Text Response:
Ransom
Interactive
Revision
 You
will need to have a pen and paper to take
part in this interactive revision on the text
ransom,
by David Malouf.……
Characters:
 Write down as many of the characters in
Ransom that you can think of. Then make as
many connections between these characters as
you can.
 For example: Priam – father of Hector –
husband of Hecuba.
Characters:
Now – let’s see how you went:
Priam: father
of Hector –
husband of Hecuba - an
elderly king of Troy
Achilles:
the greatest warrior of
the Greeks – father of
Neoptolemus – best friend of
Patroclus
Somax: representative of the
‘common man’ in Ransom.
 Beauty:
Somax’s favourite mule
 Shock: Somax’s other mule
 Hecuba: Priam’s beloved wife and mother of
Hector
 Hector: Priam & Hecuba’s son and also the
leader of the Trojan army
 Neoptolemus: Achilles’ son
Characters
Now
– write down as many details
about each of the characters (as they
are presented) that you can think of.
First of all - Priam

Priam
an elderly king of Troy.
 had his
named changed from Podarces to Priam, the
name meaning ‘the ransomed one’ or ‘the price paid.’
 insists that he needs to try his best to confront Achilles
as a father, rather than as king.
 Wants to be remembered as a king who performed an
extraordinary act of heroism in order to save his beloved
son.

Achilles
known as the greatest warrior of the Greeks
 driven
to insanity over the death of Patroclus, his
closest companion
 takes revenge by killing Hector
 drags Hector’s dead body along the walls of Troy for
the next 11 days
 loses his sense of humanity, as he is possessed by his
rage, hatred and grief

Somax
representative of the ‘common man’ in Ransom
 chosen to
escort Priam to Achilles
 often engages in useless chatter and performs daily
activities in a way that is foreign to the king
 his great deal of affection for his daughter-in-law and
granddaughter teaches Priam about love, family and
life
Beauty
Somax’s
favourite mule
accompanies Priam and Somax on
their journey to the Greek camp
where Achilles’ resides
Shock
Somax’s
other mule who
carries the cart to Achilles’
camp
 Priam’s
Hecuba
beloved wife and mother of Hector
 initially uncertain of Priam’s vision to save
Hector
 urges Priam to first share his plan with their
family and the kingdom’s council before he
departs
Hector
Priam’s
son and also the leader of
the Trojan army
He is kind, brave and noble
without any cruel intentions
kills Patroclus
Neoptolemus
is
Achilles’ son
makes his first appearance at the end of
the novel where he savagely slaughters
an old and defenseless Priam in an
effort to avenge his father’s death
Write
Themes
down some of the
themes represented in
Ransom.
Suggested Themes:
 Identity
Ransom explores who we are and what it
means to have an identity. Priam has always
viewed himself as a king. However, the death
of Hector is a catalyst for Priam for he realises
that he needs to become a ‘father’.
Themes (continued)
 Somax is
designated as the king’s herald, with
the name Idaeus. He notes his unhappiness with
this, since he is ‘Somax, not Idaeus.’ The new
name strips him of his identity. Somax’s
confidence and pride in his identity is starkly
contrasted with Priam’s pursuit for an identity
transformation.
Themes (continued)
 Change
Malouf demonstrates that it is never too
late to change one’s ways. Priam is determined
to change how he is remembered - from just
another king to a hero who went to
extraordinary lengths to regain his child.
Themes (continued)
Although
Achilles is driven by hatred and
anger after Patroclus’ death, as with
Priam, he manages to change his ways.
He is touched by Priam’s pleas and
accepts the ransom and returns Hector’s
body.
Themes (continued)
Revenge
After Patroclus’ death, Achilles hunts
down Hector in order to avenge his best
friend’s early death. Achilles feels the need
to mutilate the body day after day without
any sense of remorse or regret.
Themes (continued)
 Chance and fate
The role of the gods is heavily woven into the
events that unfold in Ransom. Priam only begins
his transition and journey after envisioning the
goddess Iris, who suggests that he take a ‘chance’
and try to save Hector from Achilles’ camp.
Text Response Prompts:
 Ransom suggests that revenge is not the
answer to grief.
 Ransom demonstrates that though it may be
difficult, anyone can change their ways.
Discuss.
 In Ransom, the characters confront their
battles with love or revenge.
Text Response Prompts:
Malouf
suggests that peace triumphs
over war. Discuss.
Love drives the characters to act
unimaginably.
The characters’ sense of humanity
disappears when they lose a loved one.
Text Response Prompts:
Both
Achilles and Priam journey through
pain and loss to ultimately find peace.
David Malouf suggests that revenge and
guilt are connected.
Redemption helps the characters in
Ransom find peace.
Text Response Prompts:
 Ransom demonstrates that even the common
man can teach royalty many things.
 Ransom shows that royal members are not
superior to commoners.
 Priam is depicted ‘like an obedient toddler’ at
the beginning of his journey. How does this
journey change him into a man?
Text Response Prompts:
 The true hero of Ransom is Somax. Discuss.
 Ransom shows that the gods have a
significant role in the fate of the characters.
 In David Malouf’s Ransom, it is the
commoner who is shown to be privileged,
not royalty. Discuss.
Text Response Prompts:
 The
characters’ identity is not defined by their
names, but who they are.
 ‘…[S]mall waves kick up, gather, then collapse,
and new ones replace them; and this, even as he
watches, repeats itself, and will do endlessly.’
Ransom illustrates that the cycle of life is
repeated. To what extent do you agree?
Choose
one of
the above text
responses as a
practice for
the exam.
Happy
Studying