BELONGING NOTES!

Different environment& atmosphere contributes to our sense of belonging.

Adapting after a while strengthens the sense of belonging, knowing the place a bit, feeling
comfortable.
Shifting back to civilization, feels out of place, not belonging, shifting in with different
surrounding.
Upbringing places a part in our sense of belonging
Technology-internet-find someone with the same interest and sense of belonging kicks in.
E.g. Facebook, Twitter, Bebo, Myspace.
Perspective of others shifts our sense of belonging
Obstacles and struggling creates a feel of not belonging and break apart a sense of
security.
Enjoyment and change of attitude (positive) helps build sense of belonging.
After being placed in a different place, conditions, our experience alters our sense of
belonging
Example: Going on holidays and returning home, takes a period of time to feel the feeling of
belonging again.

Preparation doesnt help with the sense of belonging.
Being familiar to the way and knowing the comfort zone (when you are at a place you
dont know/never been to) - supports sense of belonging.
Stereotype media - acceptance only through appearance- determining whether you
belong or not.
Belonging is a choice.
Knowledge and stereotype makes others feel like they dont belong.
No desire to change - belonging
Belonging is a journey
Individuals dont feel like they belong due to self and the desire to not change.
Belonging is everywhere, what you wear makes you belong to a certain brand, it all comes
down to you whether you want to belong& who wants you to belong. Remember along with
belonging there is always isolation that follows.
Responses
Stronger responses - shows the relationship/ significant between texts.
Why do people do the things? REPRESENATION e.g. why does the characters do those
actions/ Why has the author/ artist/ producer make or use certain techniques instead of the
others.
* Choice of language, form, features and structure shape the meaning and influence
responses.
The choices are affluent by a composers sense of belonging.
How is the concept of belonging conveyed through the text, people, relationships, ideas,
places, events and society?
Does it make a difference where the character belongs?
Share some values of feelings -understanding a world in a different way - shape in a
peculiar way, different society- assumption to being Australian.
Possibility present by a sense of belonging or not belonging

Perception
How an individual perception of belonging or not can vary, is shaped by his/her personal,
cultural, historical and social context.

ASPECTS OF BELONGING:
Experiences
Notion of identity
Relationship
Acceptance
Understanding

FORMULA TO ANSWER QUESTIONS:
Identify
Exemplify
Explain
Extrapolate

SHORT STORY!:
Do not abuse the concept of belonging too strongly
Dont use the word belonging
Exclusion, acceptance, struggle
Keep it simple, focus on the concept
IMAGERY!- BOLD, CREATIVE COMBINATIONS TO ACHIEVE ORIGINALITY
Simile, metaphor or personification
SHOW DONT TELL
Short story-hook reader in the first two lines, straight into action
Explode a moment, two characters, one setting
READ SHORT STORIES
Turning point-climax-should not be death-with too quick-carefully state the relationship.
TWIST&A TALE
Dramatic beginning
AVOID-irrelevant background info on your character
Character should be revealed through dialogue and actors.
Avoid: lots of internal dialogue
Use experience of own
Close to own world-reflect truth (you can utilize jargon to add a little touch of truth.)
Use paragraphs!!!
AVOID romance (genre) &Fantasy YOU HAVE 40 minutes to WRITE A DECENT STORY!
Allow the audience to add to the story
DO NOT CONCENTRATE ON THE PLOT YOU WANT TO SHOW BELONGING!
Recommended to be 4 PGS
Note: The creative writing section to Paper One does not have to be a narrative.

EXAM
Have at least two great storylines YOU CAN TWIST to suit any type of belonging questions.
Remembering a story can be risky especially if you walk into the exam and through the
reading time, you might have a panic attack.

Dos & DONTs
Let the Q drive and shape your response
Blend your understanding of belonging with the question
DONT put the questions in your introduction
Thesis or statement throughout response A MUST
Use the text to support or challenge the thesis or concepts
SPECIFIC TOPIC+ ATTITUDE/ANGLE/ARGUMENT=THESIS
What you plan to argue +how you plan to argue it=THESIS
DO NOT RE-COUNT OR RE-TELL TEXT
ANALYSIS&EVALUATE TEXT
NO OPINION FOR READERS

ESSAY STUFF
1. Thesis-map guide reader
2. Connection between text, comparison or pattern
3. Techniques and contrasts
4. Use cohesive devices E.g. similarity, by contrast, parallel
5. Use topic sentences
6. Support all statement with references to text
7. Vocab for belonging the better your vocab and structure contributes to an AWESOME
MARKS!
8. Quotes + short quotes - support what you say, dont put any quotes that does not support
thesis. (Short quotes are best, try to integrate them in your sentence& they are easier to
remember itll provide the flow for the reader/marker when they are reading.
Remember they are reading a trillion PAPERS with some hideous handwriting.)


Related pieces
FILM
JUST FIND ONE PART OR SECTION TO ANALYSIS
PICK TEXT THAT MAKES READER STAND UP-FIND OWN
Integrate the HOW techniques+ make it personal
Dont try to write everything down: capture key points
3-5 related pieces recommended BUT THREE SHOULD BE MORE THAN ENOUGH!

Things to remember when choosing your related texts:
Try and get a variety of different types. E.g. If you are doing a novel, go searching for a
visual piece such as a film or artwork or a picture book. E.g. Frida Kahlo, Kathe Kollwitz.
QUALITY: Do something that you know not many people will do; YOU WANT TO STAND
OUT OF THE CROWD and show the markers you know your stuff.
Make sure you can connect your text to belonging REMEMBER it does not have to be
similar to your prescribed text as long as it has some sort of representation of belonging.
Does it play your strength? Try to do something you are passionate or interested in. You
will do so much better.
DO NOT FORGET YOUR THESIS!

SHORT ANSWERS
Be Specific
Can capitalize on other answers to answer another question.
WRITE ACCORDING TO MARKS if it id worth two marks DONT write HALF A PAGE!
TIMING- BALANCE!!!
In this section LOOK for anything that symbolizes a connection, affiliation, relationship
AND OF COURSE BELONGING!
Main questions are HOW? & WHAT?

11 points concerning belonging
1. Family
2. Friends
3. Belonging to place/national identity
4. Race
5. Religion
6. Political
7. Profession
8. Lifestyle
9. Learn spirit& shared identity



When studying for English.
HAND WRITE!!!
TIME yourself
Find a quiet environment where you will not be disturbed for a certain time.
PRACTICE! Break down the paper if you want
Get any questions on Belonging pick up your pen and WRITE&WRITE!
The teachers are there for a REASON SO USE THEM- this goes for all subjects! If you dont
understand something shovel your hand up in the air, it is likely that others dont
understand it too OR chase after them at recess/lunch.
Place quotes around the house like a crazy person on colorful cardboard and stick them
around the house WHERE YOU KNOW you will always see them.
When you have time do not leave it to the last minute. Grab your notes out and start
cutting it down. It is a killer when you have to do it A WEEK before the actual HSC exams.
If you know your stuff, you should be confident in crashing and burning the HSC AOS
English paper!