English Essay help

[S_Town]

Hey.
I need help on my english SAC. Its an opinion piece with the topic "What it means to be Australian". I also have to write a statement of explanation, explaining the purpose and development process of the written piece. I already have a few ideas down but not enough so I thought Farkin would be the perfect place to ask for help, with its highly intelligent members.

So probably everything said here in this thread will be used in the essay.

Cheers.

[flying high dh killer]

Isn't it meant to be your opinion, not the regurgitated ideas of others? I'd say you should write down in point form, all the ideas you have, then ask someone if you need help with constructing them into essay form.

[Pete J]

I think about this kind of thing alot these days...
Does being born in Australia make me more Australian than those who have chosen to live in Australia, for instance. Is there a degree of Australianess or is being Australian as simple as what your passport says?
This is where you have to choose which line of argument you will take for the essay to get anywhere.
Personally i think being Australian means far more than simply your country of origin, it has more to do with the spirit in which the people have made the nation.
I'd write more but i am in a hurry at the mo...

[S_Town]

Isn't it meant to be your opinion, not the regurgitated ideas of others? I'd say you should write down in point form, all the ideas you have, then ask someone if you need help with constructing them into essay form.

I have done a bit of the essay with my ideas and its not enough at all, im just baffled with everything else. I've ran out of ideas basically

[olly1oo6]

Damn matey, I get the impression that schools are becoming more and more pathetic and uninventive with their desire to educate today's children.

I remember sitting down for my School Certificate with one of the essays asking me to write about my "Hero". I spent the entirety of my time inventing the most concise paragraph describing why I don't need a hero. The rest of the booklet was left blank. I didn't do too well.

Do schools need to find reassurance in todays children that they are connected with the patriotically sound notion of nationhood? What a load of crap, honestly. They should be ashamed that they are putting such a biased spin on things. Punishing those who are patriotically slumber in their thoughts, whilst glorifying the children who write about their nation? Im sure most of us are at least somewhat "proud" to be Australian, but I think putting it in words that some can, and some are incapable of describing, does not distinguish those who can as being capable of english literature and creative ability.


I would strongly advise against taking my advice, but good luck with the essay:p

I always find its best, if you have a topic you find difficult to write about, spin it off on a tangent that gives attention to the main subject, but leaves the bulk of your ideas toward something you much prefer to discuss.

[S_Town]

Please any ideas at all? Anything remotely Australian I'll use. I have to sit the rest of the essay tomorrow and i cant sit there dumbstruck.

Edit - Olly, Haha if worse comes to worse i might have to use that. Thanks anyway

[red death]

what about un australian ness. Whatever that is. To be Australian is the opposite of that.

The opposite creates a counterpoint to your essay.

:)

[S_Town]

Ahhh good idea. Thanks

[jaebo]

firstly i don't think farkin would be the best place to start ;)

i would define what you mean when you talk of "australia" and then it's belonging article "australian"
define what 'mean" is.

and then direct your piece of writing from this.

a mundane example would be australia is a country in the south hemi, to be australian is to be part of that country blah blah.

however you can also talk about the cultural significance of language and the inferrence of "australian" in language - nationalism, comradery, politics and religion.

not sure if this gives you any ideas.

but if you get stuck - perhaps mr tony abbott could help you out in this interview where he talks of multiculturalism and australianess
http://www.chaser.com.au/content/view/3045/32/

[muzza167]

If you haven't finished already, Go back into some history. Discuss something about Aboriginals and the European bid to 'breed' them out. Explain how that compares to todays society etc.
That topic, I personally, could rant about all day.

[kyleman]

"What it means to be Australian"
Pies
Footy
Riding (of course)
Utes
VB
Vegemite
And you must mow your lawn...if not..you arent australian

No offence to anyone..just being an ass

[ironhorse_sunday]

well heres the thing sean school sucks and i hate english so go ride your bike instead haha
get an f do it for me

good luck with that matey

[arpit]

Why not post what you've done so far?

People will be able to give you coments.

In addition, more people will take you seriously, hagving seen that you've put some effort in.

[S_Town]

Why not post what you've done so far?

Yeah ok.

Well I dont have it with me at the moment because I've handed it in, but I wrote about the stereotype australian (the yobbo type:p) as the introduction, mentioning our attitudes towards life and stuff. Then I wrote about how australians are always there for each other, refering to mateship and loyalty. Also our love of sports and how we are naturally competitive.

Then I brought up racism and our current position on it. Then i took some advice from here and got a bit technical and put it in and yeah, got around three pages done and Im pretty happy with it.

And thanks again for all the help

[W2ttsy]

bit late now, but i would have suggested watching the movie "thank you for smoking". the lead characters son has to write an essay on "why america is the greatest country in the world" and there is a few lines of dialogue that would have helped you along in your essay.

essentially about arguing the point more than what to write, but it could have been useful...

W2ttsy