Outcomes: Students gain (1) an understanding of the tradition of social critique that runs through Australian literature; (2) an increased knowledge of Australian literature through close study of fiction, poetry and other major genres; (3) a critical ability to evaluate the way cultural discourses are constructed in key texts by Australian writers from a variety of backgrounds; (4) an informed understanding of nationalist and other ideologies in Australian culture; (5) improved oral communication skills through tutorial presentation and participation; (6) improved written communication skills through the completion of two written assessments; and (7) university-level research skills.
Content: Literature and film have been major vehicles for constructing national identity in Australia but have also been vital instruments of cultural critique. This unit examines key elements of the 'Australian Legend'mateship, egalitarianism, rebelliousnessas they are articulated and subverted in Aboriginal, English/Celtic and migrant texts. Poetry, fiction, drama and film from My Brilliant Career to The True History of the Kelly Gang have created sites for the subversion of inherited forms and dominant ideologies, and for the imaginative exploration of alternative realities
