The Castle
ISSUE 20/21 SCREEN EDUCATION
BY TONY HUGHES
A Critical Study of a Feature Film Text
36
This study programme uses the Australian feature film The Castle to
exemplify the ways in which a text confirms or challenges the attitudes
and values of its audience.
Questions within the programme will help students discover
how the construction of a text encourages particular responses in its viewers.
Students will be encouraged to view the
film as a cultural artefact, considering
the society that produced the film as
well as the audiences that have viewed
the film and generated its popularity.
Questions within the programme are
designed to explore the notion of:
* text construction
* genre
* attitudes and values
* point of view
* verbal and non verbal language
The following elements will be
central to this study:
* the shared conventions of narrative
— setting, plot, character, conflict
* how these are created on film
* specific aspects of film language
* how attitudes and values are conveyed in films
The programme reinforces the view
that:
* films are texts — all texts are ideological
* films are constructions, versions of
reality
* films present complex sets of attitudes and values
* films position the viewer to respond
in certain ways
* film has its own language
* the values and attitudes presented are
related to the values and attitudes of the
film’s audience
* a text can reinforce or challenge a
society’s existing attitudes and values
* viewers make sense of films through
codes and conventions
How do we make meaning of
The Castle?
* by viewing the film as a construction
Dennis Denuto (Tiriel Mora) and Lawrence Hammill QC (Charles
‘Bud’ Tingwell)
* by viewing the film as a shaper of information
* by considering the film as positioning the viewer
* by considering the ways in which the
context of the script writers and the
context of the viewers meet together to
create meaning
A central focus of this programme is a study of the narrative
structure. This is a study of the way in
which the storyline of The Castle makes
meaning in our world. Narrative can be
considered in the following terms:
Narrative Structure 1
Internal and Intrinsic to the film
(story, plot, structure)
The Castle tells the story of a
working-class Australian family who
live adjacent to Melbourne’s
Tullamarine airport. The family is a
close-knit group who love and support
each other. The plot centres on the
family’s desire to keep their home despite the compulsory acquisition order
placed on it by the local authority.
Darryl Kerrigan, the loving father, hus-
* people fighting for their home
* a man’s home is his castle
* home is where the heart is
* challenge of the individual to authority
* David v Goliath
* a nuclear family whose members love
each other
* a satirical view of suburban workingclass life
* greed of large corporations and disregard for the rights and feelings of the
individual
* stereotypical gender constructions of
the nuclear family
* the individual and the law — the
phrase from the Constitution (Section
51,31) that deals with individuals being treated ‘on just terms’ is a central
issue in the film
The Castle highlights aspects of
what it is to be Australian. Characteristic assumptions include a view of optimism in the face of adversity, admiration for the larrikin and the individualistic nature of a rebel. The satirical
nature of the script is exemplified by
the description of the film in the production teams web site (Working Dog)
www.thepanel.com.au/wdog.html:
The Castle is a sweeping saga that
takes the harsh Australian outback, the rugged characters of the
Anzac legend, the spirit of Banjo
Patterson and ignores them in favour of a greyhound racing towtruck driver who never meant to
be a hero.
Beliefs, values and assumptions
include:
* construction of the Australian ‘battler’
* the importance of the quarter acre
block to the national mind set
* leisure activities and the holiday
home
* challenges to authority by ‘little’ Australians
* Australians’ ability to laugh at themselves
* myth and Australian character
Audiences of Cultural
and Ideological
Narratives
The Kerrigan family
band and provider, sets out to fight for
‘his castle’ and support his mates in
their desire to keep their homes. The
storyline profiles the family, their interests and their stereotypical roles, and
by doing so reveals a humorous view
of Australian suburban lifestyle.
Archetypal Narratives (recurrent
patterns in story-telling and filmmaking)
Recurrent patterns linked to The
Castle and the universal appeal of the
plot line:
Narrative Structure 3
Cultural and Ideological Narratives
(particular beliefs, values and
assumptions that we as viewers
adopt to make sense of our social
world)
ISSUE 20/21 SCREEN EDUCATION
Narrative Structure 2
Genre: Recurrent patterns in
film-making occur because of audience
preference and the success of particular patterns of story telling. These patterns reflect the audience’s cultural
background. Many Australian feature
films have, for example, adopted a
documentary style. This style is adopted
in The Castle through the home movie
narration of Dale Kerrigan.
Audiences construct the meaning of a film from the symbols that are
presented on the screen. There will be
many similarities in the meanings they
construct but there will also be some
variation. It is not possible for there to
be as many variations as there are members of the audience because language
has to be a shared experience, not an
individual one. Education is one factor
that will affect the ways in which members of the audience construct meaning from a film. A knowledge of Australian suburban life and humour provides a framework for the story, but is
not essential to understanding the film.
An awareness of topical events and
ideas will also give another insight into
the attitudes in the film. The distinc-
37
tively Australian references to Hey Hey
It’s Saturday, holidays in Thailand,
cheap Rolex watches and ‘bargains’
from The Trading Post gesture towards
common experiences for many Australian viewers. Other factors such as gender, ethnic background and economic
status cut across the various levels and
forms of education.
ISSUE 20/21 AUSTRALIAN SCREEN EDUCATION
Myth in Feature Film
38
Feature film is an important vehicle for mythology. Stereotypes of
family, society and a country are communicated through film. The Kerrigan
family uphold a range of mythical beliefs of a ‘typical’ Australian workingclass family, embodying stereotypical
gender roles, occupations and ideas
about leisure preferences. An Australian audience watching The Castle will
recognise the film as Australian. This
recognition comes partly from the use
of familiar places and things — the suburban lifestyle for example — however
there is something about the beliefs and
attitudes of the characters which is also
intrinsically Australian. The concept of
myth helps explain our recognition of
the less tangible elements in the film.
Darryl Kerrigan is constructed
using common myths such as that of
the Aussie larrikin who has contempt
for authority, values a ‘fair go’ for all and
supports his mates. Another characteristic embodied within this character is
his resilience and his spirit in the face
of adversity. All of these attributes are
common myths explored in many Australian films.
Main points to consider:
* the way in which Australian
film is constructed to mythologise both
Western Culture and Australian Nationalism
* representation of race
* representation of class
* marginalised women
* privileging mateship
* representation of patriotism
* representation of Australian masculinity
A recurring figure in Australian
films is the ‘typical’ Aussie bloke. This
is reflected in the character of Darryl
Kerrigan in The Castle. The character
is a composite of various types. We see
aspects of the Aussie battler emphasised. In this representation, the character takes on many of the traits of the
bush myth — he values mateship, and
despises authority, bureaucratic institutions and snobbery. (Consider the
representation of the official government bodies in this film.) The Australian male is often laconic in his speech,
rugged in his appearance, and individualistic. He survives by instinct and wit.
Satire
Satire is used to make the subject matter appear ridiculous. It can
evoke amusement, contempt, indignation or scorn. It is distinct from comedy because its primary aim is not simply to amuse. Language is often used to
criticise an individual, an institution, a
nation or even a whole race. Satire can
be used to undermine an argument or
deride inexact language. The subject
matter of satirical comment is, broadly
speaking, the human condition. Common topics that are satirised include
politics, gender and bureaucracy. Satire should not merely make the audience laugh at someone else’s discomfort, but should make one seriously
evaluate the weakness highlighted by
the writer.
Consider the following:
*What is being satirised?
* What criticisms are being
made?
* What techniques are used to
make these criticisms?
The Study of Plot in
English: The Castle
Study Programme
The Study of Plot in English is an
interactive computer programme, designed with four basic structural components:
* 150 questions on character under 14
category sections
* specific film text programme using
exemplified question types
* supporting ideological commentary
classifying question types
* a user programme enabling the
teacher or student to create a printed
programme of study for use in the
classroom
The questions in the fourteen
category sections present a range of
ideological positions that influence the
way teachers formulate questions on
plot. The package is the third in a series of English study programmes written by Tony Hughes to support the
teaching of Critical Literacy in the English classroom. The first and second
packages present the same structural
components as The Study of Plot in English and are designed to support the
teaching of character and setting. The
packages can be used together or independently in the design of teaching programmes.
The Study of Plot in English assumes the traditional view that there
are a number of plot elements that can
be used to shape and structure a narrative. These elements combine to provide a framework for the story. The plot
is therefore primarily concerned with
the action of the story. The writer of
the narrative will use devises to impose
order and create a planned sequence of
events. There is an obvious link between the way we approach the teaching of plot and the way we teach both
character and setting.
Questions within each of the
packages draw upon historical and social contexts in the production and reception of texts. They help students to
think about the ways texts both reflect
and construct ways of thinking about
people and places and encourage students to reflect on their own responses
and how they relate to their own social
and historical situations. The questions
within the package are grouped into the
following fourteen categories of plot
study:
Section 1: Predictions About Plot &
Expectations As Readers
Section 2: Plot Exposition
Section 3: Character Construction
And Plot
Section 4: Writer’s Portrayal Of Plots
Section 5: Gender Characteristics Of
Plots
Section 6: Rising Action
Section 7: Common Plot Patterns
Section 8: Plot Conflict
Section 9: Stereotypical Elements Of
Plot
Section 10: Climax And Suspense
Section 11: Interactive Elements Of
Character, Setting And Theme
Section 12: Intertextual Emphasis
Section 13: Social And Cultural
Context Of Plot
Section 14: Reviewing A
Construction Of Plot
How to create your own
programme of
questions
Questions on The
Castle (from The Study
of Plot in English)
Section 1: Predictions About Plot &
Expectations As Readers
1. Before you begin viewing The Castle,
you may already be thinking about
what it may be about and the structure
of the narrative. You may have viewed
Frontline or other productions written
by Rob Sitch, Jane Kennedy, Santo
Cilauro or Tom Gleisner. If you have,
what expectations do you have about
the storyline?
2. Some predictions you make may be
drawn from information provided in
Sal Kerrigan (Anne Tenney) and Darryl Kerrigan (Michael Caton)
ment and answer their own bank of
questions. Each pair will need to print
out their set of questions and answers.
This will form the first part of this unit
assessment.
Mark — out of 20
Assessment 2:
Using the knowledge gained
through your study of plot in The Castle you will be set an in-class Non-Print
Comment Essay. Each student will be
allowed to bring their set of questions
and answers from Assessment 1 into the
test. The question is unseen but will
deal in some way with narrative structure (internal and intrinsic to the film,
archetypal narratives and cultural and
ideological narratives).
Mark — out of 20
the title of the film, the promotional
material and the video cover. Write
down a list of things that may help you
to predict events that take place in The
Castle.
3. Before you view the film, you will
probably have expectations about the
kind of plot frameworks you are going
to encounter. Sometimes you guess correctly and at other times your expectations are challenged or you are disappointed. What are your expectations?
4. Do you think that this film will end
with some kind of resolution? Explain
how you reach your opinion.
5. Do you think that characters will have
conflict resolved at the end of the film?
Explain your answer.
6. The Castle is a comedy about a work-
ISSUE 20/21 AUSTRALIAN SCREEN EDUCATION
1. Question Selection and
Modification
• Select Main Menu from the Opening
Screen
• Click Start Selection of New Set of
Questions button
• Choose a question category by clicking a button
• Choose the questions you wish to use
by clicking the select button beside the
entry (a ‘Yes’ will appear under the select button of each question you
choose)
• To change an existing question, choose
User Modified Questions, make your
changes, then click the select button beside the entry
• To add questions from other categories to your selection, simply return to
the main menu by clicking the Main
Menu button and repeat the above steps
2. Producing a Worksheet
• Once all selections have been made,
click the Preview, Print or Delete Selected Question button at the top of the
questions window or at the bottom of
the Main menu
• Choose your next step
— Enter Worksheet Header Information to enter a title for your worksheet
(optional)
— Preview or Edit Selected to preview
or further edit your selection
— Print Selected Questions to print
your selection
— Export Questions As Text File to export your selection for saving or modi-
fying in another application. This will
export the selected questions as a text
file called QUESTION.TXT. This file
will be either on the top level of the hard
drive, or inside the same folder in which
you have placed The Study of Plot in
English.
Assessment 1:
In pairs, students are required to
select one question from each category
of The Castle programme using the
computer programme The Study of Plot
in English. Each pair of students will
select their own specific programme of
questions which they will then
download into a word processing docu-
39
ISSUE 20/21 AUSTRALIAN SCREEN EDUCATION
40
ing-class Australian family. Can you
predict what will happen to characters
in the course of the storyline?
7. We have been able to construct a prediction of what may happen in the plot.
Jot down the things that helped you to
construct your predictions. How many
of these things are a part of Australian
culture and society?
8. From the opening scene of The Castle, how do you expect the plot to develop and change in the course of the
text?
9. The Castle is a comedy about the
Kerrigan family who live beside an airport. The family go to great lengths to
protect their home from compulsory
acquisition. Predict some events that
could take place as the family set out to
keep their home.
10. We see events unfold through the
narration of the youngest son, Dale
Kerrigan. How do you think this narration will effect the telling of this story?
11. What audio, written, symbolic and
technical codes are provided in the first
section of the film give the viewer an
insight into the developing structure of
the text?
Section 2: Plot Exposition
12. What are we told about the appearance of characters and setting that contributes to our understanding of plot
exposition in The Castle?
13. How is plot structure established at
the beginning of the text through the
documentary style narration of Dale
Kerrigan?
14. Through what form of narrative
structure is the plot introduced?
15. Note details about the Kerrigans’
home in the opening scenes of the film.
What do these details tell us about the
possible development of the plot to follow?
16. ‘Every man’s home is his castle’.
What are the significant features of plot
that support this contention?
17. How are features of the plot exposition presented? Look closely at details
of the Kerrigan family’s lifestyle to support your answer.
18. Attitudes and values are often established in the early parts of a film.
Comment on the cultural and social
influences that support the exposition
of plot in The Castle.
19. Writer’s often construct plots that
appear to conform to our expectations
as viewers. Explain how The Castle either conforms to or disrupts your expectations.
20. How are the Kerrigan family constructed within the exposition of the
plot?
21. How is the situation of the Kerrigan
home constructed within the exposition of the plot?
22. What does the way the plot is introduced suggest about the values and attitudes of the Kerrigan family?
23. Is there anything about the exposition of The Castle that makes it different from other texts you have viewed
or read?
24. Design a chart to highlight the most
significant features of plot during the
opening sections of The Castle.
25. Tape a conversion between Darryl
and Sal Kerrigan revealing the establishing storyline of the film.
Section 3: Character Construction
And Plot
26. To what extent can we predict the
behaviour of Steve, Dale, Wayne and
Tracey through reading an outline of
the plot?
27. How are the Kerrigan family constructed within the confines of the plot?
28. What do we learn about Dennis
Denuto (the local lawyer) through the
type of storyline that the character is
placed within?
29. Are the characters believable constructs of the plot?
30. What methods do the writers use
to construct significant aspects of characterisation?
31. How do the writers reveal the
Kerrigan family’s love for and support
of each other?
32. What attitudes and values are embodied in the personality of Darryl
Kerrigan?
33. In what ways does the plot reveal
the cultural context of Australian suburbia?
34. What reading of character can be
constructed through a consideration of
Con Petropoulous’ role in the film?
35. Role play character traits of one
member of the Kerrigan family.
36. Plot transforms a character from a
static construct to a life-like human
being. Explain how this is achieved
within the construction of one member of the Kerrigan family.
37. How does plot reveal to the viewer
elements of Sal Kerrigan’s personality?
38. Select one character from The Castle. What choices does the plot force the
character to make?
Section 4: Writer’s Portrayal Of Plot
39. What influence do you think the
writers’ social and cultural background
will have on the plot of The Castle?
40. What point of view do the writers
of this film assume in the telling of this
story?
41. Plot is a devise used by writers to
impose order on what is essentially disorder. Comment on how the writers
impose order in the construction of the
Kerrigan family.
42. Is the plot of The Castle written in a
form that you have come to expect?
Provide examples from the film to support your answer.
43. In what ways does the plot challenge
us as viewers and require us to fill in
‘gaps’ and ‘silences’ in the text?
44. What techniques do the writers
employ in order to develop the rising
action of the plot?
45. Why do you think the writers have
chosen to construct a plot that deals
with the plight of the ‘underdog’?
46. Explore elements of comedy in the
plot using one of the following: role
play, mime, dramatic monologue.
47. How do the writers help us experience the pleasure and pitfalls of a typical day at 3 Highview Crescent,
Cooloroo?
48. What is the writers’ intention with
regard to their ordering of events in The
Castle?
49. What specific elements of plot are
being constructed in The Castle?
50. What perspective on events does the
viewer have access to through the narration of Dale Kerrigan?
51. What assumptions can we make
about Darryl Kerrigan’s qualities (courage, integrity, honesty, selfishness) from
his actions, and from the descriptions
of the way in which he carries them out?
52. To what extent are our expectations
challenged by unconventional structures and by ‘gaps’ and ‘silences’ in The
Castle?
Section 5: Gender Characteristics Of
Plot
53. Think about the gender construction of Tracey. What would you change
in the plot if Tracey was male?
54. Would it make any difference to the
story if Tracey was the opposite sex?
Explain your answer.
55. Would you describe Bonnie Doon
60. To what extent does the viewer’s
cultural and social context determine
his/her reading of this comedy film?
61. How do Tracey and Con’s gender
characteristics change according to
readings based on a specific cultural
context?
Section 6: Rising Action
62. Conduct a role play activity in which
characters describe their role in the rising action of The Castle.
63. What does Lawrence Hamilton’s
speech in the High Court reveal to the
viewer about the rising action of the
story?
64. In what ways are the tensions between characters demonstrated
through the rising action of the story?
Darryl Kerrigan (Michael Caton) and Dennis Denuto (Tiriel Mora)
65. What techniques have the writers
used to sustain the fight against the
compulsory acquisition order on the
Kerrigans’ home?
66. To what extent do characters reveal
themselves through the rising tensions
of the film?
67. In what ways is suspense and tension developed in The Castle?
68. How do the writers of The Castle
achieve rising action in the court room?
Section 7: Common Plot Patterns
69. In what ways does the plot pattern
reveal a journey of self-discovery for
Darryl Kerrigan and Lawrence Hamil-
ISSUE 20/21 SCREEN EDUCATION
as a typical male environment? Explain
your answer.
56. How do male characters behave
within one section of intense drama in
this film?
57. How do female characters behave
within one section of intense drama in
this film?
58. How does the gender of characters
inform the way action takes place in The
Castle?
59. To what extent do characters conform to or disrupt established gender
roles within the storyline of The Castle?
ton? Describe what the characters learn
about themselves.
70. This plot could be described as a
contemporary satirical comedy. Describe the ways in which the plot of The
Castle reflects this definition.
71. The Castle concerns Darryl
Kerrigan’s fight against the compulsory
acquisition order placed on his family
home. Outline the plot pattern of this
film.
72. Many satirical comedies involve a
plot that engages characters in a quest
for an object, treasure, place or even a
person. Describe the plot pattern of The
Castle.
73. Some plots engage the influence of
a mysterious stranger who exerts great
influence upon a community or a family. In what ways does the character of
Lawrence Hamilton operate within this
plot pattern?
74. Some plot patterns conceal the true
identity of characters from other characters or the viewer until near the end
of the film. Trace the relationship between Lawrence Hamilton and Darryl
Kerrigan from their first meeting to the
end of the film.
75. Many plot patterns concern the attraction of lovers who have overcome
a number of obstacles before a happy
ending can be established. Describe the
relationship between Darryl and Sal
Kerrigan within this plot pattern.
76. Many plot patterns concern obstacles that prevent characters from getting together or staying together. Describe Wayne Kerringan’s role within
the context of the nuclear family.
77. In some plot patterns, a character
or group of characters face a situation
that concerns the solving of problems
to achieve a satisfactory conclusion.
Describe the ways in which The Castle
adopts characteristics of this plot pattern.
Section 8: Plot Conflict
78. Find two examples of conflict in
different settings in The Castle. Explain
what each conflict reveals about the
plot. Explain what each conflict shows
us about the value systems of charac-
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ISSUE 20/21 AUSTRALIAN SCREEN EDUCATION
42
ters operating within the plot.
79. Prepare and enact in small groups
selected segments of the court scenes.
80. How do Darryl Kerrigan and Denis
Denuto deal with conflict?
81. How do Sal (the mother) and Tracey
(the daughter) deal with conflict?
82. How many instances of conflict between characters can you find in The
Castle?
83. Find two examples of conflict between characters: Explain what each
conflict shows us about the values of
each of the characters. What do these
conflicts show us about the themes of
the text?
84. Explain how conflict establishes the
view that honest battlers are taking on
greedy developers.
85. Describe a situation from the film
that exemplifies Australian workingclass attitudes and values.
86. Describe the way in which humour
and satire are used to reveal the attitudes of the characters.
87. Describe the satirical humour employed to construct the lake-side holiday home at Bonnie Doon as a place of
serenity.
88. Some plots create conflict between
a character and unknown forces. Examine the ways in which The Castle works
with this idea.
89. Many modern texts create situations
in which human beings are in conflict
with bureaucracy. Provide examples
from The Castle of this type of conflict.
Section 9: Stereotypical Elements Of
Plot
90. Recognisable Australian characters
include the noble savage, the ocker, the
bushman, the Aussie battler and a stereotypical view of women within a harsh
Australian environment. Describe the
way in which one character from The
Castle conforms to one of these constructions.
91. Describe the actions of characters
that may draw sympathetic or unsympathetic responses from the viewer.
92. Consider one scene from The Castle. What elements of the plot line are
predictable? Provide examples to support your view.
93. Is the plot of The Castle believable
or does it conform to a particular type
or adopt stereotypical characteristics?
94. Is Darryl Kerrigan constructed as a
fully rounded or stereotypical character in this story?
95. Write a short scene from The Castle
that demonstrates some stereotypical
actions of Darryl Kerrigan.
96. How do social and cultural expectations help us to identify stereotypical
elements of the courtroom scene?
97. Did Dennis Denuto behave in a predictable manner in the courtroom
scenes? Explain your answer.
Section 10: Climax And Suspense
98. Select a character and demonstrate
how she/he operates during the climax
of the film.
99. How is the climax of the film
Section 11: Interactive Elements Of
Character, Setting And Theme
105. In what ways do characters match
the film’s plot? Explain the link between
character behaviour and storyline.
106. In what ways does the plot reveal
attitudes and values of the characters
that operate within this construct of an
Australian working-class family? What
elements of this construct do you believe to be realistic?
107. In what ways does the plot transform the Kerrigan family from static
stereotypical constructs into life-like
human beings?
108. Plot is just a mechanical means to
display the actions of characters. Prepare an argument for or against this
contention making reference to your
viewing of The Castle.
Steve Kerrigan (Anthony Simcoe), Darryl Kerrigan (Michael Caton), Sal Kerrigan (Anne Tenney) and
Dale Kerrigan (Stephen Curry)
achieved?
100. Which scenes in your opinion provide a climax to the film?
101. What events of high action would
you describe as the climax of this film?
102. How do you think you would have
behaved if you had been in Darryl
Kerrigan’s position?
103. In what way has the story changed
as a result of the climax in the courtroom?
104. What techniques are used to create suspense during the film’s climax?
109. How is Dennis Denuto positioned
in terms of plot?
110. What role does Dale Kerrigan play
in the exposition of this film?
111. What role does the setting of 3
Highview Terrace, Cooloroo play in the
exposition of this film?
112. How is the setting of the High
Court filmed in order to build suspense
into the plot?
Section 12: Intertextual Emphasis
113. Compare the way the Australian
holiday home is represented in The
Castle and one or more other texts.
tle would change if the story was set in
a small country town. Where would you
site the Kerrigan home to create a similar plot-line?
130. How do we learn of Con
Petropoulous’s social background?
Consider the plot and setting in answering this question.
131. What events take place at 3
Highview Crescent that act as signposts
to reveal particular social and cultural
attitudes and values.
Section 14: Reviewing A
Construction Of Plot
132. What devises have the writers used
to impose order into the plot of this
film?
133. How do exclusions in the plot effect your reading of setting? Consider
the scene at Tracey and Con’s wedding
reception in answering this question.
134. How do you as a viewer react to
the construction of the plot? Consider
how much you need to know about
Australian idioms in answering this
question.
135. What influences a viewer’s reaction
to the holiday location of Bonnie
Doon? Consider your own personal
conditioning.
136. Make up four statements that you
think best sum up the stages of development in the court case.
137. If you were asked to rewrite The
Castle as a novel, how would you alter
the sequence of events to suit a written
medium?
138. How would you film moments of
high tension between characters? Select
one small section of The Castle to illustrate your answer.
139. Would you have ended the film in
the same way as the script writers? Explain your answer.
140. The media of Western popular and
literary culture often adopt a number
of different plot patterns. Describe
some of the patterns that emerge in the
construction of The Castle.
141. Discuss one of the central turning
points in The Castle.
142. Create a time-line on which you
identify points at which any of the fol-
lowing plot elements occur in The Castle: exposition, conflict, rising action,
climax, resolution.
143. Create a diagram or flow chart to
outline the significant conflicts that
occur in The Castle.
144. How does the concept of ‘plot’
shape your viewing? Consider your expectation of how the court case should
end in answering this question.
145. Why is it useful to study the plot
of The Castle from a social and cultural
position?
146. Has ‘plot’ been viewed differently
(or meant something different) in other
eras? Consider how the contemporary
suburban setting of The Castle positions the viewer to respond to ‘plot’.
147. How do you think The Castle
should have ended?
148. Describe the point you consider to
be its climax. Identify the specific
frames of the film that in your view create the highest point of climax.
149. In what ways do you think the
viewer’s personal response to The Castle will be determined by his/her cultural and social background?
150. Does your personal response to the
plot of The Castle change with successive viewings?
With special thanks to Michael Hirsh, Rob
Sitch, Jane Kennedy, Santo Cilauro, Tom
Gleisner and all at Working Dog for their
kind permission to include The Castle: A
Critical Study of a Feature Film Text in the
computer programme The Study of Plot in
English.
Special thanks also go to Jennie Hewitt
(Head of English), Julie Bull and Year 12
English students at St Hilda’s Anglican
School for Girls, W.A. for the trialing of
questions and their contributions to the pro-
ISSUE 20/21 AUSTRALIAN SCREEN EDUCATION
114. Imagine you are writing a novel
based on The Castle. What changes to
the plot would you make?
115. How do other films in the same
genre as The Castle help you predict elements of plot development in this
film?
116. What conventions within the plot
pattern of The Castle are ‘borrowed’
from plot patterns of the same or different genres?
117. In what ways is the plot of The
Castle similar to plots of other texts you
have viewed or read?
118. What features do you recognise
which make the plot of The Castle similar to other plots in other texts?
119. How do plot patterns manifest
themselves within text types? Provide
examples from The Castle and one or
more other texts of your choice to support your answer.
Section 13: Social And Cultural
Context Of Plot
120. Build up a picture of the cultural
and social context of The Castle.
121. In what ways does the plot of The
Castle reflect social and cultural conditioning?
122. What cultural knowledge do you
need to understand the plot of The Castle?
123. What satirical comments are made
about the cultural and social life of
working-class contemporary Melbourne in the plot of The Castle?
124. What qualities, attitudes and values are supported through the actions
of the Kerrigan family?
125. In what ways does the plot construction of The Castle reflect the various ways that we (as viewers) make
sense of the world?
126. How does the plot of The Castle
reflect the reality of life in suburban
Australia?
127. What particular elements of plot
in The Castle make a criticism of culture and society? Explain your answer.
128. What have you learnt about social
and cultural groups through studying
The Castle?
129. Consider how the plot of The Cas-
gramme design. Sincere thanks also go to
Rod Quin, Head of English at Balcatta Senior High School, W.A. for his work on the
reading of feature film which strongly influenced my approach to this programme. ■
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