Read the following quotes about asylum seekers – highlight the parts you agree with and the parts you don’t agree with. “No one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark.” ― Warsan Shire “A refugee is someone who survived and who can create the future.” – Amela Koluder “It is the obligation of every person born in a safer room to open the door when someone in danger knocks.” — Dina Nayeri “We have a legal and moral obligation to protect people fleeing bombs, bullets and tyrants, and throughout history those people have made our country better.” 1|Page —Juliet Stevenson What's really driving our panic over asylum seekers? THERE is no issue in this country that exposes the ugly underbelly of Australian politics more than border protection. In one extreme corner you have the racist “f--- off, we’re full” mob, who are as small and feeble as their collective IQ, and in the other there’s the fauxhumanitarians who’d rather watch children drown at sea than support a conservative Government sensibly manage Australia’s humanitarian intake. People die of course. Terribly. Sadly. Men, women and children, swallowed alone in the wet wasteland of the Indian Ocean. There's the outright fantasy of precisely what "national security crisis" can be constituted by a sequence of soggy desperates whose hired craft can barely withstand the 500 kilometre voyage to Christmas Island never mind the next 1,560 km to Exmouth, the closest point on the Australian mainland. If 80 dehydrated Afghans on a foundering fishing boat constitute some sort of territorial peril then we should probably be asking hard questions of our defence establishment. IF reports are true, our Government wants to hand 153 Sri Lankan asylum seekers, including 37 children, over to the very regime they claim they need protection from. Let’s look at our Government’s own evidence about the things these people might be fleeing. Last year Australia backed moves at the United Nations expressing deep concern at ongoing human rights abuses in Sri Lanka, including enforced disappearances, killings and torture. Our Government’s travel advice for Australians thinking of visiting Sri Lanka warns: “Exercise a high degree of caution ... at this time because of the unpredictable security environment.” Our Department of Immigration and specialised courts and tribunals have consistently assessed that the majority of Sri Lankans who arrive in Australia by boat genuinely need our protection. So when our Prime Minister Scott Morrison say Sri Lanka is “a society at peace”, he’s ignoring his own evidence. Of course, we can’t assume everyone on these missing boats genuinely needs our protection. But it’s also wrong to assume they don’t. We must remember what’s at stake. The assessment of refugee claims can be the difference between life and death. If we get it wrong, the consequence could be returning a person to death or torture at the hands of the very people they’re trying to escape. It’s an absolute tragedy that people are dying at sea trying to get here. We must try to save lives, but we must also ensure we don’t send people back to the risk of death. 2|Page Our underlying goal has to be preventing harm, not just shifting its location. Regardless whether their boat left from Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia or somewhere else, the stakes for these missing asylum seekers couldn’t be higher. The margin for error is nil. We need to assess why they fled and what risks if any they’d face if returned. Asking them four questions on a boat in the middle of the ocean and then sending them straight back just doesn’t cut it. Mr Morrison loves to talk about protecting us from threats to our borders. But the real threat to the Australia we know isn’t a few people seeking our protection, it’s the undemocratic, unlawful and cruel measures he’s using to stop them. Daniel Webb is the director of legal advocacy at the Human Rights Law Centre Based on what you have underlined, write a paragraph explaining why you think we should or should not allow people who come by boat onto our shores. Topic sentence________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Explain what you mean (why?) ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Give examples_______________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Sum up your argument_______________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 3|Page 1. The Road to Winter is about human behaviour in the face of adversity. What personal attributes and behaviours are most important for survival in a time of crisis? If you were isolated for your own protection from a risk close to home, think of 5 people you would want with you and list the things that would make them useful in a crisis. NAME WHAT WOULD MAKE THEM USEFUL IN A CRISIS? Read the following statements. Circle whether you agree or disagree and write a sentence explaining why. Trust is the most important aspect in a relationship. AGREE DISAGREE WHY?___________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ There’s always something good in everyone. AGREE DISAGREE WHY?___________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ It is possible to live without the Internet, phones, television and radio. AGREE 4|Page DISAGREE WHY?___________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ The best of people put the needs of others before their own needs. AGREE DISAGREE WHY?___________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ People require companionship in order to live a happy life. AGREE DISAGREE WHY?___________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Everyone should learn how to fend for him or herself in the outdoors. AGREE DISAGREE WHY?___________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 5|Page Character analysis Finn List at least 4 things that best describe this character Describe and explain your characters main conflict, desire or goal. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ ___________ Choose a quote from the book that best shows one of your character’s traits _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 6|Page Character analysis rose List at least 4 things that best describe this character Describe and explain your characters main conflict, desire or goal. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ ___________ Choose a quote from the book that best shows one of your character’s traits _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 7|Page Character analysis ray List at least 4 things that best describe this character Describe and explain your characters main conflict, desire or goal. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ ___________ Choose a quote from the book that best shows one of your character’s traits _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 8|Page Character analysis kas List at least 4 things that best describe this character Describe and explain your characters main conflict, desire or goal. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ ___________ Choose a quote from the book that best shows one of your character’s traits _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 9|Page Character analysis ramage List at least 4 things that best describe this character Describe and explain your characters main conflict, desire or goal. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ ___________ Choose a quote from the book that best shows one of your character’s traits _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 10 | P a g e Chapter One What do you learn about Finn in the first chapter. Description_______________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Feelings__________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ Behaviour________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ What do you learn about the situation that Finn is trying to survive?_________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Why do you think law and order have fallen away?___________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ What do the changing weather patterns suggest to you?____________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Who could the Wilders be?_____________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Do you think that the girl Finn encounters at the end of the chapter will be a good thing for him? Why?____________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 11 | P a g e Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 Describe the physical landscape and how a sense of both stillness and movement is created. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ How are Finn’s strong observational skills made clear? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ When Finn and Rose first speak, what do you notice about the interaction between them – are they happy, nervous etc? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Why is Finn concerned about bringing Rose to the house? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ What is a Siley? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ What is Rose’s story? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Do you think Rose was treated well by the government? Why? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 12 | P a g e ‘Something about the way she looks, the way she talks. She’s no threat.’ (p.39) Do you think he can trust Rose? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Would you have taken Rose to your house if you were in the same situation? Why? Why not? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ What is her reaction when Finn shows her the garage? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ‘I did some things I’m not proud of.’ (p.47) Do you think people are forced to do things they are not proud of in order to survive? Do you think that is okay? Why/why not? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 13 | P a g e Make a list of things that are described about the North and things that are described about the South. * 14 | P a g e Chapter 4 ‘It keeps me sane. I don’t say what else I am thinking: that it’s about the only think I do that isn’t about staying alive.’ (P55). What is Finn referring to here? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ What activities would keep you sane if you were in the same situation? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Each time Finn surfs or swims in the ocean, the language choices of the writer are different from the language in the scenes of brutality. Find examples of similes, personification and carefully chosen words that describe each. Swimming and surfing 15 | P a g e Violence and brutality Chapter 5 ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Chapter 6 ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Chapter 7 ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Chapter 8 ‘….I never thought there’d be someone else on my side – someone I’d want to fight for.’ (pg 98) Why is taking sides important? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 16 | P a g e ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Chapter 9 Why do you think that Finn chose not to kill Ramage? What does this say about his character? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Chapter 10 Discuss why Finn breaks down and cries in front of Harry, Tusker and Jack on page 118. How does this make you feel about Finn? Why? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ‘Most have died, I reckon. You’ve done a bloody good job just to stay alive.’ (p122) Explain this statement. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 17 | P a g e ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Chapter 11 ‘The girl’s a Siley. She’s got no rights. She’s our property now.’ (p133) What does this say about how asylum seekers are viewed in the novel. Do you think this is how Australians think? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Pages 131- 135 What does Harry say? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ What does Tusker say? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 18 | P a g e Chapter 12 ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Chapter 13 ‘I can’t leave them to fight on their own.’ (p151) What does this quote demonstrate about Finn’s character? Also why do you think Stella trusted Fin and Kas to take care of Willow? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Chapter 14 ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 19 | P a g e Chapter 15 ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Chapter 16 ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Chapter 17 ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 20 | P a g e Chapter 18 ‘What’s wrong with people in this country, Finn? Even before the virus it was so beautiful here; you had everything. But you were so cruel.’ (p198) What do you think she means? Do you agree with her? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Chapter 19 Chapter 20 What is Ramage’s reaction to Rose’s death? Are you surprised? Why/why not? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Chapter 21 ‘I’m going to hunt him down and kill him.’ (p229) Do these words from Kas surprise you? Discuss whether Kas is justified in this response and also comment on her determination to reclaim Hope. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 21 | P a g e ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ After Reading Who is the real hero in The Road to Winter? Justify your answer with evidence from the text. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ How does The Road to Winter demonstrate the importance of initiative, resilience and loyalty to increase one’s chances of survival? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ‘I want to say it’s not fair. I want to say we’re only kids and we shouldn’t have to deal with this stuff, that there should be more adults like Ray to help us.’ (p.216) What has Finn learned about the adult world from his experiences in the novel? Discuss. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ How does Mark Smith’s The Road to Winter demonstrate the human need for love and companionship? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 22 | P a g e 23 | P a g e
