Title of Text: Mending Wall
Composer: Robert Frost
Text type: Poem
Summarise the text and show how it has contributed to your understanding of the Change
focus area: (5 marks)
The poem ‘Mending Wall’ by Robert Frost is about two neighbours who disagree
over the need of a wall to separate their properties. Their views of the wall are shared
annually, as they repair it from the hunters trespassing on their land. As the story unfolds
this wall symbolises to us the ideas of barriers between people, communication and the
sense of security people gain from barriers. Not only does this wall divide both men’s
estates but it also acts as barrier in the neighbour’s friendship, it merely separates them.
One of the men has a property which contains apple orchid and his neighbour has his
property containing all pine trees.
The poem Mending Wall has contributed to my understanding of change in the
following ways:
This poem portrays the change of the need to have a fence. The neighbour denies
the need of change as he believes that ‘good fences make good neighbours.’ This is an
excuse for him to keep the wall as he desires. This has contributed to my understanding
of change that sometimes change is needed and sometimes it is not. Change is a choice
that we make in day to day life and without choices change is nothing.
This poem has two voices. One values change (the leading voice) and the other
despises it (The neighbour’s voice). By the changing of one voice to the other by the end
of the story most are unsure of which the story is attempting to portray. This has
contributed to my understanding of change that it neutralizes the argument of the idea of
change. Both voices provide the positives and negatives of change and in each situation
the choice is simply on the choice of the person making the decision.
The final of the uses of change in the text provided is the change of seasons that
the wall has to endure in order to survive. In the beginning the wall has to endure frozen
swelling grounds (winter) but as the story progresses the sun is raised and the wall must
endure dry conditions (spring). This has contributed to my understanding of change in the
way that sometimes change is inevitable (the seasons) and even the most stubborn of
people must endure it.
Discuss the elements of style the composer uses to shape your understanding of the Area
of Study Change. The element could include form, structure, language and/or visual
techniques: (10 marks)
The composer of the poem Mending Wall (Robert Frost) uses many different
techniques to get across his message of change. These include:
 Figurative expressions (or language) – Figurative expression is the use of
language no with its literal, straightforward meaning but also with another imaginative
meaning. This language technique is used to describe the relationships between
neighbours. For example in the 13th line the writer records ‘to walk the line,’ and in the
14th line the writer states ‘set the wall between us.’ Both examples represent the setting of
a barrier in the neighbor's friendship. This shapes my understanding of change by
revealing how people’s ideas transform as yearly the poem is studied.
 Imagery – Imagery is the use of language to portray an image in the readers
mind. This makes the reader experience feelings throughout the writer’s piece. An
example of imagery is portrayed in the first eleven lines of the poem. These lines describe
(extensively) the degradation of the wall, thus creating a visual image for the reader. This
helps shape my understanding of change by providing me with the image of the wall. The
wall represents a life cycle and how life changes for not only this object but also life of us
surrounding it.
 Repetition – Repetition is the deliberate use of a word or idea over and over to
increase the impact on the audience. An example of repetition in the poem ‘Mending
Wall’ is the line ‘Good fences make good neighbours,’ (line 27 & 45). This shapes my
understanding of change by repeating the view of one neighbour. His view is that change
is regretful. This enforces his view and enables me to interpret it as a possibility.
 Hyperbole – Hyperbole is the use of exaggeration for the sake of effect. An
example of hyperbole in the poem is the use of the line ‘Where they have left not one
stone on a stone,’ (located on line 7 about the hunters catching their prey). This helps
shape my understanding of change in that the writer describes (using humour) the change
that the wall undertook as a result of the hunters.
 Tone – Tone is the writer’s attitude to a subject as expressed in the style,
vocabulary and structure of a particular piece of writing. This include example of
positive, negative or neutral tone. The poem being studied has a light-hearted tone which
helps shape my understanding of change by getting across the writers message in a
positive tone, which is that change is up to you.
 Irony – Irony is saying the opposite of what you really mean in order to
emphasise it. An example of irony in the poem is that although the narrator does not want
the wall, the mending of it brings both of them together and builds their friendship. This
helps shape my understanding of change by showing that although you may want a
change staying without change may be for the better.
Title of Text: After Apple Picking
Composer: Robert Frost
Text type: Poem
Summarise the text and show how it has contributed to your understanding of the Change
focus area: (5 marks)
The poem after apple picking is about an old man that is near retirement of his
current occupation of picking apples at an apple farm and how he is in great need of
sleep. His dreams also portray his images of the apple picking when he was first
introduced to it.
The poem After Apple Picking has contributed to my understanding of change in
the following ways:
The theme of nature is obvious in this poem. At first the speaker seemed to
cherish the moments spent on apple picking but as time progressed he seems tired of it
and wishes not to continue. The speaker becomes both mentally and physically exhausted
as the apples are gathered. His views on apple picking have changed as time progresses.
An example of this in the poem is from the line 27 – 29. These lines read ‘or I have had
too much of apple picking: I am overtired of the great harvest I myself desired.’ This has
contributed to my understanding of change in that although our view may favour one
activity greatly as time progresses that view may change.
The voice of the poem discovers that his life is coming to an end and he has not
fulfilled it completely yet. This is expressed in line 3. This line says ‘And there’s a barrel
I didn’t fill.’ This describes that he is running out of time (as there is less and less apples)
and by having less apples he cannot fulfill his life as he once wished. This has
contributed to my understanding of change in that maybe life may seem good at the
moment but as time passes the transformation of your views and how you want to fulfill
your life may change, by then it may be too late.
The apples in the barrels symbolise tasks and/or opportunities. The barrels, those
full and empty represent tasks completed or unfinished. Also, the apples left in the tree
symbolise missed opportunities. Therefore the voice of the poem has not fulfilled his life
because he hasn’t completed his tasks; he also has missed several opportunities which
may have pointed him in a new direction. By missing these tasks/opportunities he may
have missed the chance of having a better life than the one he has present. This has
contributed to my understanding of change by showing that if you leave opportunities or
tasks the idea of change is obsolete. Without change life may become dull or boring and
you may not fulfill it as you first wished.
Discuss the elements of style the composer uses to shape your understanding of the Area
of Study Change. The element could include form, structure, language and/or visual
techniques: (10 marks)
The composer of the poem After Apple Picking (Robert Frost) uses many
different techniques to get across his message of change. These include:
 Rhythm – Rhythm is a regular pattern of stresses in language to create a pattern
of sound. In this poem the rhythm is confusing because of the change in tones and tenses.
In the poem After Apple Picking rhythm suggests repetitive toil and drained energy. An
example of Rhythm in the poem is in line 26 ‘of load on load of apples coming in.’ This
shapes my understanding of change by showing that views change as life progresses and
sometimes they may be for the better or for the worse. In this case the views of the voice
of the poem has changed for the worse as he keeps stressing the number of apples needed
to be sorted.
 Tone - Tone is the writer’s attitude to a subject as expressed in the style,
vocabulary and structure of a particular piece of writing. This include example of
positive, negative or neutral tones. The tone of the poem is strange in a number of
different ways. As the poem begins he seems quite happy with his life but as the poem
progresses his tone (and views of his life) throughout the poem changes significantly.
This shapes my understanding of change by showing that life changes quickly and
sometimes the tone of your life may change accordingly.
 Ambiguity – Ambiguity is a situation where a statement may have more than one
possible meaning. An example of ambiguity in the poem is in line 3 ‘And there’s a barrel
that I didn’t fill.’ This at first seems a description of how many apples he has picked but
as the poem progresses it has a connotation (a second or additional meaning). The second
meaning is that the barrels symbolise tasks or opportunities. If the barrel is full the task is
completed but if it is not than the task has been left unfinished. This shapes my
understanding of change by showing that the change of our views to complete tasks and
take advantage of opportunities adjust as life continues.
 Hyperbole - Hyperbole is the use of exaggeration for the sake of effect. An
example of hyperbole in the poem is in line 30 ‘There were ten thousand thousand fruit to
touch.’ This exaggerates his feeling of the vast amount of apples to be inspected for
consumption. This shapes my understanding of change by showing that peoples views of
tasks etc change as time progresses.
Title of Text: Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening
Composer: Robert Frost
Text type: Poem
Summarise the text and show how it has contributed to your understanding of the Change
focus area: (5 marks)
Stopping by woods on a Snowy Evening (by Robert Frost) is a poem about a man
traveling through the woods with his horse. They suddenly stop and the horse wants the
man to continue but the man would rather stay. There is a tension between duty and the
desire to do what he wants.
The poem stopping by woods on a Snowy Evening has contributed to my
understanding of change in the following ways:
Throughout the whole poem the description of the woods surrounding the main
character of the poem is extensive. The woods are described as dark, peaceful and
mysterious. This seems the main objective of the poem, to describe it using imagery and
create an image within the reader’s mind. This has contributed to my understanding of
change in by describing the change in environment may change our views on life.
The main character of the poem has found himself in a difficult situation. He has
to decide whether to keep traveling on his journey and fulfill his duty or to stop, rest and
desire his moments in the woods. With this problem at hand he must make a decision,
this may change his way of life for the better or less. This has contributed to my
understanding of change by showing that change can not be made without a decision
previously made.
Line 14 reveals ‘But I have promises to keep.’ This can be interpreted in two
different ways. The main character of the poem may have either promises to his wife/
family to get home or he may have promises with the business he is working for in order
to complete his job. The task that he is completing seems to be boring him as a simple
distraction of a house in the woods seems to get his attention. This has contributed to my
understanding of change by describing how although life at the moment may seem dull it
will experience a change soon enough. That change may transform your outlook on life.
In the poem the horse is a symbol for right doing and at that moment it
experiences changes in the man’s outlook on what comes first, desire or duty. An
example of this in the poem is line 5 and 6 ‘my little horse must think it queer, to stop
without a farmhouse near.’ The horse shakes its bells to ask its owner if there is a mistake
and to make him aware that the house is a distraction. The horse also shakes its bells to
tell its owner they must continue on their journey. This has contributed to my
understanding of change by revealing that the influence of those surrounding you my or
may not influence your decisions.
Discuss the elements of style the composer uses to shape your understanding of the Area
of Study Change. The element could include form, structure, language and/or visual
techniques: (10 marks)
The composer of the poem Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening (Robert
Frost) uses many different techniques to get across his message of change. These include:
 Imagery – Imagery is the use of language to portray an image in the readers
mind. This makes the reader experience feelings throughout the writer’s piece. The
majority of the poem is devoted to the description of the woods surrounding the main
character. The woods are described as lovely, dark, deep, quiet, and a slow breeze is also
noted. All these physical qualities contribute to creating a visual image within the
reader’s mind. An example of imagery in the poem is line 13 ‘The woods are lovely, dark
and deep.’ This shapes my understanding of change by creating a visual image within my
mind to compare changes that the woods may encounter (for example an intruder).
 Rhyming – Rhyming are words or syllables that have the same sounds. Each
stanza within the poem has a regular rhyme scheme of the last word of the first, second
and fourth lines (AABA, BBCB etc). An exception of this is the last stanza which has the
same rhyming pattern (DDDD). The shift in rhyming pattern in this final stanza gives us
a clue in the shift in content also. These rhymes create a rhythm which gives the poem a
light restful feel. One example of rhyming within the poem is lines 1 and 2 ‘Whose
woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though.’ This shapes my
understanding of change by creating another sense of change within the poem. This
change is the adjustment of the rhyming scheme throughout the poem. It also creates a
light mood to the poem enabling the moral (or message) of the poem to be easily located.
 Repetition - Repetition is the deliberate use of a word or idea over and over to
increase the impact on the audience. An example of repetition is in the final two lines (15
and 16) ‘and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep.’ These final lines
remind the main character that he has a long time before he rests. The symbol of rest
maybe death. He may have a long time before he dies. This shapes my understanding of
change by reinforcing the idea that change may not come for a while but the wait will be
worth it.
Title of Text: The Door
Composer: Miroslav Holub
Text type: Poem
Summarise the text and show how it has contributed to your understanding of the Change
focus area: (5 marks)
The door by Miroslav Holub is a poem which is about how if any door is opened
than changes occur in many different ways. This short poem describes to the reader that if
you open the door you will experience changes in various different ways. Some of these
ways are compiled and shared throughout the poem as examples.
The poem The Door has contributed to my understanding of change in the
following ways:
Throughout the poem it says that if with any decision you make it will create a
change throughout your life. In this case if you open the door you will experience
changes either for the better or worse. This has contributed to my understanding of
change by saying that without a decision a change cannot be made.
After the introduction of ‘go and open the door’ at the beginning of every stanza
various examples are given of changes that may be experienced. These vary from the
sight of a wood to the sight of a magic city. These are just examples of what could
happen if you were to open the door. This has contributed to my understanding of change
by creating different ways that change can occur. Change is all about the decision made
and the time the decision was made in.
The poem suggests that the opening if the door is a task that must be overcome.
This is the morale of the story. If the task is overcome than the decision can be made.
Once the decision is complete than a change is made. This has contributed to my
understanding of change by revealing to me that sometimes change can sometimes be a
milestone but (more times than not) it is worth it.
In the final stanza the final line (line 24, 25 and 26) says ‘At least there will be a
draught.’ This line has a positive tone to it. This line has contributed to my understanding
of change because it suggests that if you overcome the task of making the decision to
change than you may not experience big positive changes but small significant ones.
Discuss the elements of style the composer uses to shape your understanding of the Area
of Study Change. The element could include form, structure, language and/or visual
techniques: (10 marks)
The composer of the poem The Door (Miroslav Holub) uses many different
techniques to get across his message of change. These include:
 Emotive Language – Emotive (or command) language tries to create emotions in
an audience to change attitudes, ideas or behaviour. An example of emotive language in
the poem is the use of line 1, 6, 12, 15 and 23 ‘go and open the door.’ This line makes the
reader want to act by going and opening the door. This is the writer’s main objective.
This shapes my understanding of change by making me believe that change is only
obtainable if I make the decision to act.
 Repetition - Repetition is the deliberate use of a word or idea over and over to
increase the impact on the audience. An example of repetition in the poem is the
recurrences of the words ‘go and open the door.’ This reinforces the line and makes the
reader want to act even further. By the use of the line above in both emotive language and
repetition it doubles the effect and makes the reader want to act immediately. This shapes
my understanding of change by repeating the need to act and make a change in my life as
well as other’s lives.
 Personification – Personification is a poetic device that gives non living things
human qualities. An example of personification in the poem is the use of the line 17. It
says ‘the darkness tickling’ therefore giving the darkness the human ability to tickle the
voice of the poem. By giving the darkness the quality to tickle it makes darkness seem
less threatening. Thus creating a less threatening image for the reader, this makes the
worse that could happen from change seem harmless. This shapes my understanding of
change by transforming the image of darkness to be harmless. This shows that even the
worst of things can show change and become positive also.
 Structure – Structure is the arrangement that the piece of writing is presented in.
The structure of the poem ‘the door’ is interesting. Instead of being a standard structure
as every short poem the stanzas are broken up into several pieces, thus making the reader
concentrate on a specific word in that stanza. An example of the structure in the poem is
in stanza 4. The 6th sentence in the fourth stanza is broken up into 3 lines. This gives that
sentence the image of stairs. This shapes my understanding of change by giving the story
a different image compared to the other short stories. The change in structure reinforces
that change is a good thing.
 Tone - Tone is the writer’s attitude to a subject as expressed in the style,
vocabulary and structure of a particular piece of writing. This include example of
positive, negative or neutral tones. The tone of the writer throughout the poem is positive
to give the idea of change a positive outlook. This shapes my understanding of change by
giving me the idea that change is a positive thing. This is what the writer wishes to
accomplish and I believe he has done it successfully.
Title of Text: Sky High
Composer: Hannah Robert
Text type: Short Story
Summarise the text and show how it has contributed to your understanding of the Change
focus area: (5 marks)
In the beginning of the short story titled Sky High the writer is an older aged
female and she is reflecting on her memories of her childhood. Throughout the story she
shares her experiences piece by piece filling in tiny details to recreate her past and share
the fun experiences throughout her childhood. Right through the story we see two of her
perspectives, one of which as a child and the other as a grown woman. She slowly tells of
her experiences now assessed as a grown woman.
She walks around her backyard and stops at a major piece of her childhood, the
clothesline. She tells of her stories as a child when she used to climb it and would talk of
it as a mission. Now as an adult she reaches up to it and looks straight at her hands, they
are now wrinkly and scars are also mentioned. Being forced to grow up she looks back at
her old life and misses her innocent childhood. Inside herself she says to swing on the
clothesline once again but she reassesses and uses a mature excuse to not relive her
childhood.
The short story Sky High has contributed to my understanding of change in the
following ways:
Throughout the story she explains her experiences (past and present) as a child
and now as an adult. Looking back at her life she thinks to herself how foolish she was as
a child and what she should have done instead, but she also misses the fun she once had.
The views of Hannah change as she looks back at her past because now she has matured
and is more sensible. This is an example of changing self. As she got older her views on
what to do for leisure transformed. This has contributed to my understanding of change
by showing that people change and the cause of this is time and other influences
surrounding her.
At first the clothesline in the story was described as silver and towards the end of
the story the clothesline was described as spotted metal. This also shows the affect that
time has on things. It changed the clothesline from being modern and silver to being old
and rusty. This has contributed to my understanding of change by showing that time does
not change just people but their memories and objects also.
The tone of the poem changes significantly also. When she is describing her
experiences as a child she seems positive and careless. When she is describing her
experiences as an adult she seems negative and sad. This has contributed to my
understanding of change by showing that change may result in a transformation of the
outlook of life.
Discuss the elements of style the composer uses to shape your understanding of the Area
of Study Change. The element could include form, structure, language and/or visual
techniques: (10 marks)
The composer of the short story Sky High (Hannah Robert) uses many different
techniques to get across her message of change. These include:
 Personification - Personification is a poetic device that gives non living things
human qualities. An example of personification in the short story is the use of the words
‘silver skeletal arms’ while describing the rods of the clothesline. This gives the
clothesline the ability to reach and grab Hannah when she was a girl. This was her
experience when she was young and now that her imagination has been lost she denies
what she once called the rods of the clothesline. This shapes my understanding of change
by revealing that Hannah’s outlook on her surroundings has changed as time rolled by.
This shows that as people mature imagination is being diminished.
 Alliteration – Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in consecutive, or
nearly consecutive, words. An example of alliteration in the short story is the use of the
words ‘bird bitten.’ By the use of alliteration (in this case) the description of the fruit
surrounding her as an adult. This reinforces the idea that she looks at the change her old
house has experienced with time. This shapes my understanding of change by revealing
that Hannah’s surroundings has changed along with her. Time is constantly changing
everything and Hannah has realized this, as well as me.
 Structure - Structure is the arrangement that the piece of writing is presented in.
The structure of the short story is obvious. The first paragraph Hannah describes her old
surroundings as an adult. The second paragraph Hannah describes her old surroundings
as a child. This continues in an orderly fashion. This shapes my understanding of change
by contrasting her sights as a before and after experience. The change in her attitude since
she was a child is significant. This shows that time changes people and that sometimes
change is inevitable.
 Tone - Tone is the writer’s attitude to a subject as expressed in the style,
vocabulary and structure of a particular piece of writing. This include example of
positive, negative or neutral tones. The tone in the short story Sky High is also obvious.
When she describes her experiences as an adult it seems in a negative tone and when she
describes her experiences as a child it seems to be in a negative tone. This shapes my
understanding of change by changes of tone. From the transformation of tone in an
orderly fashion both negative and positive aspects of change erase each other. This
creates a question for the reader that only the reader must decide. Is change good or bad?
 Hyperbole - Hyperbole is the use of exaggeration for the sake of effect. An
example of hyperbole is the use of the words ‘I am flying.’ This is an exaggeration
because she is not really flying but is simply suspended upon a clothesline. This shapes
my understanding of change by showing a change in the opinion of the person between
when she was young to present, to now an adult.
Title of Text: My Father Began as a God
Composer: Ian Mundie
Text type: Poem
Summarise the text and show how it has contributed to your understanding of the Change
focus area: (5 marks)
In the beginning of the poem titled ‘My Father Began as a God’ by Ian Mundie
the composer appears to be a child. As a child the writer looks to his father as a god,
telling him heroic tales and swinging the writer to his shoulder high above everybody
else.
By stanza 3 the writer seems to doubt his thoughts of his father and quickly
changes his idea from his father being a god to a foolish old man. He thinks now that his
father has views that are now preposterous.
Finally in the concluding stanza the writer looks to his dad once again as a god as
he overlooks his dad’s grave. He now thinks that his father is no longer foolish but the
writer changes and now looks at his father as being the god he first saw him as.
The poem My Father Began as a God has contributed to my understanding of
change in the following ways:
At first every child looks to his father as a hero or god but as time progresses and
that child matures the views of that child may alter. In this poem at first the child looks as
his father as a god but as he matures the views of his father change significantly. The
composer’s view of his father then changes to him seeing his dad as a foolish old man.
After the father’s death the writer of the poem looks back at his father as he did initially,
as a god. This has contributed to my understanding of change by revealing that as time
passes by the views of people change. This is because of maturity and influences of the
person experiencing changes.
The change in the father’s size also is transformed as the writer matures. At first
the father of the writer seems tall, this immediately makes him seem powerful and heroic.
Then as can be likely interpreted, the writer grew in height making his father seem short
and powerless. As the size of the writer altered the thoughts of his father changed as well.
This has contributed to my understanding of change by revealing that the change of
physical appearance can change the mental beliefs of people also.
With the death of the writer’s father he realized how significant the father had on
the writer’s life. With the father now dead the writer misses him and discovers how
important the father was in his life, this backs up the theory that ‘you don’t know how
good you have it until it’s gone.’ This has contributed to my understanding of change by
showing me that most people take advantage of their belongings. Once these belongings
are lost people miss them and realize how significant that belonging was on their life.
Discuss the elements of style the composer uses to shape your understanding of the Area
of Study Change. The element could include form, structure, language and/or visual
techniques: (10 marks)
The composer of the poem My Father Began as a God (Ian Mundie) uses many
different techniques to get across her message of change. These include:
 Simile – A simile is a comparison between two things by using the terms Like or
As. An example of the use of a simile in the poem is in the first line ‘my father began as a
god.’ This shapes my understanding of change by revealing that the views of the writer
changed as time progressed. The use of the simile helped to portray the thoughts of the
writer at the time of his childhood.
 Comparative language – Comparative language is the form of an adjective or
adverb that expresses more. For example the comparative for big is bigger. An example
of comparative language in the poem is in line 1 of the 4th stanza. This line says ‘Stranger
still.’ Stranger is the comparative. This shapes my understanding of change by slowly
describing the bizarre changes in the view of his father. This reinforces that the views of
people change as they mature. They also find it strange if they look back at their previous
view before they made the change.
 Superlative language - Superlative language is the form of an adjective or adverb
that expresses most. For example the superlative for great is greatest. An example of
superlative language within the poem is the use of line 1 in the final stanza. It states
‘Strangest of all.’ Strangest is the comparative. This shapes my understanding of change
by suddenly revealing that his feelings of his father have been adjusted once again. He
now likes his father now that he is dead. But he is too late to tell his father now how he
truly feels.
 Hyperbole - Hyperbole is the use of exaggeration for the sake of effect. An
example of hyperbole in the poem is within line 7. It states that ‘he fearlessly lifted me to
heaven.’ The father did not lift his son (the writer) to heaven as this is impossible. This is
the experiences of the boy at that time and like most children he exaggerates to make his
story seem more interesting. This shapes my understanding of change by showing the
difference in views of the writer as he matures. For example at present, he would not try
to reinforce his idea that his father lifted him to heaven.
 Euphemism – A euphemism is a polite way of saying something that might be
disagreeable. An example of euphemism in the poem is within line 16. It states that his
views are silly and outmoded. This is a polite way of saying that his father’s views are
ridiculous are preposterous. This shapes my understanding of change by revealing the
writers true views of his father at that time. Thus showing that a person’s view may
change over time.
Title of Text: Grumpy Old Men
Composer: Alan Silvestri
Director: Donald Petrie
Text type: Film
Summarise the text and show how it has contributed to your understanding of the Change
focus area: (5 marks)
The three main characters of the film ‘Grumpy Old Men’ by Alan Silvestri
include John Gustafson, Max Goldman and Ariel. The movie takes place in the frozen
town of Minnesota known as Wabasha over the Christmas holidays. The two men have
been at war with each other for fifty years, both using their homes as command posts.
Both men measure the success of their days by playing nasty jokes on each other.
When both men thought that their life could not get any more boring a younger,
attractive lady known as Ariel moves in across the street. As a result of this both men
fight over Ariel as she is now the ultimate prize.
The film Grumpy Old Men has contributed to my understanding of change in the
following ways:
At first the lives of the old men seemed dull or boring but with the introduction of
one person both men’s lives seemed to become a lot more meaningful and fun.
With the simple introduction of Ariel, John no longer needed to play chess by
himself as they both shared that passion. Max no longer had to fish by himself as Ariel
decided to join in. With the introduction of one person into these men’s lives life seems
less lonely and now they have another reason to live. This has contributed to my
understanding of change by revealing that change may save peoples meaning to live.
Without each other (before the situation with Ariel) each of the old men had no
reason to live. They only had each other to keep them going for amusement. This shows
loneliness and mortality that lie just behind the jokes. With the introduction of Ariel both
men had a new reason to live. The reason to live changed from demise to one of love.
With the introduction of this new attractive lady they discovered that life does not have to
be doom and gloom, they realized that aging can be fun. Ariel made them make the best
of their remaining life. This has contributed to my understanding of change by revealing
their change in the reason to live. All they needed was a reason to live and Ariel provided
them with a positive one.
Discuss the elements of style the composer uses to shape your understanding of the Area
of Study Change. The element could include form, structure, language and/or visual
techniques: (10 marks)
The composer of the film Grumpy Old Men (Alan Silvestri) uses many different
techniques to get across her message of change. These include:
 Lighting – the lighting plays a major role in the technique of the movie Grumpy
Old Men. When the men are lonely and have no-one but each other the lighting is dull or
boring and reflects their outlook on life. When the men are accompanied by Ariel the
lights in the movie are brighter showing that they now see life as meaningful and
fulfilling. An example of lighting within the movie is when John is first introduced in the
movie it is dark within his house and dull shades of brown are shown. When Ariel visits
John she decides to turn on the lights in his house. Since her visit he would turn on more
lights more frequently. This shapes my understanding of change by revealing that
lighting within films create a mood to get the audience to feel what is wanted the
audience to. Whether it may change from happy to sad etc.
 Contrast – Contrast is the placing of one idea or image against another in order to
emphasise some particular idea or quality. An example of contrast within the film is the
contrast of lighting from dull to bright. This reinforces the idea that Ariel makes both
men’s lives seem more fulfilling and positive. This shapes my understanding of change
by showing the change in the men’s lives as Ariel was there and when she was not. This
was shown by both the use of lighting and contrast of the lighting
 Metaphor – A metaphor is the comparison between two things by saying one is
the other. An example of a metaphor in the movie is at the beginning. The first scene
pictures lifeless trees in winter. This symbolises that the men’s lives are either dying or
nearly dead. Another example of a metaphor in the film is when the two men are digging
out their cars out from under the snow. This is a metaphor for them ‘digging themselves
out from under the boredom of their lives’ once the woman arrives. This shapes my
understanding of change by showing that both men are trying to change their current life
of boredom into one of interest (example 2).
 Tone - Tone is the writer’s attitude to a subject as expressed in the style,
vocabulary and structure of a particular piece of writing. This include example of
positive, negative or neutral tones. An example of tone in the film is shown simply by
both men’s faces in each scene. When Ariel is not present the men seem to have more
wrinkles and also seem to have a drooped face. When Ariel is present then smiles are ‘all
around’ and their tone of voice seems to be one of happiness. This shapes my
understanding of change by showing (and reinforcing) the idea that one person may have
a strong enough impact to change people’s outlook on life.
Title of Text: Cross My Heart
Composer: Michael Leunig
Text type: Cartoon
Summarise the text and show how it has contributed to your understanding of the Change
focus area: (5 marks)
The poem titled Cross my Heart is about a man that loses common sense and has
to undergo various tests to regain it. At the start it describes to the reader that common
sense was given out equally to the rich and poor in the past and as time continued
common sense is lost. But the writer assures the audience that common sense will not be
lost, it will return when it’s ready.
The cartoon Cross My Heart has contributed to my understanding of change in
the following ways:
As time has progressed the need of common sense has been unnecessary as
technology and various amounts of other equipment now does that for us. With the
change of the need of common sense the writer believes that one day we are going to
realise how important common sense was and to regain it, we must undergo a quest of
suffering and sin. This has contributed to my understanding of change by revealing that
we don’t know how good things are at the moment until it is gone, then changes must be
made to fix the problem of the missing piece (in this case common sense).
The beginning of the cartoon shows the image of a man with a horse and cart
riding in the sunshine. In the fourth frame the cart is shown broken, horse is nowhere to
be seen. It is nighttime and the main character of the poem is gone. This shows the
change from a life of fulfillment and fun to a life of sorrow and neglect. This has
contributed to my understanding of change by revealing that although it may seem that
you have everything at the moment, if your opportunities are taken for granted you may
lose them.
At the end of the poem it shows the main character with a tear to his eye. This is
because he is reunited with his common sense and now realizes its significance in his life.
Now he has learnt his lesson and will not take his common sense for granted. This has
contributed to my understanding of change by revealing that people usually take things
for granted and until they lose them they really don’t know of their significance. By
common sense giving the man in the cartoon a second chance the man will change his
attitude about the need for common sense.
Discuss the elements of style the composer uses to shape your understanding of the Area
of Study Change. The element could include form, structure, language and/or visual
techniques: (10 marks)
The composer of the cartoon Cross My Heart (Michael Leunig) uses many
different techniques to get across her message of change. These include:
 Hyperbole - Hyperbole is the use of exaggeration for the sake of effect. An
example of hyperbole in the cartoon is the words ‘you have to go through so much these
days- crawl across a field of broken bottles………’ This is also accompanied by a picture
with a man on his hands and knees crawling in a field of broken bottles with his face
showing pain and sorrow. This shapes my understanding of change by revealing to us, the
youth of Australia, that we have life that is hard at the moment. By the use of
exaggeration he creates an image which changes our minds about life and how to deal
with it.
 Symbolism – Symbolism is the use of symbols to represent things. An example of
symbolism within the cartoon is shown with the sun. Wherever the sun is found in the
images of the cartoon common sense is with the main character accordingly. This shapes
my understanding of change by saying that change can reflect in our moods. Our moods
can also reflect into what we think of our surroundings.
 Tone - Tone is the writer’s attitude to a subject as expressed in the style,
vocabulary and structure of a particular piece of writing. This include example of
positive, negative or neutral tones. An example of tone is in the 4th frame of the cartoon.
It explains how the youth of the population find common sense so useless etc. This frame
shows a negative tone as the writer is portraying his beliefs accordingly. All of the other
frames seem to have a neutral tone. This shapes my understanding of change by revealing
what the writer thinks of life today. It can be inferred that he did want a life of
complication and did not want to change from his life as a child. This poem is how he is
portraying those views.
 Rhyming – Rhyming are words or syllables that have the same sounds. An
example of rhyming in the cartoon is in the 5th verse. It reveals ‘ …. Half the life of
suffering and sin – be done over and done in……’ By the use of rhyming it lightens the
mood of this particular negative message. This shapes my understanding of change by
showing that the change (in his opinion) of life, makes us take for granted the more
important qualities we once cherished.