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First Tuesday Book Club: Just for girls? Daphne du Maurier's 'Rebecca'

Gender and its representation is a significant concern for many writers, readers and critics. Some dismissed Daphne du Maurier's 1938 novel 'Rebecca' as a romantic novel, but du Maurier insisted that she was exploring deeper issues of jealousy and power in relationships. Explore these different readings in this discussion. ...

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Jennifer Byrne Presents: Anything's possible

What are writers of Young Adult (or YA) fiction seeking to achieve? What obligations do they have to their audience, if any? In this clip, listen as four successful authors share their ideas on these things.

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Radio National: 'The Great Gatsby' and all that jazz

'The great Gatsby' is considered a classic of modern literature, so what makes people value books like this one over others? In this audio clip, explore a range of responses to F Scott Fitzgerald's enduring novel and consider the qualities people value in literature. This clip from 'Books and arts daily' on Radio National ...

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Radio National: 'The Great Gatsby': dream or nightmare?

Often the impact of a novel lies in its ability to comment on society. In this audio clip, discover how American writer F Scott Fitzgerald challenges readers to reconsider the society in which they live. This clip from 'Books and arts daily' on Radio National is one in a series of eight.

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In My Blood It Runs: First Nations education

While watching this clip, consider Article 14 of United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP): 1. Indigenous peoples have the right to establish and control their educational systems and institutions providing education in their own languages, in a manner appropriate to their cultural methods ...

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Aspirations and expectations of Victorian women

What was life like for young women in Victorian England? Historian Kathryn Hughes outlines the constraints middle class Victorian women were forced to endure: to be educated but not opinionated; attractive but not vain; polite but not outgoing. Ms Hughes describes the society in which the Bronte sisters and Jane Austen ...

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Jennifer Byrne Presents: Should some YA novels be banned?

Ever since Mark Twain's 'Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' was published in 1884, books for teenagers have come under close scrutiny by adults concerned about their appropriateness for younger audiences. Why are some adults so worried about what teenagers read? Are they right to be concerned? Explore the tricky topic of censorship ...

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Heywire: Perspectives of 'a copper's daughter'

What perspectives on life do you think the daughter of a policeman in a coastal town might have? In this Heywire audio story, Jordyn Royle reveals both how her her dad's job affects her and that not everybody shares her attitudes towards the police. As you listen, think about how Jordyn's attitudes and values, and those ...

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Heywire: This isn't English, it's Australian English!

Mara Zeissig had a hard time understanding what was going on when she first went to school in Australia after moving from Buenos Aires, Argentina. In her Heywire audio story, explore the importance of language in our social interactions.<br /><br />Could you write or record a story about yourself and/or your community? ...

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The Book Club: Class and gender roles in 'Wuthering Heights'

'Wuthering Heights' is considered by many to be a great romance novel. Jeanette Winterson, however, thinks it is anything but. What does she think the book is about? Do you agree?

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Heywire: When mining comes to town

Imagine living in your own little piece of paradise, only to have a mining company move in and start changing it in ways you don't like. On the other hand, imagine the benefits that a mining company would bring to struggling businesses in the area! There are always different perspectives on any issue. As you listen to this ...

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Powerful words: Gough Whitlam's dismissal

Gough Whitlam is the only Australian prime minister to have been sacked from office - along with his entire government. After learning of his dismissal, Mr Whitlam addressed the Australian public and uttered a line that has resonated throughout Australian politics since 1975. Words can be immensely powerful and, as you ...

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The language of criticism

Language is a powerful tool and the way it is used can sometimes disempower or devalue people and their ideas. Listen to young art critic and aspiring painter Robert Hughes as he discusses the Beat Generation. Explore how questions can be used to influence listeners and how language can reveal the attitudes and values of ...

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David Malouf on violence in literature

Do you think we live in a violent world? Do you agree with David Malouf when he says that violence is everywhere? Should stories reflect what is happening in the world? How do you feel about violence as a theme in literature?

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Lifting the lid on Gothic literature

What comes to mind when you think of 'Gothic fiction'? What are some of the characteristics of the genre? In this clip from the British Library, Professor John Bowen from the University of York suggests the Gothic tradition emerged in literature with the publication of Horace Walpole's The Castle of Qtranto in 1764 and ...

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George Orwell’s '1984'

1984 is a novel by British author George Orwell, published in 1949. How has that period - the late 1940s - shaped the novel? What world event and its consequences led to Orwell writing such a dystopian novel? Professor Bowen claims the Senate House, formerly Ministry of Information, is the basis for the novel's Ministry ...

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Jane Austen: Marriage and inheritance

How important is the wealth of a potential marriage partner to you? Why was the estate of a potential husband important in Jane Austen's novels? Consider the significance of marriage in middle and upper class England, as explained by the University of Oxford's Professor Kathryn Sutherland. This clip from the British Library ...

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First Tuesday Book Club: The Handmaid's Tale

Margaret Atwood's 'The Handmaid's Tale' is a dystopian novel set in the fictional Republic of Gilead. What are some hallmarks of dystopian novels? What are some similarities and differences between this novel and another dystopian novel mentioned in this video, Orwell's '1984'?

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ABC News: Julia Gillard addresses misogyny in parliament

Former Prime Minister Julia Gillard's 2012 address to Parliament, in which she described the Federal Opposition's criticism of her support for controversial politician Peter Slipper as being misogynistic, proved to be one her most memorable. The speech went viral and was reported widely in international media, scoring over ...

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Heywire: Keeping the fat cats out of the dairy

Writers construct representations of people and events to suit their purposes. Once we understand this, we can evaluate the validity of those representations and decide whether we agree with them or not. In her Heywire audio story, Chelsey Landford speaks of the hardships facing dairy farmers. Explore her representations ...