Intermediate 2 Revision

A

100

What are the themes of 'The Hurt Locker'?

Addiction (to war), violence, war, death, self-identity, masculinity, etc.

200

Name three ways in which the setting for 'The Hurt Locker' is significant (effects of the setting).

The geography and climate are extreme/harsh--they make the soldiers' jobs more difficult. The locals don't even speak the same language as the soldiers--this makes their job difficult, too, and means mistakes are easy to make/traps are easy to fall for. Most Iraqis resented the presence of foreign militaries--their hostility makes the missions harder and makes the soldiers uneasy.

300

Comment on the word choice in the following sentence. What is the effect? "The girl’s eyes were glued to the television."

The word 'glued' suggests the girl cannot help herself--she is 'stuck' in front of the television. The television is fascinating or mesmerising.

400

Comment on the effect of the words 'pummel', 'submission' and 'onslaught' in the following: "As television advertisements pummel this imperfect being into submission and a state of anxiety, I am too weak to survive the daily onslaught of smiles from whitened teeth and perfect homes where no real people live."

These words have violent connotations and bring to mind battles or physical attacks.

500

Name two of the effects of filming 'The Hurt Locker' in 16mm with handheld cameras.

Creates a documentary feel due to the 'low budget' film quality, shaky camera work seems more realistic (no time to edit or set up shots), the actors performed better as they didn't know where the cameras were.

B

100

In 'The Hurt Locker', Sgt. Sandborn is the film's ______________, meaning that the audience identifies/sympathises with him the most.

Everyman

200

Explain the significance of the following quotation from Sgt. James: "And the older you get, the fewer things you really love. And by the time you get to my age, maybe it's only one or two things. With me, I think it's one."

James is explaining to his son that life is complicated. Although he knows he is expected to be a good father by staying with his family, whom he is supposed to love and miss, he would rather be back on the front lines, fighting, because he loves diffusing bombs. He is addicted to the danger and adrenaline and cannot function in normal life, which he finds dull and boring.

300

Explain the significance of the following quotation from 'The Boat'. How does it relate to the theme(s)? "When we returned to the house everyone made a great fuss over my precocious excursion and asked, "How did you like the boat?" "Were you afraid in the boat?" "Did you cry in the boat?" They repeated "the boat" at the end of all their questions and I knew it must be very important to everyone."

The quotation shows that fishing and tradition are very important to the community in the story. It also shows that as the only son in the family, the narrator is under a lot of pressure to support his family through fishing.

400

What is the meaning of 'arduous' and how does the following sentence help you to work this out: "The climb to the top of the mountain was arduous. Some stragglers were exhausted and unable to reach the summit. Even the experienced climbers were tired out due to the difficulty of the terrain."

'Arduous' means very difficult or requiring great effort. The words 'exhausted', 'unable to reach to summit', and difficulty of the terrain' should have helped you figure this out.

500

Why is the scene with Sgt. James at home a climax and in what way is it anti-climactic?

There is no action/violence/ high adrenaline in the climax. It appears to be calm and peaceful when compared to the rest of the film; it differs in tone completely. However, it is still a climax because it is a crucial scene or turning point in that it explains much about Sgt. James' behaviour and why he is the way he is. It also makes clear the film's main themes.

C

100

What does 'PTSD' stand for?

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

200

Explain the significance of the following quotation from Sgt. James: "This box is full of stuff that almost killed me."

The fact that Sgt. James keeps detonation devices as souvenirs shows he is proud of his accomplishments and of cheating death hundreds of times. He admires the 'work' of the bombers from a professional point of view. It also hints at his addiction to adrenaline rushes and danger. It allows him to boast of his accomplishments which indicates his pride, arrogance and machismo. He also keeps his wedding ring in the same box, which indicates his marriage is troubled and he is not an ideal family man.

300

How does the following quotation relate to the theme(s) of 'The Boat'? "My mother was of the sea, as were all of her people, and her horizons were the very literal ones she scanned with her dark and fearless eyes."

'Literal' horizons shows that the mother is not a 'dreamer'; she is concerned with maintaining tradition and keeping fishing in the family. The mother and her family enjoyed the sea and took to it easily--thus, she cannot understand why anyone wouldn't want to continue fishing.

400

Comment on the use of the word 'bombarded' as well as the sentence structure in the following: "We are bombarded with images of the perfect shape, the perfect home, the perfect garden, the perfect trainers, perfect skin."

'Bombarded' suggests the narrator feels under attack and has connotations of war or seiges. The repetition of the word 'perfect' emphasises the importance placed on being flawless, and there is a list of items that the media portrays as being important.

500

In which way(s) is Sgt. James a stereotypical hero?

He is physically strong, seems brave/fearless, is the 'strong, silent type' and is aggressive.

D

100

What inspired screen writer Mark Boal to write 'The Hurt Locker'?

He spent time following actual bomb disposal units in Iraq in 2004 and wanted to write a film that showed the challenges of the job as well as its effects.

200

Explain significance of the following quotation from Sgt. James: "There's enough bang in there to blow us all to Jesus. If I'm gonna die, I want to die comfortable. "

It indicates James' reckless/flippant attitude, his swagger or machismo, his disregard for safety procedures, the conflict between team members.

300

What does the following quotation from 'The Boat' suggest about women in the community? "Jenny Lynn had been my mother's maiden name and the boat was called after her as another link in the chain of tradition. Most of the boats that berthed at the wharf bore the names of some female member of their owner's household."

It suggests that women are very important members in the community--they are responsible for running a household and managing the family. It is no surprise that the mother in the story is a strong character. It also shows the importance of tradition.

400

What does 'articulate' mean and how does the context of the following sentence help you arrive at the meaning: "The judge was articulate in informing the jury, clearly and confidently outlining the procedure of the case."

'Articulate' means to use language easily and effectively. Words such as 'informing', 'clearly', and 'confidently' should have helped you arrive at the meaning.

500

In which way(s) is Sgt. James an 'anti-hero'?

He is the main character, and main characters in films are usually heroic. However, Sgt. James isn't very likeable; he puts others at risk/is responsible for injuring his teammate and is not emotionally available for his family.

E

100

Who directed 'The Hurt Locker'?

Kathryn Bigelow

200

Explain the significance of the following quotation: "Used to be a saying about 'Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.' First thing you know, we'd all be eating stewed chickweed and acorns. There's always been a lottery," he added petulantly. "Bad enough to see young Joe Summers up there joking with everybody."

'Lottery in June...' hints that the purpose of the lottery is so that the crops will grow--links to the theme of sacrifice. The rest of Old Man Warner's speech shows the themes of blind faith and tradition--Old Man Warner is afraid to stop the lottery or make jokes about it simply because it's always occurred and it's always been a serious affair.

300

What is the effect of the last word in the poem 'Valentine'?

The word is 'knife'. This indicates the tone has definitely changed to a sinister or threatening one, which is in keeping with Duffy's earlier points about love not always being gentle or cliche. The fact that the last word is so negative stays with the reader as a lasting impression. It also mirrors the negativity of the first word in the poem--'No'.

400

What does the word 'astute' mean and how does the following sentence help you arrive at the meaning: "He was astute in his application of the law. He thought about cases thoroughly and based his ruling on the facts of the case and years of experience and accrued wisdom."

'Astute' means 'clever' or 'cunning'. Words like 'thoroughly', 'experience' and 'wisdom' used to describe the lawyer's actions and application of the law should have tipped you off.

500

Which characterisation and cinegraphic techniques are used to make the Baghdad locals appear menacing in 'The Hurt Locker'?

They are always silent or speaking Arabic (non-English speakers)--characterisation. Low angle shots are used to capture them high on buildings, putting them in a position of power--camera techniques.