Preliminary Advanced: Comparative Study of
Texts and Context
 You will compare how the treatment of similar
content in a pair of texts composed in different
times and contexts may reflect changing values and
perspectives.
 By considering the texts in their contexts and
comparing values, ideas and language forms and
features, students come to a heightened
understanding of the meaning and significance of
each text.
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…texts composed in different times and
contexts…
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More ideas about historical context…
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The novel
Animal Farm
1945
By George Orwell
and
the sci-fi film
Elysium
2013
directed by Neill Blomkamp.
Texts in time…
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So… in what kind of “worlds” did George
Orwell and Neill Blomkamp live?
 What influenced each of them as they were growing up?
 What did they each believe?
 What “ticked them off” about the world in which they’d each grown-up in?
 What did they each experience which motivated them to tell their stories?
In order to “get a clue” about the context of each composer – it is absolutely
necessary that you have an insightful understanding (not just “knowledge”) of the
historical time and place in which each composer “lived”.
You need to understand the cultural, social, political and economic attitudes, values
and events which existed BEFORE - DURING – AND AFTER the publication of each
text.
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Victorian period
Modernist period
Postmodernist
period
• 1830-1901
• The industrial revolution
• 1900-1950
• WWI & II / Social upheaval
• 1950-present
• The ‘pill’ / Communism
Contemporary- • 1970-present
Postmodernist • Internet / consumerism /
globalisation
period
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Compare CONTEXTS in order to explore the texts
Victorian Period
* Industrial revolution 
farmers to urban
dwellers  middle class
* More “leisure time”
* Rise of Trade Unions
* Middle Class men were
given the vote
Modernism
* Modernism reacts
against strict Victorian
moral values
* Rise of technology for
ordinary people
* mass production Vs
craftsmanship
* British Empire at its
strongest
* stronger middle-class
and more equal rights for
women
* Utilitarian and
Liberalism values
* 2 World Wars and the
rise of communism
* Social “Darwinism”
* Rise of Secular politics
used as excuse for social
and wealth divisions
* The “novel” dramatised
domestic and social
relationships.
Animal
Farm
V
Elysium
Postmodernism
* “the pill” changed gender
attitudes
* Women ventured out of
‘domestic duties’
* Decline of religion and the
traditional family structure
* Rise of a powerful new
social group – known as
‘teenagers”
* rise of immigration and
cultural diversity
* Electronic and digital
technology  globalisation
* Mass media 
consumerism
* Decline of communism
* Environmental issues
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Animal Farm: a brief chronology of events related to context…
1910 - 1920
1920 - 1930
!930 - 1940
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MID TO
LATE 20TH
CENTURY
1990
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Who is Neill Blomkamp??
 Neill Blomkamp was born on September 17, 1979 in Johannesburg, South
Africa. He is known for his work on District 9 (2009), Elysium (2013) and
Stargate SG-1 (1997). He is married to Terri Tatchell. They have one child.
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Who is Neill Blomkamp??
 Immigrated to Canada at 18 years old
 Graduated from Vancouver Film School's 3D Animation and Visual
Effects program in 1998
 (May 10, 2010) Merited a position in Time magazine's - The 100
Most Influential People in the World ("Artists" category) - with an
homage contributed by Ridley Scott
 He is friends with Michael Bay, creator of the Transformer films
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Who is Neill Blomkamp??
Known for his:
 Cinéma vérité technique
 Blending naturalistic and photo-realistic computer-generated
effects
 Social commentary using Science Fiction
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Who is Neill Blomkamp??
 What cultural – social – political – values, attitudes and events would
have influenced:
1. Blomkamp as he was growing up?
2. Blomkamp’s family?
3. Blomkamp’s perception of the word as an adult? As a father?
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 changes in context lead to changed values being
reflected in texts:
 use of the language of texts,
 purposes and audiences,
 analysis of the content,
 values and attitudes conveyed through a range of
readings (different people’s points of view)
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Comparative study of common features of both texts: …Which means…
What are the similarities between the two texts?
Structure
Common premise
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EXAMINATION
/ ASSESSMENT
Examination
rubric… RUBRIC
In your answer you will be assessed on how well you:
■ demonstrate understanding of the meanings of a pair of texts when considered
together
 what are the common ideas / attitudes / values / assumptions /
information / human characteristics / human relationships
between Animal Farm and Elysium?
■ evaluate the relationships between texts and contexts
 How closely are the two texts similar? How distantly are they
different? Why?
Different contexts…
How? = what language / film
forms and features are used in
each text to show the ideas etc…
■ organise, develop and express ideas using language appropriate to audience,
purpose and form WRITE ACCURATELY – no waffling-on… you must keep returning
to your thesis statement
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 evaluate how different contexts effect how composers use of medium of
production, textual form, perspective and choice of language influence
meaning.
Weigh-up / assess
Time period  Cultural, social, historical,
technological
Novel, sci-fi feature film
Film, print,
Dominant? Resistant? Subversive? Marginalised?
Disenfranchised? Popular? Cultural? Christian? NonChristian? Post-modern? Feminist? Capitalist? Marxist?
Formal? Colloquial? Idioms – simile –
metaphor – modality – dialogue – imagery –
symbols – motifs – audio effects – camera
angles, shot types and movement –
contrast – irony – satire – persuasive –
positive or negative tone – emotive
language – factual language – stereotypes –
cliches – catch phrases – journalese -
Show specific
ideas, events,
people, values,
attitudes about
history and
memory.
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Analyse how Animal Farm and Elysium
imaginatively portray individuals who challenge
the established values of their time.
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• Analyses skilfully how Orwell / Bloomkamp portray
individuals who challenge the established values of their
time
• Demonstrates skilfully an understanding of the
relationships between Animal Farm and Elysium and their
contexts using well-selected and detailed textual reference
• Composes a perceptive response using language
appropriate to audience, purpose and form
Marks 17–20
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Comments from the marking centre – NSW BOS
In better responses, candidates
• considered the key notion of individuals challenging established
values and produced a shaped response that developed and
sustained a thesis which genuinely addressed the question and
which used a discerning selection of textual references.
In weaker responses, candidates tended to
• identify some similarities between these texts, often with a limited
understanding of the significance of these similarities.
• They often considered the key concept of established values of
their time in a superficial or generalised way or ignored it.
• Treatment of context was not integrated into the discussion and
was frequently a reference to the time of composition rather than
an understanding of how context is reflected in the construction
and reception of texts.
• They often relied on a few basic or inappropriate references to
texts.
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