WILL
Maria Boyd
TEACHING SUPPORT
KIT
Compiled by Samuel Goodwin,
Caulfield Grammar, Victoria
WILL
Teaching Support Kit
CONTENTS
NOTES
Introduction
Notes from the author
Characters
Imagery & metaphors
Themes
Will Armstrong
Chris Holden
Elizabeth Zefferelli
Mark Newman
Zachariah Cohen
Primal imagery
The vegie patch
Metaphors and analogies
Stereotypes
Growth
Grief
3
4
6
7
8
8
9
11
11
12
13
13
14
ACTIVITIES
Chapter response questions
Topics for class discussion
Writing tasks
Oral presentations
Essay topics
17
19
20
21
23
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Visit www.randomhouse.com.au/readingguides for information
on other Random House Australia teaching support kits and
reading guides.
Copyright © Random House Australia 2008
Will 2
WILL
Teaching Support Kit
NOTES
INTRODUCTION
Maria Boyd’s insightful look into the world of adolescent boys tells the story of Will,
a generally good-natured and well-meaning individual caught in arrested
development. Expected to demonstrate responsibility and a commitment to
academic excellence, Will is preoccupied with a desire for escape and simplicity: he
cites his ‘doona, TV and guitar’ (p. 93) as his refuge from a world with too many
expectations.
In a reckless display of acting out, Will bares his buttocks to a bus filled with
school girls, essentially demonstrating his inability to consider consequences and his
conflicted desire for attention. This act effectively serves as a catalyst for Will’s
redemption, as he is forced to participate in the school musical and to write an
extended study of the danger of stereotypes. Despite his indignance and reticence
towards socialising with the ‘bottom end’ of the school hierarchy (those who would
willingly participate in the school musical), Will discovers his true values and, due to
the widening of his social circle, learns how to treat others with respect and
consideration.
Adopting the persona of a Year 11 student, Boyd explores the conflict
between integrity and social expectation. Will’s insular perspective is torn between
an understanding of why others are concerned about his welfare and feelings of
resentment towards efforts to ask him the right questions. His expression of rage,
fear, frustration and sorrow gives Will sufficient pathos (feeling of sadness and pity)
to balance out the central character’s fumbling with staying cool in a world beyond
his comfort zone.
Will’s conflicted thoughts about his sense of morality and his inflated feelings
of injustice are experienced by many protagonists in teenage fiction: from Holden
Caulfield in Catcher in the Rye to Tobias Wolff in This Boy’s Life to central characters
in Hollywood films such as The Breakfast Club, Mean Girls and What’s Eating Gilbert
Grape?. Boyd’s novel gives a distinctly Australian voice to a familiar predicament: a
teenager on the brink of adulthood, struggling to exercise his will in an appropriate
fashion.
Will 3
NOTES FROM THE AUTHOR
Author inspiration
Maria Boyd writes:
‘Writers say that it is best when you write what you know, and considering I had
spent fourteen years of my life working with young people and more specifically the
last eight teaching boys, they are what I know. My day is full of their voices, their
stories, their “stuff”. But it’s more than just knowing. You have to somehow be
captivated by that world and most importantly believe in and be inspired by the
people and their stories.
‘There are so many individual stories within schools but, because of the way
the institution works, often these individuals and their stories can go unnoticed –
kids who are dealing with grief like Will, or coming to terms with their sexuality or
having to defend their sexuality like Mark, or always being the good kid like Chris, or
feeling different like the Freak, or who are negotiating boy/girl relationships for the
first time. I suppose in a way I wanted to pay tribute to young people’s resilience
and their capacity to rally together and support and protect each other. How they
often just get on with things and yet still manage to have a laugh.’
Writing style
Maria Boyd writes:
‘I knew that if young people were going to take Will seriously they would have to
believe that they were reading about real circumstances, real characters and real
issues. And since it was Will’s story, it was imperative that his voice was authentic.
That wasn’t hard because each time I sat down to write, it felt like he was already
there waiting to tell the next part of the story.
‘I especially wanted to capture Will’s internal thoughts, the ones that always
play in our head that other people never get to hear. That meant at times Will nearly
falls into stream of consciousness, like a voice-over in a movie. In a way he becomes
more real because we get to hear his vulnerabilities.
‘At the same time I wanted to try and capture that sense of fun and play that
so many boys have. Humour was an important balance to some of the heavy issues
that the book deals with. It was also a way of representing my observations of how
successfully boys do balance what goes on in their life.
‘A lot of people have already asked why I used I used bold for the dialogue
deliberately. I like the idea that presentation of text on a page can also create
meaning for the reader. Also, on a very pragmatic level, I thought bold would be
more effective. I’m convinced that young people like text to be broken up on the
page.’
Will 4
The writing process
Maria Boyd writes:
‘The first daft was finished in a term. It was a fantastic, frightening ride, where Will
and his mates seemed to just fall out on to the page. It was a skeleton version of
what Will is today but I have never deviated from the original story line. As soon as I
was done, I knew I had to get it into the hands of Will’s audience, so I asked some
boys at school to do a read and tell me honestly what they thought. And they did!
That set the pattern for every rewrite. As soon as I would finish, I made sure there
was always a select group of young people who let me know what they thought.
‘The hardest part of the process was the last three months before the final
publication. This is when I had to redraft the book three times, taking on board
editorial notes. I spent many hours every day frowning at a computer screen, making
sure that every single word fitted in just the right place so as to maintain the text’s
authenticity and integrity. It’s like I say to my students, every piece of writing has to
be drafted and redrafted if you want it to be at its best. But it was hard work, painful.
Somehow, though, you just trust that it will be worth it, or at least the characters are
worth it and finally you arrive at the end.
‘It has been worth it.’
Will 5
CHARACTERS
Will Armstrong
will, noun
1. the power of choosing one’s actions
2. the act or process of using or asserting one's choice; volition
Will’s choice of actions have become reckless during a prolonged stage of grief. The
absence of his father, someone for whom Will felt respect and admiration, has
caused Will to retreat into the adolescent state of belonging to the pack, avoiding
any potential humiliation or responsibility. Content to be recognised as a ‘soccer
playing skip’ (p. 29), Will’s desire is to be left alone and to associate with a small
group of childhood friends. His safe, cocooned world has left him, according to his
mother, ‘aimless and distracted’ (p. 34).
Will is not in touch with his emotions. Having become accustomed to
coasting on his boyishness, he has avoided evaluating the impact of his father’s
death, subconsciously fearful of the enormity of his grief.
The visceral metaphors employed by Boyd indicate the violent anxiety of Will
being forced to think about his father – images of intestinal turmoil involving
concrete and explosions cause Will to panic and retreat to avoid the fear. Instead,
Will opts for the most uncomplicated approach to life – sticking with the pack and
seeking attention by committing juvenile pranks – but his attitude ironically causes
him to be immersed in responsibility and to be confronted with his actions. He is
consequently segued into forced redemption, his punishment being involvement in a
‘geeky’ pursuit intended to provoke Will into thinking and behaving outside his
comfort zone, which eventually results in Will considering the predicaments of
others.
It is his reluctantly thoughtful approach that encourages his maturity: he
learns to have the courage to step outside of his self-image and demonstrate his
true values of loyalty, consideration and honesty.
‘So I’ve changed, who cares!’ (p. 29)
Like many adolescent boys, Will is preoccupied with seeking freedom from blame
and responsibility. Rather than sharing news of his potential expulsion, Will waits an
entire weekend to tell his mother, ostensibly protecting her feelings but in essence
avoiding the truth and the repercussions. This is the first indication that Will suffers
for his avoidance – his weekend is fraught with feelings of guilt and dread.
While Will attempts to hide behind the armour of machismo, the first person
narrative allows us to witness Will’s inner thoughts and emotions, comprehensively
exploring the difference between what he does and what he feels. This duality
creates feelings of both resentment and appreciation which consume many of Will’s
thoughts, suggesting that Will senses dignity and propriety but does not have the
resolve to stay true to these qualities. The seed is there, it just needs to be
nourished with encouragement, friendship and careful guidance.
Will 6
‘That was last year, sir! Things are different now! Everything is different! I’m
different!’ (p. 64)
There is a psychological theory that suggests that rage is depression turned inward.
Any catalyst that causes Will to reflect on his relationship with and absence of his
father causes him to react in an aggressive fashion in an effort to avoid the subject.
He considers walking away from Chris when his best friend broaches the subject,
and spitefully snipes at Zach with the stinging attack, ‘Do you think you’re the only
person in the world to have a fucking father?’ (p. 224).
Will wavers between denial and anger, suggesting arrested development in
processing his grief. Part of this denial is demonstrated in Will’s avoiding the dinner
table and retreating to his bedroom where he feels safe and secure. As he states: ’I
wanted to be left alone in complete blackness, in a void where I didn’t have to think,
where I didn’t have to remember, where there were no more images.’ (p. 226).
Will’s experiences reflect many of the conflicts faced by adolescent males:
the struggle to find one’s identity, the pressure to conform while holding on to
individual values; the inflated feelings of injustice and unfairness. Placing Will in a
single sex school with a single mother and missing father serves to highlight his
adolescent angst and preoccupation with self.
Chris Holden
Chris Holden is the epitome of the secure individual. Coming from a supportive
family environment where boundaries are set and abided by, Chris is used to
accepting and fulfilling responsibility without complaint or selfishness – his unfailing
care for his two-year-old sister Jess reflects Chris’s natural tendency to demonstrate
kindness and support, values that are easily apparent in his household.
While other boys are distracted by public opinion and are overly conscious of
status and reputation, Chris demonstrates an ‘open-door policy’ (p. 71) to people,
and he is able to move fluidly through a variety of social groups. Rather than shirking
responsibility and care for a friend in need, Chris does both Will and Zach a favour by
inviting them into his house to clean Zach up after he is dumped in a bin by his
adversaries. Chris’s ability to treat Zach with respect highlights his capacity as a ‘big
brother’ – he lends the boy clothes, then washes and dries his jeans and jacket
before dropping them off to him. This type of noble selflessness serves as an
indication of how a role model behaves.
‘He’s the closest thing I’ve got to a brother’ (p. 42)
Chris is Will’s confidante and moral compass, affording him unconditional comfort
and support, patiently waiting for his bereaved friend to find the right time to express
his grief. As Will relates, ‘We hadn’t talked about Dad since the day it happened.
That was the way I played it and Chris respected that.’ (p. 51). It is significant that it
is Chris to whom Will unleashes his sorrow and regret about his father’s passing as
he is the person Will finds refuge in – he knows that whatever he says or does, Chris
will not judge him.
Will 7
While Will exacerbates his angst by dwelling on negatives, Chris is positive
and practical in his approach. For example, he encourages Will to defer his paranoia
about Mark’s homosexuality to realise a more profitable consideration: that Elizabeth
is available to date. In the whirl of adolescence and suffocating guilt, Chris stands as
a rock in Will’s life.
Elizabeth Zefferelli
In Elizabeth, Will finds a force of nature with an irresistible spirit that is both
confronting and alluring: ‘All I could see were these bright, deep brown eyes, like
they were always ready to have some fun. And her mouth looked like it was
moulded into a permanent smile.’ (p. 98). For Will, Elizabeth epitomises what he
lacks – confidence and happiness – while her feisty and fiery nature encourages a
respect for strong, independent women, a feeling Will subconsciously feels for his
mother. Will’s respect for Elizabeth’s integrity is revealed when he cites the thing he
likes about her most: ‘she doesn’t spend any time thinking about what other people
think. She is who she is without any crap.’ (p. 143).
Elizabeth is a civilising influence on Will, allowing him to explore his sensitive,
expressive and considerate side. She teaches Will the value of cooperation,
teamwork and belonging and the rewards of being reliable, forcing him to step
outside of his resentment to appreciate the virtues of community effort: ‘it depends
on all of us to make something like this work and it doesn’t matter if you play in the
band or have a solo or are in the chorus, everyone has to do their job or it doesn’t
work’ (p. 184). Elizabeth also serves as a conduit for Will’s consideration of his
mother’s loss, which allows Will to gain a more objective and appreciative view of
life.
Elizabeth’s family life offers a sharp contrast to Will’s. She comes from a
home with clear boundaries and high expectations where there is a strong work
ethic and an insistence on honouring the family name. Elizabeth’s mother wants her
to go to Sydney University and there is pressure to perform to consolidate the
family’s efforts to have her educated at a prestigious school. Through Elizabeth, Will
learns the necessity of compromise and to appreciate how flexible and
accommodating his mother has been.
Essentially Elizabeth helps Will to discover his values and to value himself as
a worthwhile individual. Her revelatory assessment of Will – as being funny and able
to ‘get on well with all sorts of different people’ while having ‘a very quiet, sensitive
side’ that he shows to a handful of people – indicates a perception that sees beyond
stereotypes to provide a more accurate evaluation of a person.
Mark Newman
Mark is representative of the faults of first impressions in assessing a person’s
character. He defies Will’s opinions of his being ‘on himself’ (p. 103) by emerging as
Will 8
a friendly, humble person – hardly the ‘prom king’ (p. 125) that Will anticipated. In
Will’s world, Mark stands as somewhat of an enigma as he ‘operated just like the
boys, right down to the delivery of the St Andrews’ pisstake …’ (p. 142) and is the
image-confounding combination of ‘a good-looking guy who was smart, could sing
and dance and play football’ (p. 144). The emergence of a brave and distinct
individual who is both popular and different serves as a challenge for Will.
Through Mark, Will experiences his most significant conflict between
insecurity and conscience. Though he initially panics after Mark’s revelation that he
is gay, Will displays glimpses of empathy and self-admonishment: ‘It must have
taken a lot of guts for Mark to tell me he was gay and I’d turned around and treated
him like he has some kind of contagious disease’ (p. 154). Will’s most serious moral
misdemeanor occurs when he ‘blanks’ and ‘dogs’ Mark, indicating that he is
ashamed of Mark. Leaving his new friend in the lurch reflects Will’s weak character
when he is in the social spotlight. Will’s inability to stand up against ignorance and
disrespect is contrasted with Mark’s defiant attitude: ‘If you have a thing with me
being gay, that’s your problem. I’m not making any more apologies about it’ (p. 155).
Mark’s determination to let ‘other people … get over it, or not’ (p. 157) shows the
kind of dignity and integrity that Will lacks. As Mark informs Will: ‘It doesn’t mean
anything unless you back it up with what you do’ (p. 239).
As his surname suggests, Mark is a refreshing alternative to the young male
stereotype, able to combine the machismo of the sporting arena with the artistry of
the stage and the honesty and courage to be himself despite the threat of
humiliation. This sense of balance serves as an inspiration in the text.
Zachariah Cohen
The victim of bullying and the product of a single parent family, Zachariah Cohen
experiences many of the same dilemmas as Will, though he is at the opposite end of
the social spectrum. Like Will, Zach has lost a parent (his mother left when he was
nine) and he has internalised his grief. Zach’s decision to ignore those who torment
him and to get on with things as best he can foreshadows Will’s eventual
emancipation from rage and inner torment.
Zach allows Will to experience the benefits of tolerance, acceptance and care
for others. Initially referred to as the Year 7 ‘geek’ and ‘the annoyance machine’ (p.
100), Zach demonstrates sufficient devotion and respect for Will to earn acceptance
and fondness: ‘he was becoming bearable in an annoying kelpie cross fox terrier
puppy type of way’ (p. 134). As with a dog, Will has the choice to abuse Zach’s
loyalty, but instead he begins to demonstrate selfless qualities that are
uncharacteristic of the ‘typical’ adolescent male – he saves Zac from the bin and
replenishes the boy’s lunch box by applying some ‘gentle encouragement’ (p. 135)
on the bullies that hassle Zac. This kind of protection not only provides Zach with
some liberating street cred but distracts Will from his own self-absorption. Having
someone else to worry about offers Will some respite from often unnecessary worry
about himself: ’as he kept talking the washing machine continued to work through
its cycle until finally it switched to off’ (p. 95).
Will 9
Like those who Will respects and admires – Mark, Elizabeth, his father – Zac
is candid and expressive with his thoughts and beliefs: ‘he just said what was in his
head without worrying what anyone else thought’ (p. 170). This kind of blurting out,
while being a symptom of innocence, also indicates the virtues of acceptance. When
Zach hears about Mark’s sexuality, rather than ‘dogging’ him, he brims with
enthusiasm and encouragement, offering unreserved support and encouragement:
‘Wow, you’re the first real gay person I’ve ever met … Wait until I tell Dad about
you, Mark! He believes everyone should live their life the way they want to’ (p. 187).
This generosity of spirit impresses Will as it is not restricted by social expectation – it
is the kind of emotional honesty that Will will eventually become capable of.
Will 10
IMAGERY & METAPHOR
Primal imagery
Images of Neanderthal, pack-oriented primates are common in the text to suggest
how belonging to a large group can reduce an individual’s humanity and lead to
regression. The schoolyard is often illustrated as being primal, resounding with
zoological references to emphasise the frenzy of mob mentality. St Andrews’ recalls
a jungle with the ‘back beat of drums’ and a ‘revered ritual’ of a ‘restless pack’
‘sniffing the taste of freedom’ (p. 1). The school is divided into predators and prey –
sometimes game is brought down by ominous and systematic authority
(‘Waddlehead seized his prey’ (p. 2)), sometimes by gangs of bullies (the ‘Australian
white-bread boys … tracked and stalked … shoulders back and chins jutting forward’
(p. 218)). In this dog-eat-dog existence, it would seem that staying with the herd
allows the individual an element of disguise – standing out from the pack can result
in the slaughter of humiliation.
The novel suggests that each individual must emerge from the group to
show the courage to express themselves and thus access their humanity, making
them distinct from the primates and earning them dignity. Will has a tendency to
appear similar to simians (his baring of his backside is chimp-like; he describes
adopting an ‘I have the IQ of a baboon expression’ (p. 171)) but accesses his more
honorable, thoughtful side to evolve from his Neanderthal tendencies.
The vegie patch
As the chapter title ‘Planting the seed’ (p. 17) indicates, the Armstrongs’ vegie patch
is used figuratively to represent renewal, evolution and the positive effects of goal
sharing.
‘Come on, the soil is just about damp enough’ (p. 17)
Mrs Armstrong’s decision to work the soil in their backyard is an indication that she
wants to make a fresh start with life and with Will. For a time she sat and mourned
her husband’s loss, but the energy and conviction with which she undertakes her
horticultural therapy shows her spirited determination to do something positive and
meaningful, offering her and her son not only physical activity and a vent for built-up
frustration, but a place where they can ‘bond’ and regroup as a family structure. In
essence, plants grow and die just like humans, so with death must come new life
for things to grow – the vegie patch is symbolic of this theory.
The garden is used to describe Will’s experience of denial and anger. To vent
his frustration about his punishment, Will uses the garden as a safe outlet for his
rage: ‘That afternoon the vegie patch got a real workout … I threw the weeds I was
ripping out at the back fence, imagining they were sections of Andrews’s hair’ (p.
118). The agricultural analogies are furthered when Will uses the metaphor of
Will 11
fertiliser to indicate his tendency to brood and internalise: ‘That’s what the difference
was: with these little buggers, if you piled shit on them they actually started to grow.
If you kept piling shit on me, I’m just going to keep living in it.’ (p. 118).
Metaphors & analogies
Metaphorical language is used to describe the myriad emotions felt by Will during
his rites of passage.
Vivid and visceral comparisons highlight Will’s inner turmoil and emotional angst:
the fever of embarrassment is described as being ‘fire-engine red’ (p. 98) and
‘beginning to burn again … only this time the alarms were ringing and the smoke
was coming out of my ears’ (p. 109), while the intestinal nightmare of fear and
anxiety is felt in allusions to a ‘pile of concrete … in my gut’ (p. 220) and a ‘mini
explosion’ (p. 151).
Will uses the metaphor of bandages to suggest how he has tried to hide the
hurt caused by his father’s death, but the decision to start ‘ripping at the bandages
that had been caked on so long’ (p. 222) illustrates his determination to expose his
pain so that he can encourage the healing process.
Perhaps Will’s experiences in the text can be summed up with two
analogies. The first uses a surfing reference to suggest survival and achievement: ‘I
was riding the crest of what felt like the world’s biggest wave. I’d been dumped,
chewed up, nearly drowned and spat out, but now, right now, I felt like I was riding
it’ (p. 293). Further feelings of achievement are demonstrated when he compares his
involvement in the school musical to sports practice: ‘It was like we had all been
through a really painful, exhausting, super-long training session and now we were
getting ready for the semis … Even if I hadn’t done as many laps around the oval as
the others, today I was finally off the bench’ (p. 174).
Will 12
THEMES
Stereotypes
The very human tendency to place people into types for convenience and ridicule
thrives in the schoolyard, and is often practised by those insecure about their own
place in the social construct. TV shows such as Summer Heights High have satirised
the self-interest of characters such as Jamie, Mr G and Jonah, who manipulate their
own small worlds and reduce others to stereotypes in order to win the respect of
their peer group or to gain power or popularity.
Set in a single-sex Catholic school, Will illustrates a world where most
students gravitate towards a group that reflects their social identities, predominantly
determined by ethnicity, sporting prowess, appearance and involvement in artistic
pursuits. As Will observes: ‘We were mongrels, a hybrid of all the groups: a couple
of footy-heads, soccer players, good students and musos, assorted Filipinos, Lebs,
wogs and skips’ (p. 28).
In essence, Will adopts a hybrid of stereotypes to describe himself: ‘I was a
soccer-playing skip, an honorary wog’ (p. 29). He is overly conscious of and
concerned about how things are perceived by others and what other people think
about him, thus he seeks inclusion in a safe, accepted fraternity. The thing most
dreaded by many males is public humiliation, and being seen to be ‘geeky’ or ‘gay’ –
two of the less revered stereotypes – would seem to be the worst thing that could
happen to a boy. Staying with what seems ‘normal’ is often the safest way to avoid
rejection from the pack.
Through his interaction with a range of individuals that he is initially keen to
assign to type, Will learns the socially restricting effects of stereotyping and the
dishonesty of assumptions. The anomaly of a gay guy being good at sport, for
instance, confounds Will: ‘But Mark played footy. Maybe if he didn’t and he was just
in the musical, it would have made more sense’ (p. 147). Will learns about the
deceptive nature of assumptions and recognises that stereotyping is lazy and
misrepresentative of true identity. As he states: ‘If you pulled apart anyone you
knew, they could never be just a type because if you bothered to get beyond the
bullshit you’d get to see them as individuals’ (p. 304).
Growth
In exploring the world of adolescence, the text suggests that individuals don’t evolve
as a collective – just because a person is in a particular year level does not mean that
they are at the same stage of emotional and intellectual development as their
contemporaries. The considerable variables that either propel or suspend an
individual’s maturity – family background, sense of responsibility, consideration of
others’ feelings – are explored in a variety of characters.
Will’s mother and his English teacher Mr Andrews recognise that Will has
stalled his social development, so encourage him to see beyond the convenience of
Will 13
stereotypes to gain empathy and respect for others. As Mrs Andrews tells her son:
‘It’s not such a bad idea to get your head around the effect of judging before you
know anything about individuals, or countries for that matter. He’s right, the more
you exercise your critical thinking skills the more informed you’ll be’ (p. 121). The
novel subsequently demonstrates that recognising people as individuals rather than
groups will help understanding and tolerance to grow.
The characters who are not as consumed with the adolescent desire for
acceptance – predominantly Mark and Elizabeth – demonstrate greater maturity than
Will. The decisions they make are bold and are integral to their values, while their
loyalty and ability to accept others for who rather than what they are is indicative of
being more ‘grown-up’. They understand that life can be difficult and painful, and
that compromise is necessary for one to move forward in one’s life.
Will’s growth is impeded by his feelings of loss. His father’s car symbolises
Will’s state of arrested development – Will resists the implied expectation to take his
father’s place behind the wheel, indicating his reluctance to be adult and to accept
his father’s absence. Like Will, the car is stuck in a confined space ‘waiting for
someone to make it useful’ (p. 50).
Grief
Through the experiences of Will, Mrs Armstrong and Zachariah Cohen, Will
illustrates the effects of the various stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining,
depression and acceptance.
Leading up to the beginning of the novel, Will has been caught in the
arrested development of denial, choosing to avoid extended periods of personal
communication with others, preferring to retreat from the world. He states that since
January, he rarely sat at the table with his mother as his father’s presence still
loomed. Instead he seeks the distraction of the TV or his guitar, or merely escapes
into sleep. Essentially Will cocoons himself from hurt with apathy: ‘I didn’t care and I
didn’t want to care’ (p. 101). He talks of insulating himself from others, wrapped in a
figurative ‘oxygenated bubble’ (p. 196). Will resists opportunities to open up as he
expects the enormity of his tragedy to come crashing down on him: ‘It only left you
wide open for the destructo ball to come back and flatten you again’ (p. 101).
Will’s attempts to find strength and security by retreating to ‘normality’ –
places and situations where he doesn’t have to explore or express emotion – yet he
is conscious that while his regressive tendencies (mooning the school bus,
gladwrapping the teachers’ toilets) may offer him childish pleasure, they cannot
return him to a permanent stage of innocence or a place where his problems will
simply go away: ‘We both knew that the kind of normal I was talking about was
never going to happen’ (p. 151). It is only through conversation and confession and
by allowing himself to feel that Will is able to move through infantile bargaining to
other stages of bereavement.
When confronted with questions about his father, Will experiences irrational
bouts of anger that cause him to experience violent and spiteful impulses –
confronted with a choice of ‘fight of flight’, Will starts to forgo the escape to lash out
Will 14
at whomever he feels is cornering him into facing his fears. When Zachariah asks
about his father, Will’s response reflects his torment: ‘I dropped the bike again and
put my head in my hands, nearly pulling out every bit of hair that was attached to my
head to prevent myself from ripping out his’ (p. 195).
It is Will’s feelings of depression (‘I could feel the pull of the tunnel dragging
me down’ (p. 195)) that acts as a catalyst for change, his experience of running out
of places to hide forcing him to finally make a determined effort to ‘get rid of all the
crap that had lodged inside’ (p. 246). The subsequent outburst of resentment,
frustration and guilt allows Will to experience and analyse his feelings. He
expresses: feelings of anger towards his father for causing the predicament by going
to work; the frustration of not being able to assess something so powerful that it
‘has just blown your head away’ (p. 249); compassion and grief for his father’s ‘lying
there dead’ (p. 249). Will’s expression of grief finally allows him to feel better about
himself, and his honesty is warmly met by those that believe in him most: his
mother, his best friend and his girlfriend. Finally he heads towards a semblance of
acceptance of his immeasurable loss.
Will’s experience with grief can be contrasted with that of his mother and
Zachariah, both of whom have lost significant others in their lives. Zach has
experienced the same irrational and defensive fits of rage as Will, particularly when
cornered by other boys, while Mrs Armstrong seems to have experienced a level of
depression and bargaining in her own grieving process. The novel suggests,
therefore, that death affects individuals in distinct and varied ways and can take
significant time, effort and patience to come to terms with.
Will 15
WILL
Teaching Support Kit
ACTIVITIES
Will 16
CHAPTER RESPONSE QUESTIONS
1.
How is the schoolyard described in the first three chapters (pp. 1–9)? What
metaphors and imagery are used to complement the setting, and to what
effect?
2.
How is Mr Danielli depicted (pp. 10–16)? Compare him to a co-ordinator at
your school.
3.
What is in the initial picture given of Will’s home life (pp. 17–24)?
4.
Compile a list of the stereotypes described on pp. 27–29. How does Will
describe himself (p. 29)? How do these identities compare with the
stereotypes at your school?
5.
How is Mr Andrews described (pp. 30–31) and what is Will’s reaction to
him?
6.
What is Will’s punishment for mooning the school bus (pp. 32–37)? Do you
think this punishment is fair?
7.
How does Will’s mother react to his being punished at school (pp. 38–41)?
8.
In the chapter ‘Elective music’, Will introduces the music room and his best
friend Chris Holden (pp. 42–49). How are both described? What do they
mean to Will?
9.
According to Will, what do boys do on weekends (pp. 46–48)?
10.
How does Will describe his appearance (pp. 49–59)?
11.
Zachariah Cohen is introduced in the chapter ‘The freak’ (pp. 51–54). How is
he described and what is Will’s reaction to him?
12.
How is Brother Patrick depicted (pp. 55–58)?
13.
How does Will respond to Zach being thrown in the dumpster (pp. 65–69)?
What qualities does Will demonstrate?
14.
How is the Holden household described (pp. 70–76)? How does it compare
to Will’s family life?
15.
What is Will’s perception of ‘the new guy’ (pp. 79–80)?
Will 17
16.
What assignment does Mr Andrews give Will (pp. 88–91)?
17.
Who is ‘That girl!’ (pp. 96–99)? How does she represent a turning point for
Will?
18.
What is Will’s perception of the relationship between Elizabeth and Mark
(pp. 123–125)?
19.
Compare Will’s and Chris’s reactions to girls (pp. 126–128).
20.
Summarise Mark’s background and identity (pp. 139–146).
21.
What is Will’s reaction to Mark’s revelations (pp. 147–150)? How would you
respond to such news? Is it a typical reaction of a teenage male?
22.
What is Mark’s reaction to Will’s apology (pp. 154–159)?
23.
Summarise the conversation at the pizza place (pp. 183–192).
24.
How does Will react to Zach asking about his father (pp. 194–198)?
25.
Describe Will’s experience of playing in front of a school assembly (pp.
212–216).
26.
How do Mark and Will react to Mark being hassled at the tuck shop (pp.
217–225)?
27.
What does Brother Pat’s letter say about Will (pp. 227–229)? How does it
contrast with Will’s opinion of himself (pp. 229–233)?
28.
What does Will learn from Rounds One, Two & Three (pp. 237–245)?
29.
How does Will express his grief in ‘Meltdown’ (pp. 245–250)?
30.
What revelations does Will impart to Elizabeth (pp. 258–262)?
31.
What resolutions does the end of the book offer? How far has Will come
since the beginning of the novel?
Will 18
TOPICS FOR CLASS DISCUSSION
•
Will reacts with panic when he hears Mark’s revelation. Is this a typical
reaction of a teenage boy to news of this kind? What are the possible causes
for such a response?
•
What are stereotypes? What are they based on and how are they
perpetuated? Which stereotypes can be observed in the school and
community? How is stereotyping a form of prejudice?
•
How has Will dealt with his father’s absence? How does that compare with
his mother’s attempts to continue with her life? Is their behaviour typical of
people that are suffering a loss?
•
Will is in many ways a rites of passage story. What are the usual rites of
passage for a teenager? What are the pivotal experiences in Will that help
shape the protagonist into an adult?
•
You are a teacher whose role it is to reform Will. What strategies would you
put into place to achieve this goal? How successful is Mr Andrews in helping
Will?
•
The theme of teenage redemption has been explored in many films: The
Breakfast Club, Mean Girls, Clueless, Dead Poet’s Society, Stand By Me,
Donnie Darko. How do Will and a variety of film texts explore this theme?
•
How does Chris serve as a best friend and moral compass for Will? What
aspects of Chris’s lifestyle and behaviour lead to Will’s admiration and
respect?
•
What is Will’s problem?
•
Where does Will find refuge from his problems? Is it escape or confrontation
that allows him to redeem himself?
•
How effective is Will at representing the teenage experience? What aspects
of the text do you recognise as authentic?
•
Imagine the author is writing a sequel to Will. What would you like to see
happen and which character would you most like to see developed and why?
•
The author has left the ending open – we don’t find out whether Elizabeth
and her parents will forgive Will, or what he might say to his dad. Why might
the author have written the ending like this? If there was another chapter to
finish the book, what do you think it would say?
Will 19
WRITING TASKS
1
In an informative or argumentative response of 400–500 words, explore one of
the following prompts using Will as an embedded text, on the theme of growth.
PROMPTS:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Personal growth is often compromised by stereotyping others.
Growing up is never an easy experience.
Family, friends and school can all affect the way we grow up.
We see ourselves and others differently as we grow up.
Growing up is often a painful experience.
Like a growing seedling, individuals require careful nurturing and
understanding to grow into responsible adults.
Our relationships with those around us change as we grow up.
You must draw on the text Will in the response but may use a range of examples to
support your article.
2
You are Mr Danielli. After interviewing Will (pp. 10–16), you are required to complete
a behavioural report, indicating:
•
•
•
•
•
The student’s behavioural history
Current misdemeanor
Student’s perceived attitude
Contributing influences
Recommended means of correcting behaviour
Language should be precise and formal, and should include quotes from interviewee
and staff members.
3
In a creative response, write an extract from a rites of passage story where an
adolescent character endures a particularly humiliating experience where they
receive unwanted public attention.
4
Create an instructional brochure to be sent to counselors’ waiting rooms, medical
practices and funeral parlours entitled How To Move On. Adopting a comforting
tone, provide information for the reader about the consequences of grief. Attention
should be drawn to the seven stages of bereavement (information about which can
be found online). Brochures should include calm and optimistic visual imagery to
complement the encouraging information.
Will 20
ORAL PRESENTATIONS
1
You are an anthropologist specialising in social types. In an informative
demonstration, explain to a class of Sociology students the features and
expectations of a social stereotype. These could be stereotypes that exist in society
or in the school yard (e.g. jocks, nerds, geeks, footy fans, CEOs, car salespeople).
You should address:
• behaviour
• uniform
• origin/habitat
• social expectations
Reports should be of no longer than 2 minutes in duration and should ideally use
visual information (overhead projector transparency, slide-show, handouts) to
complement your speech.
2
Write and perform a short script inspired by the novel that explores one of the
following events:
•
•
•
•
Elizabeth talking to her parents about Will after he has left a message on their
answering machine.
Mr Andrews talking to Mr Waverton about Will’s punishment and the
subsequent decision to assign him an essay and involvement in the school
musical.
Mark Newman telling Jock and Tim that he is gay.
The Cohens going to the Armstrongs’ house for dinner.
3
Adopt the persona of a character from Will and present a dramatic monologue in
the voice of a character from the novel that explores their personality and feelings.
Rather than just telling the audience what happened to you, concentrate on
explaining: how you felt about the events you participated in; the kind of person you
are; and the nature of your relationships with others.
4
Prepare an argumentative speech, using one of the following topics:
•
•
•
•
Girls mature at a faster rate than boys.
Stereotyping is a useful way of navigating your way through society.
Mooning should not be a punishable offence.
There is no shame in being gay.
Will 21
•
•
Parents need to set clear boundaries for their children.
Being part of a musical is the coolest thing to do at school.
A range of persuasive language devices need to be demonstrated in supporting a
clear contention.
5
You are a specialist in parent skills. Present an instructional speech to a group of
parents, exploring the topic:
‘Setting Clear Boundaries For Children’
Your speech should be complemented by a visual presentation, using slide show or
overhead projector to deliver instructions.
Will 22
ESSAY TOPICS
1
‘I was walking around trying to be exactly what everyone expects an adolescent
male to be’.
What is the ‘young male stereotype’? Explain with detailed references to Will.
2
Will is an accurate representation of the trials faced by adolescents in Australian
society.
To what extent do you agree?
3
‘I was who I was, end of story’.
Will indicates that reluctance to grow can have harmful effects on an individual.
Discuss.
4
‘Goodbye Will the funny man, Will the I don’t give a …, Will the soccer hero. Hello
Will the geek, Will the brown nose, Will the loser, Will the nerd’.
Will demonstrates the consequences of worrying about the opinions of others.
Discuss.
5
‘Getting chucked in that bin was the best thing that has happened to me since I
came to St Andrews!’
Will suggests that positive results can come from the worst situations.
Discuss.
Will 23