Answer the following questions using FULL SENTENCES.
1. Who is Mr Robertson?
2. Why is Arks infuriated by the nungas?
3. What disaster occurs four days before the grand final?
4. What is the Thumper tackle?
5. ‘…offered him a fair whack to come down here.’ What does this
expression mean, and what is it talking about in the novel?
6. What are some of the nicknames in the town? Why might
nicknames be so important in the town?
7. Why did Gary feel sorry for his coach?
Extended response:
What have you learned about Gary’s town in the opening chapters of
Deadly Unna? What is Gary’s opinion of his town? (5-6 lines)
Let’s take a look at question 1.
1. Who is Mr Robertson?
a. Gary’s coach.
b. He is Gary’s coach.
c. Mr Robertson is Gary’s football coach.
Remember to:
- Use the question in your response.
- Include as much detail as possible!
1. Why did Gary change his opinion of Dumby?
2. What do we learn about Gary’s father at the start
of chapter 6?
3. ‘…he’ll be happy as Larry.’ What does this
expression mean?
4. Who is Sharon?
5. Explain the system the Black children use to
choose a television show to watch.
6. Who is Darcy and how does he earn money?
7. How was Gary feeling at the end of chapter 8?
1.
2.
3.
4.
What is the problem with Gary’s teeth?
Why did Gary feel ‘a bit guilty’? Pg 54
Why had Gary never been to the Point?
Why was Pickles in the team, despite being a
‘hopeless footballer’?
5. Why did Gary hang around with Pickles? Why
was he envious of him?
6. Predict what you think may have ‘happened
that night’ when Gary and his father were
caught in the storm? (5 lines)
1. What did Gary do to help him sleep?
2. How did Gary feel when he woke up on Grand Final morning?
3. Why was Gary impressed by the Wangaroo oval and facilities?
4. “Let’s have a dob’ (pg 91) What did Best Team-man want to do?
5. How did Gwen feel about Mick and Shirl?
6. Why do you think Dumby spoke to the Thumper before the game?
7. What message is Arks trying to convey in his pep talk before the game?
8. Why did Dumby pass the ball to Clemboy?
9. How did Gary sustain concussion?
Extended response
What evidence is there in these chapters to suggest there are racial tensions in
Gary’s community? Which characters are represented as racist, and
which characters are you uncertain of? (5-6 lines)
1. According to Gary, when does the Summer
start?
2. How had Ark’s behaviour changed since the
grand final?
3. Why did Gary hate campers?
4. Why did Gary walk home ‘in a daze’? (146)
5. Why do you think Gary refused to admit to
Pickles that he was interested in Cathy?
6. How did the people in the front bar react
when Tommy Red walked in?
» The regulars in the pub were friendly to Tommy
Red. Once he left, however, they laughed at an
aboriginal joke told by Big Mac.
» What is your reaction to this?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Explain why Gary was in a hurry to reach the jetty.
Why was Gary ‘miserable’? (165)
What advice does Darcy give Gary about women?
Explain why Gary ran home ran home instead of
talking to Cathy.
5. What did Gary and Cathy talk about?
6. What practical joke did Pickles try to play on
Cathy?
7. Why do you think Cathy’s father wasn’t happy to
find his daughter on the pier with Gary and
Pickles?
1. Why were there police cars and ambulances at the
pub?
2. How did Gary react when he saw that it was
Dumby on the stretcher?
3. What did The Gazette say about Big Mac?
4. Do you agree with what Darcy says about ‘killing’
on page 206? Explain your response.
5. What symbol on page 207 foreshadows something
negative will occur?
6. Why do you think Gary was so determined to
attend Dumby’s funeral?
1. What did Gary’s father speak to Gary about?
2. Describe what Gary saw as he made his way to
the Point for Dumby’s funeral.
3. How did the Aboriginal children react when
they saw Gary?
4. Why did Gary feel ‘conspicuous’ at Dumby’s
funeral?
5. How did Gary’s mother react when she
learned where Gary had been?
6. How did Team-man get hurt?
1. What do you think Mum asked Sharon during
their phone conversation in Chapter 37?
2. How did Gary plan to get rid of the graffiti?
3. Retell Gary’s dream from chapter 38.
4. What problem does Gary encounter at the end
of chapter 38?
5. The idea of ‘fear’ is explored heavily in these
chapters. Write a list indicating who has been
afraid of what.
1. How did Gary feel as he tried to find his father’s keys?
2. What happened when Gary’s father found his son
trying to ‘borrow’ a brush and some paint from the
garage?
3. Why do you think Tim reversed the car out of the
driveway?
4. Does Darcy believe that someone tried to steal the
car? How can you tell?
5. Why do you think Gary’s brothers and sisters decided
to go to the jetty with him?
6. Where did Gary and his siblings go after painting over
the grafiti?
» What is a theme?
» A theme is a main idea, moral, or message, of
an essay, paragraph, movie, book or video
game. The message may be about life, society,
or human nature. Themes often explore
timeless and universal ideas and are almost
always implied rather than stated explicitly.
Dom Cobb: What is the most resilient parasite? A
bacteria? A virus? An intestinal worm?
Arthur: Ah, what Mr Cobb is trying to...
Dom Cobb: An idea. Resilient, highly contagious. Once an
idea has taken hold of the brain it's almost impossible to
eradicate. An idea that is fully formed, fully understood.
That sticks, right in there somewhere.
[he points to his head]
» Brainstorm
» What are the MAIN themes in Deadly Unna?
Themes in
Deadly, Unna?
» The MAIN theme of Deadly Unna is that of Racial
Discrimination.
» Racial Discrimination is the belief that the genetic
factors which constitute race, ethnicity, or
nationality are a primary determinant of human
traits and capacities and that ethnic differences
produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.
Racism's effects are called "racial discrimination."
In the case of institutional racism, certain racial
groups may be denied rights or benefits, or receive
preferential treatment.
» In your own words…
» What do you understand by the term
‘prejudice’? Have you ever suffered from it and
have you ever been guilty of it?
» 3-4 lines
» We hear a lot these days about the need for
‘Aboriginal reconciliation’. Once you know
exactly what this term means, write about what
you think needs to be done to achieve
reconciliation between indigenous and white
Australians.
» 3-4 lines
What is the main theme of Deadly, Unna?
Write a paragraph response that uses the
following scaffold.
- Identify the main theme as racial discrimination
- Define what racial discrimination is
- Provides an example from the novel
- Use the following words: theme, main idea, life,
society, human nature, implied
» The novel is set in recent times on a peninsula in
South Australia. Blacky and his family live in the
‘the Port’ where the whites, or Goonyas, live.
Dumby lives out at ‘the Point’ with the Nungas, the
Aborigines.
» The Port is a typical sleepy coastal town. In winter,
the only action in town is the local football
competition; in summer, action revolves around the
beach and the stimulus provided by the annual
influx of ‘campers’.
» Why could this story have not been set in a city? (4
lines)
Answer the following questions using FULL SENTENCES
1. On page 3, the town is talking about the Premiership as if it is
bigger than the S.A Tidy Towns Competition. What does this say
about the Peninsula? (also copy down the quote about the
competition)
2. On page 4, there is mention of an Aboriginal mission. What do
you think a mission is?
3. Do you think that racial discrimination would be more prominent
in the Peninsula or Sydney? Explain your response.
4. As Blacky went to the Point for Dumby’s funeral, he noticed
several differences between there and his local town. What were
the key differences?
5. Find a quote during chapters 33-35 that shows how Blacky felt
conspicuous (standing out) during his visit to the Point.
1. Dumby could of made it big in football.
2. Blacky should of tried harder to tackle the
thumper.
3. In the future, Blacky will of achieved great
things.
4. There is a debate about whether the
government should of provided housing
missions.
5. 10C will hopefully of enjoyed reading Deadly,
Unna.
» On the blue print sheets provided, imagine you
are the town planner for the Peninsula and the
Point. Draw all of the places from question 3
onto the blue print.
» Ensure that you consider the size of each of the
landmarks you choose to include. Use a ruler
and try to keep it as ‘professional’ as possible!
» Make sure you label each landmark!
Gary Black
»
Blacky is a fine narrator — he’s smart and articulate (he reads "Increase
Your Word Power" in the Reader’s Digest) but also a wholly believable
ordinary country kid. There’s also very much a sense that Blacky is working
things out as he goes — working out how the world works, and who he
wants to be in that world.
»
And it’s a world where race counts; Blacky’s not so naive that he doesn’t
know that. Sometimes the difference between the Goonyas (whites) and
the Nungas is as uncomplicated as the way they play football —
"buggerising around on them flanks" rather than "up the guts every time
you get that ball" — or the fact that according to Dumby, everyone at the
Point is "me cousin, unna?". But it goes beyond that, too — there’s the
racist jokes in the front bar of the pub (the Nungas stick to the back bar)
that Blacky laughed at himself
Answer the following questions using FULL SENTENCES
1. Describe the character of Blacky (you could include friends, family,
personal qualities)
2. Blacky is described as smart and articulate. How is this shown in the
novel? Provide at least two examples.
3. Why would the composer choose to make the main character smart and
articulate?
4. Blacky, at times, is an extremely naive character. What does this mean?
5. Identify one time where Blacky is shown to be a naive character.
6. Why would the composer choose to make the main character naive?
7. Blacky learns many lessons during the course of the novel. Write a list of
lessons that Blacky learns.
8. Why do you think it was important to have the main character of Deadly
Unna learn ‘life lessons’ in the novel? What was Gwynne really trying to
achieve here?
»
»
»
»
SUMMARY
Smart and articulate
Naïve
Learns life lessons
How does Phillip Gwynne use the technique of
character in Deadly Unna to explore the theme
of racial prejudice?
» The plot of a story is the series of particular
events that occur in a particular order. When
discussing plot, it is traditional to only address
those events that significantly contribute to the
overall theme or idea of the story.
» For example, when discussing the ‘plot’ of your
life, you might address events such as starting
school or making particular friends, not your
walk to the shops (unless something VERY
significant happened on the way:P)
» My life plot
» Complete the table below in your books. Make
sure you choose events from your life that are
significant! (minimum three events)
Description of Event
When it occurred
(year, how old you
were)
Discuss why this event is
significant to your life
There are many events in Deadly, Unna? that help
Gwynne explore the theme of racial
discrimination.
1. Write a list of 5 important events that occur in
the novel that allow Gwynne to explore this
thematic concern.
2. Choose one of these events. What would have
happened if this event did NOT occur?
» Gwynne is also very clever with using more subtle events that
allow racial discrimination to be explored. For example, the
beginning of Blacky's awareness was when he was sitting in the
shed with Clarence, and noticed a racist comment in graffiti on the
wall above Clarence.
» "BOONGS PISS OFF" Page121.
» Blacky begins to develop awareness of the racial prejudice of his
town by reacting uncomfortable and guilty while with Clarence
sitting under the sign.
» The next incident where Blacky experienced racism was when
Mark Arks had received the B.O.G trophy instead of Dumby.
» "Mark Arks getting B.O.G. It's bullshit. That's Dumby's Trophy."
Page133. Blacky reacted by running outside with a lot of anger
building inside of him and told anyone who was in his way to 'Piss
Off'. Blacky realized how racist his town was against the Nungas.
This was the turning point of Blacky's view of the town.
» Blacky realized how much the Goonyas in his town hated the Nungas.
When Blacky told Pickles and Darcy about Dumby funeral both of them
thought he deserved to die.
» "The old man reckons he got what he deserved." "Yeah" Page206.
» Blacky saw that his friends didn't care for any Nungas and decided to go to
Dumby's funeral to show respect. The next event was when Blacky stood
up to his father for painting over all the "BOONGS PISS OFF" signs. It was
like Blacky's father wanted the sign on his shed.
» "ARE YOU OUT OFF YOUR FUCKING MIND?" Page264.
» Blacky reacted by saying "I can't put it back" when his father asked him to
repaint the sign back. Blacky at the end of this incident developed
awareness that his friends, family and town were all racist.
» Blacky may not have been aware of the racial prejudice around him at the
start. But when we read on, Blacky starts a good relationship with the
Nungas and he realizes the racism against the Goonyas and Nungas. At the
end of the book Blacky reactions to the racist comment/incidents showed
how much he develop awareness of the racism around him.
Copy this table into your books and complete.
Description of
major/minor event
Quote (include page
reference)
What does this say or
show about racial
discrimination?
Extended Response
How does Phillip Gwynne use plot to explore racial
discrimination?
» Symbolism is the practice of representing
things by symbols, or of investing things with a
symbolic meaning or character. A symbol is an
object, action, or idea that represents
something other than itself, often of a more
abstract nature.
» Write a list of five everyday symbols. Eg: Traffic
light red= stop.
» Can you think of any symbols used in Deadly,
Unna?