Blanche is a character purely created from desire and this is what makes this play much heartwarming. But the physical journey required is much of a painful one for the character Blanche. Tennessee Williams employs narrative stories in the text to give a glimpse to the audience of Blanche’s tragic past; her past is filled with desire to be loved and cared for and essentially to become just like everyone else…happy and married. Does this suggest that Blanche’s physical detours are brought up by desire? Yes. It does. Blanche is faced with the upmost tragic ending for her husband after that she is faced with a physical journey unlike any other. It began with the desire to become happy and it ended with the desire to be dead. As mentioned above, the opposite to desire is death…it is peculiar that Blanche mentions this dichotomy and leaves a perpetual impact to the audience. Blanche desires death…to leave behind the world filled purely of desire and escape the 4th stage of grief; depression which Blanche is unable to rid herself of. But desire can have an opposite effect, it can also bring success, glory, pride, respect, all the qualities human beings wish to possess and it is though the pleasure principle that human beings are able to achieve this. J.T. Wilson adopts this and creates his own success; he is even attempting to write his first book as we read. The physical detours will bring J.T. Wilson to success because of his desire to free himself from the desire to give up. Is it though desire that physical complications occurs to each individual? The answer is also yes.
In conclusion we are faced with two arguments one being is the physical detours are brought up by totems as suggested by C.G. Jung or is it through desire that physical detours in our journeys occur? The differences and exemplified and both issues are ostentatious and crying for attention. Many individuals believe on certain days totems exist while others believe only desire is what drives human beings. The physical journeys are brought up of both totems and desire…both issues are philosophies that each individual may adopt. Depending on which philosophy is adopted will determine whether we believe a physical detour is made by totems or desire.
Thanks for reading ^^"
I look forward to your replies
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Anthony
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Note: I couldn't add footnotes when posting,
Thanks again!