SHORT TEXTS: Analyse how symbols have been used to develop your understanding of
ideas in at least two studied texts
What symbols have been used in the 2 texts?
The Old Place: wind / nature – old country house and drunken fence posts, golden city are objects
used to represent the old and uncared for house and that nature is taking over it (e.g. barbed wire,
tea tree busy, rusts invasion and hidden spring). Cream van, morning post and fussy train help to
portray the setting and context of this poem
Friend: the tree symbolises a lost friendship and lost childhood innocence through a dying tree.
Splendid rags, jewelled fantasies, fort we built, dreams and mangroves all help to represent this
idea of loss of friendship and childhood friendship through the different language techniques,
What are the ideas in each text?
The Old Place; loss, urbanisation, change, no-one comes, old times, culture, retaining identity and
heritage and nature taking over
Friend: growing up to fast, childhood imagination, loss of innocence, friendship, loss, and
innocence is bliss, adulthood and change – passing of time
State 3 main points to answer HOW symbols are used to develop your understanding of
ideas
The Old Place: It helped us to gain insight for what Tuwhare is trying to tell us. The house
symbolises loss and the language techniques used help to develop my understanding of how the
house has been taken over
Friend – shows how things change over time as you grow from a child to an adult and the loss of
friendships and childhood innocence
Give 2 examples (per point) where symbols have been used in the text
The Old Place: house is a symbol of loss, repetition of no one show that no one comes to this
house anymore. Personification, alliteration and adjectives are also used to help show how
decayed and run-down this house is now that nature is taking over it and no-one is there to care
and look after it.
Friend: “the tree that gave food and drink to youthful dreams is no more” represents that the tree
represented their innocence as children and how they were friends and played in this tree but it
does not exist anymore. Tree is also a symbol of a dying and lost friendship through the dying tree
that no longer has leaves or branches.
Explain the significance of these examples – what do they show? What do they represent?
Friend shows how youthful dreams and innocence have their own specific time, for example:
these can only be held when you are young and a child; Once we have entered adulthood youthful
dreams are innocence are no longer seen or felt.
Now link back to the question – how do the symbols you have identified through 2
examples per point and explanations develop your understanding of the ideas in each
text that you stated above
Friend: the idea of youthful dreams is destroyed as we grow older and don’t have enough time to
dream. The symbol of the tree represents innocence and friendship as it shows our once innocent
childhood and friendship are now gone and have died along with the dying tree.
What societal links can relate to these two texts ideas and purpose?
The Old Place: urbanisation towards the golden city sows how the people have moved for better
work opportunities after the war. This, as a result caused much neglect of rural areas and it meant
that properties were left to disintegrate – they were left behind along with their culture and
heritage that once represented who they were.
Friend: A poem of wistful regret, we can’t gain our innocence back but we can remember. We may
be able to restore some of this imagination and innocence lost by rekindling childhood
friendships.
What is the author’s purpose in these two texts? What is he trying to inform and teach
you?
The Old Place: To not forget about your past and heritage. You should always remember it
because cultural roots are important and appreciate nature, hold onto your past and appreciate
who you are and where you come from (heritage, culture).
Friend: As you enter adulthood you can forget about past friends because of the growing
pressures and commitment of work, money and family pressures. Therefore don’t forget your
innocence and imagination as they are a part of becoming an adult. This friend is also universal so
can apply to anyone and their own friendships and innocence that may be lost, we are reminded
to think about these things and maybe rekindle lost friendships that once were a part of our lives.