Exemplar A:
Excellence
In search of: ‘Representations of Masculinity’ as explored in Foreskin’s Lament, Man Alone, What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?,
Once Were Warriors, ‘The Farmhand’.
Proposes research questions which
expand understandings of the topic
Key Questions
1. How significant is the central character’s masculinity and how does it help shape his
role in each text?
2. How important is masculinity to the society portrayed in each text?
3. What similarities are there between the texts in how masculinity is
portrayed?
Resources:
Selects information from a range
of referenced sources.
Title:
Foreskin's Lament
Author:
Greg McGee
Date:
7/4/2003
QU 1:
The central figure in the text is Seymour known to his friends as "Foreskin." The university educated
man is unlike his rugby teammates who are rural Kiwi `hard' men . Masculinity puts more important
things, like life, into perspective for him as it is shown when one of the men tries to play through the
pain barrier (an attempt to appear strong and manly) but suffers further injuries, which prove to be fatal.
QU 2:
The rural, rugby orientated society is seemingly the epitome of masculinity. The society has little
tolerance or respect for gays (poofs) or women (fluff). Rugby is seen to be the epitome of masculinity; a
hard, no nonsense man's game that ultimately separates the men from the boys.
QU 3:
There is a definite attitude towards physical weakness and lack of power which is seen as unmanly. This
is also the case with homosexuality which can also be observed in Once Were Warriors when Jake’s
son is labelled a ‘poof’ for not displaying `masculine' behaviour.
Title:
Once Were Warriors
Director:
Lee Tamahori
Date:
10/5/2003
QU 1:
Jake Heke is an arrogant, explosive man who is easily provoked. His excessive drinking
and knack of getting into fights makes him a dangerous and deadly character. He often
uses his fists to prove his masculinity. Jake also shows no emotion when his wife tells
him that their son is to be sent to social welfare: “Anybody would've thought he's dead
the way you lot are carrying on. It'll toughen him up, he's too soft anyway.”
QU 2:
There is a certain expectancy from the men in the society of the degrading urban
ghettos to act manly and display their toughness. Fighting serves as a warning, earns
respect of others. Jake enforces himself as the sole decisionmaker and head of the
household. Beth told to "just do what you're told!" There is a strong sense of male
superiority.
.
QU 3:
It reinforces the belief that strength and physical toughness are the most important attributes
contributing to masculinity. These ideas are evident in Eoreskin's Lament but are conveyed through
actions on the rugby field.
Title:
What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?
Director:
Ian Mune
Date:
19/5/2003
QU 1:
Jake changes as the film progresses. He attempts to come to terms with his marriage
break up and the deaths of two children. He is still violent though, but becomes aware
that this loses respect. He starts to portray masculinity by protecting those he has hurt
(eg Sonny)
QU 2:
They live in a poverty stricken area. Gangs, unemployment feature. When Jake makes
different friends, gets a job he no longer gets involved in meaningless violence. He
shows his masculinity in a more positive way.
QU 3:
Connections with Warriors but a more positive view of masculinity here.
Title:
Man Alone
Author:
John Mulgan
Date:
22/5/2003
QU 1:
Farm work conveys masculinity through the rural nature of the job. Johnson goes out to
`do it alone' in the big, wide world. A modest income with hard work appears give him
an air of masculinity. “There isn't any better country than this, not where a man can go
about and get work, and stop when he wants to, and make money when he needs it and
take a holiday when he feels ready for one."
QU 2:
The society is very farm and rural orientated and there is an impression of `every man for himself.'
QU3:
Foreskin's Lament is a text with similar notions of the classic kiwi bloke. The other texts also suggest
masculinity displayed through an emotionless, staunch and tough exterior.
Title:
Farmhand
Poet:
James K Baxter
Date:
24/5/2003
QU 1:
Portrayal is shown through working on the land. Very shy of women but at home with the farm work
he undertakes.
QU 2:
He is single and working on the farm - it is his life. Isolated but not lonely. Content with the lifestyle.
QU 3:
Obvious connections with Man Alone. Both characters work hard on the land. Both are quiet ‘no frills’
type of men.
Report: Representations of Masculinity in Literature
Masculinity is a theme that features prominently in New Zealand literature. In selecting the texts Once
Were Warriors and What Becomes of the Broken Hearted (films directed by Lee Tamahori and Ian
Mune), Foreskin's Lament by Greg McGee, Man Alone by John Mulgan, and ‘Farmhand’ by James K
Baxter, I am aware that my selection portrays a somewhat stereotypical view of men in a Kiwi society
The texts I have used in my investigation tend to associate masculinity with a rural or lower class
lifestyle, violence or alcohol consumption. Portrayals of masculinity have changed between texts set in
the 1930 - 50s and those with more contemporary settings. The central characters all must deal with
masculinity and the pressures related to it which ultimately shape their roles in the texts.
How masculinity shapes the character
As shown in Once re Warriors to be a ‘real’ man and to be considered masculine is to inflict violence.
Warriors contains numerous scenes of Jake Heke, the central character, using his fists to prove his
masculinity. The arrogant and explosive character single-handedly beats a man unconscious in front of
an awe struck pub crowd. The attribute of physical potency is a concept that is strongly associated
with masculinity. Tough and `masculine' behaviour as shown in the film appears to warrant respect
and admiration from others. This belief is also obvious in Foreskin's Lament. Instead of continuous
confrontations however, this physical toughness is exposed through rugby, the sport that is "more than
just a game." Seymour, affectionately known to his friends as Foreskin witnesses the lengths Ken will
go to is order to appear `fine' when his life was in grave danger before a rugby match. The `she'll be
right' attitude is often employed to avoid the so-called `unmanly' act of exposing true beliefs or
feelings. The team mentality is seemingly an epitome of masculinity in Foreskin's Lament, and also in
Warriors in a more perverse form of ‘team’ through the gang associations when Jake's son Nig turns to
Toa Aotearoa after becoming disillusioned with family life. This could be put down to a desire to
express extreme macho behaviour, a substitute for family life and a ‘team’ in which maleness is
valued. It is worth noting another softer side to masculinity in What Becomes of the Broken Hearted
though. The reformed Jake helps his son Sonny in times of need. Jake feels proud of what he is doing
and feels that he is conducting himself in a masculine way, which is far removed from Jake, the
vicious pub brawler in Warriors.
On the flipside as shown in the novel Man Alone and the poem ‘Farmhand’, to be masculine one has
to work on the land, to work and provide for oneself, to be a ‘no frills’ independent man. Johnson the
main character in Man Alone, lives “mainly on the birds he could shoot” working often in rugged
conditions in the Waikato and central North Island. There is a sense of satisfaction from this masculine
lifestyle which is contrast to the violent and alcohol dominated maleness of Warriors or Foreskin’s
Lament. When Johnson says that “there isn’t any country better than this”, he shares a satisfied
oneness with nature also evident in Baxter’s poem ‘Farmhand’:
“But ah in harvest watch him;
Forking stooks, effortless and strong-“
The farmhand is unsure and uncomfortable with the opposite sex in one aspect of his masculinity. On
the other hand he is totally secure and content with his life on the land, where he “listens like a lover to
the song…of a new tractor engine.”
Masculinity’s place in society
Homophobia and misogyny are rampant in Foreskin's Lament. Women and homosexuals are mocked,
ridiculed and thought of as inferior. Women are known as ‘fluff' and the homosexual Larry is
constantly taunted about being a ‘poof.’ The women in the text are apparently corruptive of a `pure'
male world for which rugby stands. Even the university educated Seymour is seen as too much brains
and not enough brawn. The disrespect towards homosexuals and women is evident in Once Were
Warriors, where a boy is branded a `poofter' for not conforming to the so called manly and criminal
behaviour of his peers, while Jake frequently orders his wife to ‘just to what you're told’. Failure to
comply means violence, as witnessed by Jake’s vicious attack on Beth when she refuses to cook some
eggs for one of the men at the party. The belief that failure to live up to masculine expectations merits
Excellence

Consistently
develops original
insightful
judgements that
are integrated
with supporting
evidence
throughout the
report.

Addresses the
third key
question
effectively
(similarities
between texts)
throughout the
report by
synthesising
judgements
based on findings
drawn from more
than one source.
Findings are
integrated
with
perceptive
judgements
based on
more than
one source.
Develops a
perceptive
judgement,
contrasting
with
comments
about
previous
texts.
such humiliations is the accepted norm in these texts, but these homophobic and misogynist attitudes
are seen as less than acceptable in New Zealand society today.
It is interesting to note the time frames in which texts were set and how this relates to different aspects
of masculinity as seen in the society they portray. Man Alone is the text set in the oldest time period of
the texts in my investigation. Set in the 1930s it depicts masculinity through the main character's
encounters with a demanding rural lifestyle. Johnson is a hard working man with modest earnings but
is prepared to `do it alone'. These ideas are undoubtedly related to what would have been the typical
way of life for many New Zealand men in the early 1930s. This rugged self sufficient masculinity is
similar to that suggested in ‘The Farmhand’, but the negative side is that both characters experience
isolation.
This contrasts with the ‘team’ masculinity seen in Foreskin's Lament, a text set in the 1980s. The
‘pack’ approach concentrates more on the concepts of mateship and the stereotypical bloke who
conforms to the kiwi identity of playing rugby,consuming alcohol and being one of the boys.
Ironically it is the solitary individuals like Johnson or Baxter’s farmhand who are more content with
their isolated versions of maleness, than the lonely and disconnected Foreskin who reveals how he
lacks a sense of identity in the play’s closing words: “When they really ask you whaddarya but really,
really you don’t know.” The most recently produced of the texts Once Were Warriors (1994) and
What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? (1999) feature modern day poor urban settings, characterised
by alcohol, crime and unemployment. Against this backdrop Jake proves his masculinity often through
alcohol fueled violence in Warriors, but a more positive helping aspect of his masculinity is revealed
by a reformed Jake in Broken Hearted.
Conclusion
The way masculinity is portrayed hinges on social climate, setting and circumstance surrounding the
central male characters. In all texts there is a strong trend towards physical authority and an
emotionless staunch manner which all contribute to the view of a stereotypical ‘Kiwi bloke.’ These
concepts appear frequently in New Zealand literature, perhaps in an attempt to describe kiwi
masculinity as false or shallow, to suggest that New Zealand men ‘once were warriors’ but that the
nobility and mana that traditionally entailed is now lost. The aspect of masculinity involving violence,
particularly in Once Were Warriors and the deliberate parallels drawn to the warrior like personalities
of Maori could perhaps be traced back to colonial clashes with Pakeha men. Texts such as Foreskin’s
Lament, Man Alone and ‘Farmhand’ present masculinity as rural, isolated and rugby obsessed. Apart
from Seymour's character in Foreskin's Lament, masculinity is scarcely portrayed beyond the
uncompromising exterior that many people have become accustomed to associating masculinity with
in New Zealand.
Develops
perceptive
original
judgement.
Continues
to
synthesise
judgements
based
on
findings
across
several
sources.
Presents well
supported
findings.
Findings are
integrated
with
perceptive
judgements
based on
more than one
source .
Conclusion
synthesises
and
summarises
findings.
Original
perceptive
insights
included.
Selects information from a range of
referenced sources.
Bibliography
Baxter James K. (1979) ‘Farmhand’ in Collected Poems. Oxford University Press, Wellington
McGee, Greg. (1981) Foreskin's Lament Currency Press Ltd, Sydney
Mulgan, John. (1949) Man Alone. AH and W Reed, Auckland
Tamahori, Lee. (1994) Once Were Warriors. Communicado, Auckland
Mune, Ian. (1999) What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? Universal Pictures International
Exemplar B
Merit
In search of: Masculinity in New Zealand Literature as explored in Hang On A Minute Mate, Once Were Warriors,
The Book of Fame, ‘The Tomcat’.
Selects information from a range of
referenced sources.
Key Questions
1. How is masculinity presented in the society portrayed?
2. How important is the main character’s sense of masculinity?
3. What connections can be made between the portrayal of masculinity
between texts and our society?
Resource Log
Selects information from a range
of referenced sources.
Title: Once Were Warriors
Director: Lee Tamahori
Date of Entry: 20 May 2003
1. Masculinity is portrayed as being physically tough, feared by others and therefore respected. This is because
the society in this film is mostly urban, working class Maori. They often spend time at the local pub, where
Jake shows his physical toughness by brawling with other people. The patrons at the pub congratulate Jake
whenever he does this.
2.
Jake feels that it is very important for him to "be the man", and he believes he does this through his physical,
violent nature. "Our people, once were warriors ...they had mana" this statement by Beth suggests that
although Jake may be feared, he does not command mana and respect.
3.
Very different to Hang on a Minute Mate, where masculinity is sharing a relationship with nature and the
land. This may be due to the different cultures of the main characters (Maori and Pakeha) or different time
periods (1950s -1960s and 1980s - 1990s).
Title: Hang on a Minute Mate
Author: Barry Crump
Date of Entry: 15 May 2003
1. Masculinity is portrayed as being a "jack of all trades", someone who shares a relationship with the land.
This is because the society of this novel is working class rural pakeha New Zealand, where the "typical kiwi
bloke" is a drifter, who does odd jobs in order to make a living.
2.
The main character of Sam Cash is made out to be the epitome of masculinity. However in this novel, Sam
doesn't care what others think of him nor does he try to be the definition of masculinity - a drifter who uses
his many skills to make a living, it is simply in his nature to do so.
3.
The type of employment that Sam and Jack do throughout this novel are similar to the positions held by the
All Blacks in The Book Of Fame. Both Sam, plus Jake from Once Were Warriors, have a similar derogatory
attitude towards women.
Title: The Book of Fame
Author: Lloyd Jones
Date of Entry: 12 May 2003
1. A group of New Zealand rugby players are touring the United Kingdom, France and America.
Within this society masculinity is portrayed as being a great rugby player, a belief held by the New
Zealand public in this novel, who took great pride in the numerous successes of the national team.
2.
Although not specifically defined as masculinity, in New Zealand in the 1900s playing rugby was a
manly thing to do. A sense of masculinity is not necessarily that important to the characters in this
novel, but playing rugby is important to them.
3.
Rugby in New Zealand is regarded as a tough game, where the players were staunch. This is
similar to Jake in Once Were Warriors where he is portrayed to be extremely tough.
Title: 'The Tomcat'
Poet: James K Baxter
Date of Entry: 22 May 2003
1. The society of this text is middle-class New Zealand, the conformity of which Baxter despises. The
"tight-furred scrotum" is symbolic of the tomcat keeping his masculinity, and not being "doctored".
2.
For Baxter, a sense of masculinity is extremely important. He believes that the middle class
conformist society of New Zealand is destroying men's masculinity. By letting the tomcat be, he is
keeping its sense of masculinity intact.
3.
In Once Were Warriors fighting is an important part of how masculinity is defined, this is to the
tomcat as he has “badges of bouts and fights.” However Baxter is saying that masculinity is being
destroyed as opposed to stating what he believes masculinity is, which is a contrast to the other
texts.
Report
MASCULINITY IN NEW ZEALAND LITERATURE
In New Zealand literature, masculinity is portrayed and defined in a number of ways. I selected a
range of texts including ‘The Tomcat’ by James K Baxter, Once Were Warriors, a film by Lee
Tamahori, Hang on a Minute Mate, a novel by Barry Crump, and The Book of Fame, a novel by
Lloyd Jones. These texts brought up a number of issues which I explore in my report below.
How is masculinity presented in the society portrayed?
In both Hang on a Minute Mate and The Book of Fame, New Zealand is made out to
be a largely rural country. In Hang on a Minute Mate, set in the late 1960s, the main characters of
Sam and Jack travel the length of New Zealand doing odd jobs in rural areas. They make out a real
man as a bloke who is a "jack of all trades", in effect living off his ability to perform rural duties.
This same image of masculinity is also alluded to in The Book of Fame, where the jobs held by the
touring team are mostly rural positions. This adds to the portrayal of the New Zealand man being
rurally inclined. In both of these texts the characters share a despising attitude towards city life. It is
ironic that in Once Were Warriors, the Heke family becomes disillusioned with the city and return to
their tribal roots in rural New Zealand.
Part of being a man in Once Were Warriors and Hang on a Minute Mate is consuming beer at the
local pub. The local pub in Once Were Warriors is like a second home to Jake, a place where he can
drink with his mates, proving his masculinity. In Hang on a Minute Mate, Jack and Sam spend most
of their free time at various pubs and inns, where they "spin yarns over a pint" with local males. This
is portrayed as a key occurrence for kiwi males. In Once Were Warriors, director Lee Tamahori
argues that alcohol is destroying New Zealand society. He does this by showing the violence and
destruction caused by Jake whilst under the influence of alcohol, and Bully's rape of young Gracie
when drunk after a party at Jake's. The portrayal of over-indulgence of alcohol is very common in
New Zealand literature. This powerful depiction provides us with a truth about New Zealand
society; that maybe we rely on alcohol too much.
How important is the main character’s sense of masculinity?
In Once Were Warriors and Hang on a Minute Mate, part of the main character’s respective
definitions of masculinity is having a derogatory attitude towards women. In Once Were
Warriors, Jake beats his wife frequently. This shows Jake's extremely negative attitude towards
women. He thinks of Beth as something he owns and he undervalues her. In Hang on a Minute
Mate Sam describes women as "a waste of time and a nuisance". He speaks of his previous
girlfriends with a tone of bitterness and says, "a man's better off without a woman to keep you
Merit
 Forms several
judgements linked
to a range of
findings, but
further
development
required for
excellence.
 Does not present a
sufficient level of
perceptive
judgements needed
for excellence.
Limited exploration
of the ‘wider links
to society’ aspect
of key question 3.
Forms
judgement
s based on
findings.
Presents well
supported
findings.
Develops
several
judgements
Perceptive
across report
judgement
which
integrating
makes
morewider
than one
societal
source.links,
but needs to be
more closely
aligned to
masculinity
theme.
Insufficient
development of
these
judgements
across the report
for excellence.
down". Through these texts comes the idea that New Zealand is a pioneer, male dominated
society.
One of the key issues of masculinity brought forward in Once Were Warriors, ‘The Tomcat’, a
poem by James K Baxter and The Book of Fame is fighting, being tough and the macho attitudes
involved. In Once Were Warriors, Jake is considered "the man" because of his very physical and
violent nature. This sense of masculinity is very important to Jake. However, when Beth says
"Our people Jake, once were warriors... they had mana", she suggests that having mana and
respect is what masculinity is, and that drunken brawls and wife beating will not bring this about.
Similarly in ‘The Tomcat’ Baxter implies that fighting and violence is an important part of
masculinity. Baxter uses the tomcat to be symbolic of masculinity with "badges of bouts and
fights". The touring rugby team in The Book of Fame are treated as heroes, because of their
rugby ability. Rugby at that time in New Zealand was considered a real man's game because of
its toughness and its brutality. Because of New Zealand's tough colonial past, macho attitudes are
frequent in both literature and society today.
Presents well
supported
findings.
Develops
several
judgements
across report
integrating
more than one
source.
Conclusion
makes
thoughtful wider
societal links.
Insufficient
development of
these
judgements
across the report
for excellence.
Selects information from a range of
referenced sources.
In conclusion, I have found many issues relating to masculinity were raised in the texts I
studied. From alcohol's role in New Zealand through to macho attitudes to sport and violence,
the way masculinity was explored in these is still a disturbingly accurate reflection of aspects
of New Zealand society today. Our society's weaknesses – the violence, the anger, the alcohol
- rather than our strengths have been the inspiration for the way our authors and directors have
presented masculinity.
Bibliography
Baxter, James K. (1979) ‘The Tomcat’ in Collected Poems. Oxford University Press, Wellington
Crump, Barry. (1961) Hang on a Minute Mate. Holder Moa Beckett, Auckland
Jones, Lloyd. (2000) The Book of Fame. Penguin Books, Auckland
Tamahori, Lee. (1994) Once Were Warriors. Communicado, Auckland
Exemplar C
Achievement
In search of: Race Relations in New Zealand Literature as explored in Sons for the Return Home, Once Were Warriors, Crooked Earth, ‘Clenched
Fist’, ‘Sad Joke on a Marae’
Proposes research questions which expand
understandings of the topic.
Key Questions
1. What race relation issues/problems do the characters of each text face?
2. What influence does the setting or context have on the race relations in each text?
3. What connections are there between the race relations in this and other texts?
Resource Log
Selects information from a
range of referenced sources.
Once Were Warriors by Alan Duff (NOVEL)
4 May 03
1. The characters of this text try to deal with the affluence of the white man, and their own apathetic
attitude to life, living from dole cheque to dole cheque. This is shown when Jake quits his job because
"the government is stupid enough to pay him to do nothing". The Maori characters express their envy
with violence "let’s get out of here before I find one of those white shits and punchim".
2. The relative squalor of the state housing in Pine Block perhaps fuels the apathy of the Maori who live
there, and they envy the Tramberts, just over the back fence. The marae at Wainui with its depictions
rich in history and culture perhaps persuades Beth to bring some of that back to her struggling people.
3. Negative stereotypes are also reflected in ‘Sad Joke on a Marae’.
Sons For The Return Home by Albert Wendt (NOVEL)
11 May 2003
1. The Samoan main character is who this text focuses on. He is having a relationship with a papalagi
(pakeha) woman, but the race relations in this text go deeper than that. He is also having a relationship
with his adopted country, the one that he has come to love, and is torn between that and the ideals of
Samoa, his country of birth.
2. The context is the most important part of the race relations in this text. At first, the main character
refuses to become part of his adopted country, treating it as and over long holiday. He soon becomes
involved against his will, and is drawn to love New Zealand. His trip around the North Island, and his
wonder at its beauty is an example of this.
3. This text is not very similar to any of the others I have studied. It suggests the white man to be a cruel
oppressor, ignorant of the ways of the people he is conquering (a la ‘Clenched First’, Crooked Earth,
Once Were Warriors). It is more about a man finding his feet in a strange country.
Clenched Fist by Witi Ihimaera (SHORT STORY)
14 May 2003
1. One character in this text is trying to convince the other that Maori should not bow down to the pakeha
regime. This is at first the only conflict in this story, until the end when a black woman is almost run
down by youths in a car who scream at her "Get back you black bitch". Api is also infuriated when
photographed by a tourist, furious at being treated like a walking museum piece - "a real live Maori".
2. The context of this story gives an impression of two Maori with jobs, and doing fairly well for
themselves.
3. Maori nationalism is very similar to that in Crooked Earth. Alcoholism again "come to the pub,
brother, he said. Meet some of the boys".
Crooked Earth directed by Sam Pillsbury (FILM)
20 May 2003
1. The characters of this text are trying to recover land stolen from them by white settlers, (now owned by
the crown) who are now proposing a forestry deal. It also involves a rift between two groups of Maori,
those who would rather their land returned to them in whatever state (they threaten to burn it to the
ground) and those who would prefer to play along with the pakeha and deal with the minister.
2. The rural context of this text makes the relations seem more realistic. The land under dispute is a large
section of forest at the foot of a sacred mountain. The group of Maori who want the land returned are
growing pot under the cover of the trees.
3. The stereotypes of this text are evident in others, Once Were Warriors. Alcoholism, squalid living,
‘Clenched Fist’ – Poverty, Maori nationalism.
‘Sad Joke on a Marae’ by Apirana Taylor (POEM)
25 May 2003
1. This poem is about someone who has forgotten his heritage "In the only Maori I knew", he does not
speak the language, and he quotes DB and the pub as his tribe and home.
2. The marae is the context of this text, and from the descriptions of the carvings and ghosts on the walls,
"the tekoteko raged / He ripped his tongue from his mouth and threw it at my feet".
3. This poem is in ways similar in theme to Once Were Warriors - Maori loss of heritage. Again, the
common stereotypes show through: alcoholism, violence.
Report
Race Relations In New Zealand Literature
Achievement
Presents findings with
a number of
conclusions linked to
key questions 1 and 2.
My investigation examined race relations in New Zealand literature. The texts I chose gave a
disturbing portrayal of this. A common theme of distrust, alcohol and violence carried
through Once Were Warriors by Alan Duff, Crooked Earth directed by Sam Pillsbury and
‘Clenched Fist’ by Witi Ihimaera. Maori and Polynesians in my texts felt alienated. Racism
fostered from childhood escalated to hatred as portrayed in Sons For The Return Home by
Albert Wendt. Lastly, the theme of lost culture and heritage is featured in ‘Sad Joke On A
Marae’ by Apirana Taylor.
More development of
judgements linked to
question 3
(connections between
texts) required to
achieve merit.
What race relation issues/problems do the characters of each text face?
Pakeha are shown as the enemy of the characters in most of my texts. Beth Heke sits and
sighs, wishing her family could be like the affluent white farmers who live across her back
fence -The Tramberts. Jake Heke is unashamedly racist, and his violent nature leaks into his
racism. He is angry when the family visits the posh area of Ainsbury Heights. Finally after
begging from his wife, he leaves, with his comment "Let's get out of here before I find one of
those white shits and punchim".
In Crooked Earth a band of Maori cowboys shoot a white farmer who is farming on land they
believe to be theirs, and burn his wool shed. They refuse to deal with the crown, and mount a
pseudo uprising. They want their ancestral land back, and have given up on peaceful means.
This portrayal of racism is in sharp contrast to that of ‘Clenched Fist’. This is the only one of
my texts where racism was portrayed in the opposite way, pakeha violence or prejudice
towards Maori. A white tourist snaps a picture of Api, as if capturing a native in his natural
habitat - "I could have mangled the white bastard. I tell you brother, we're just objects, caged
animals in a zoo, entertainment for the tourists.”
Another of my texts, Sons for the Return Home, highlighted a different problem. The main
character is an immigrant from the Pacific islands. He does not fit into his adopted country,
and refuses to make ties because he sees his stay there as temporary. His upbringing trains
him to be racist, and asked why he doesn't like Maori, he can find no reply. He simply knows
Presents
well
supported
findings.
Some brief
judgements
made across
texts, but
not
developed
as required
for merit.
Presents well
supported findings.
that "...the worst fights are between Islanders and Maoris". He falls in love with a papalagi
(pakeha) girl, and when they decide to get married, his mother objects - she doesn't want her
children to be half castes. What is portrayed is straightforward hatred and envy.
What influence does the setting or context have on the race relations in each text?
Blood and bottles are the staples of Maori life in Pine Block, the home of the Heke family of
Once Were Warriors. Jake Heke is unhappy without fresh blood on his fists and a cold beer
in his belly. Beth Heke is a woman with dreams, but they are destroyed by her poverty and
her husband's fists. She, like many others, drowns her sorrow in alcohol. Their children are
neglected, huddling close to one another as a violent drunken party smashes the downstairs of
their home. They clean up the next day without a word. The eldest, Nig is a gang prospect,
and the rest think that they have no other option but to follow in their parents' footsteps.
Presents well
supported findings.
The alcoholism and squalid living conditions also run into Crooked Earth a family of nearly
twenty living in a dilapidated farmhouse decorated only by pictures of famous
revolutionaries, spray painted to the walls. Violence is also evident in Crooked Earth.
Presents
findings with
brief links
made to other
texts.
Even the title Once Were Warriors suggests that something is missing. Beth needs to go back
to her cultural context to find what it is. The difference between Pine Block Maori and
Wainui Maori, Beth's family, is marked, especially at Grace's funeral. Pine Block Maori do
not speak their language, understand their culture or their customs. When Grace's funeral is
over, Beth Heke mounts a crusade to enlighten her people.
Race relations are also influenced by context in ‘Sad Joke on a Marae.’ Apirana Taylor
writes "the tekoteko raged / He ripped his tongue from his mouth and threw it at my feet".
"Tihei Mauriora! In the only Maori I knew". This shows us that the narrator does not know
his past, and his lack of knowledge about his culture and the marae is shown when he speaks.
Conclusion
The portrayal of race relations in my texts was not a positive one. Stereotypes,
racism, and loss of culture, alcohol and crime were at the forefront. Maori culture is
shown as slowly decaying, taking the race with it. My texts were generally violent
and angry, and I believe this is a sad reflection on race relations in our society.
Brief judgements
included, but not
developed
sufficiently here
or elsewhere as
needed for merit.
Selects information from a range of
referenced sources.
Bibliography
Duff, Alan. (1990) Once Were Warriors. Tandem Press, Auckland
Ihimaera, Witi. (1972) Clenched Fist’ in Pounamu, Pounamu. Heinemann Educational, Auckland
Pillsbury, Sam. (1995) Crooked Earth. Pandora and Communicado
Taylor, Apirana. (1997) ‘Sad Joke On a Marae’ in An Anthology of New Zealand Poetry in English Oxford
University Press, Auckland
Wendt, Albert. (1973) Sons For The Return Home. Longman Paul , Auckland.
Exemplar D
Not achieved
In search of: A New Zealand Identity as explored in The Piano, ‘Whaling, ‘They Gave Her a Rise’, ‘The Making of a New
Zealander’, ‘The Hole That Jack Dug’.
Closed research questions 1 and 2 which do not
Key Questions
allow the student to expand understandings of the
1. Is the society portrayed a New Zealand society?
topic.
2. Is the main character a stereotype?
3. What connections can I make with other texts and the NZ identity theme?
Log
Does not meet the second criterion.
Title: The Making of a New Zealander
Limited information selected from
only three of the five named
Author: Frank Sargeson
sources.
Date 26/4/03
1. It is a farming society.
2. Yes – a farm worker working on the land. Nick is a Dalmatian settler who becomes a New
Zealander.
3. Connects with other texts where workers do not have many choices.
Title: They Gave Her A Rise
Author: Frank Sargeson
Date 29/4/03
1. Very working class.
2. Main character is single mother. Daughter works at an ammunition factory.
3. Both working and struggling for money.
Title: The Hole That Jack Dug
Author: Frank Sargeson
Date 30/4/03
1. Common NZ. Household.
2. Main character is uneducated, wife is educated.
3. Can be connected to ‘Whaling’ – not doing what he wants to do.
Report
Development of a New Zealand Identity
My report's focus is to see how the New Zealand identity is portrayed in New Zealand art and
literature. The texts I chose come from the early nineteenth century - The Piano - to the
1940s -in Frank Sargeson's short stories. Even though these texts may not be very modern,
you can still see that there are a number of different factors that are in them which link to my
theme.
New Zealand Society
In the short story ‘The Hole that Jack Dug’ and in the song ‘Whaling’, the male
belongs to the working class. In "The Hole that Jack Dug", Jack is a married man
who a worker at a quarry. His wife doesn’t like that he does not get a better job, such
as one in an office. Even though Jack has the ability to get a better job, he prefers
labouring than anything else. In ‘Whaling’ this man is stuck as a whaler for a job,
possibly because he lacks proper education. "But I'm whaling... Not where I want to
be." This lack of education forced him into a job he didn't want, which might have
been what men had to do at the time.
Not achieved
Presents some information
and attempts to draw
conclusions.
Findings are generally
inadequate and
unsubstantiated. The
conclusions drawn are not
convincing.
Some attempts made
to link resources, but
superficial and
unconvincing
.
conclusions drawn
Findings do not
adequately address
key questions.
This brings up another issue of women being better educated than men. This can be
seen in ‘The Hole that Jack Dug’ where Jack's wife is educated in England. "... she'd
been a governess ... read more than ten books by an author called Hugh Walpole."
Because she is interested in literature and Jack isn't, their marriage isn’t a very good
one. Jack shows rebellion against her and her interests, because of her resentment
towards him. This can be seen as New Zealand not valuing education during the
time which led to people like Jack having working class jobs. These working class
jobs can be seen as a New Zealand tradition. Jack and the Whaler were both
labourers, a line of work which has continued its way into our modern times. This is
evident by the fact the New Zealand has a successful farming industry which
requires a large amount of labour. It can also be linked to today's New Zealand men,
who are do it yourself type people who like to fix things themselves.
Men and women have not always got along well, as seen in Jane Campion's film The Piano.
The Piano follows a widow and her daughter. The widow has been married by her father to a
New Zealand settler. Because Ada is mute and the fact that she wasn't very willing to be
married creates problems with her new husband. Ada enjoys playing the piano, an issue that
her husband doesn't care too much about. Ada also has an affair with one of her husband's
workers which makes him so angry that he cuts off her finger.
This conflict between men and women can be seen today in the form of sexism and
increasing divorce rates. This is also shown in ‘ The Hole that Jack Dug’ where Jack's wife
convinces him that the hole was a bad idea and gets him to refill it. This is seen today as
women overcome sexism. People like Helen Clark are elected in high positions in our
society instead of men.
Stereotypes
In all of the short stories that I studied, one issue became clear: men don’t say much. This is
shown in the ‘They Gave her a Rise’ and ‘The Making of a New Zealander’, both by Frank
Sargeson. In ‘They Gave her a Rise’ the male in the story doesn’t say much. In ‘The Making
of a New Zealander’, there is a young farmhand. Even though the story is centered around
him, the narrator says very little- "Maybe there's nothing in it and maybe there is." This is
often hard to understand, which is maybe why they didn't say much.
It is clear that there are many different sides to the New Zealand identity and they are shown
in great depth and detail in NZ literature, and that there are indeed many different viewpoints
of it. In the majority of my texts the issue of working class was dealt with more than the other
issues. The importance of working class is still seen in modern NZ society. I think it is a
good thing that these issues have had the effect they have because if society keeps advancing,
then so will our sense of identity.
Unsubstantiated
.
findings
Unsubstantiated
findings.
Findings not linked
to key question.
Unsubstantiated
conclusions.
Selects information from a range of
referenced sources.
Bibliography
Campion, Jane. (1992) The Piano. Miramax
Dobbyn, Dave. (1984) ‘Whaling’ in DD Smash
Sargeson, Frank. (1936) ‘They Gave her a Rise’, ‘The Making of a New Zealander’, ‘The Hole that Jack
Dug’ in Collected Stories (1964) Blackwood and Janet Paul, Auckland
Assessment schedule: 3.7
Complete independent research on a language or literature topic and present findings in written
form
Descriptor
AchievementPropose research questions that expand
understandings of a topic.
Example
Refer exemplar C on page 16 -18.
Select relevant information from a range
of referenced sources.
Merit
Present well supported findings.
Propose research questions that expand
understandings of a topic.
Refer exemplar B on page 13 15.
Select relevant information from a range
of referenced sources.
Present well supported findings that
develop judgements.
Excellence Propose research questions that expand
understandings of a topic.
Select relevant information from a range
of referenced sources.
Present well supported and integrated
findings that consistently develop
original, perceptive judgements.
Refer exemplar A on page 9 - 12.