'In small-town suburban Australia, three young men from three different ethnic backgrounds--one Samoan, one Macedonian, one not sure--are ready to make their mark. Solomon is all charisma, authority, and charm, a failed basketball player down for the moment but surely not out. His half-brother, Jimmy, bounces along in his wake, underestimated, waiting for his chance to announce himself. Aleks, their childhood friend, loves his mates, his family, and his homeland and would do anything for them. The question is, does he know where to draw the line? Solomon, Jimmy, and Aleks are way out on the fringe of Australia, looking for a way in. Hip hop, basketball, and graffiti give them a voice. Booze, women, and violence pass the time while they wait for their chance. Under the oppressive summer sun, their town has turned tinder-dry. All it'll take is a spark. As the surrounding hills roar with flames, the change storms in. But it's not what they were waiting for. It never is.'
Source: Publisher's blurb (New Press edition).
Unit Suitable For AC: Senior Secondary English (Unit 3)
Duration Four to six weeks
Curriculum Summary
Find a summary table for Australian Curriculum: Literature content descriptions and NSW Syllabus outcomes for this unit.
Themes
acceptance, escapism, identity, loneliness, masculinity, migrant experience, racism, violence
General Capabilities
Ethical understanding, Intercultural understanding, Literacy, Personal and social
Cross-curriculum Priorities
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, Sustainability
Epigraph:
The true subject of poetry is the loss of the beloved - Faiz Ahmed Faiz
Face the fire –Jimblah
