Past the Shallows (Technique & Effect)
“Harry and Miles knew the water. They knew not to trust it.”
Technique: Juxtaposition, personification.
Effect: Reveals the boys’ complex relationship with nature—both familiar and threatening.
How does the ocean reflect comfort and danger?
The ocean symbolises both solace and threat—a paradox that mirrors the boys’ emotional landscape and the unpredictability of life.
“My mother had a head like a computer.”
Simile, Hyperbole
Highlights cultural expectations and the pressure of perfectionism in migrant families. Reflects identity shaped by familial roles.
“The train’s shadow, like a bird, flicked over the fence.”
Journey, the North Coast
Simile, Visual imagery
Evokes a sense of fleeting movement and freedom; reflects transition and change.
Jobs
Quote: “You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.”
Question: What technique is used here and what is its effect?
Metaphor – Encourages reflection and trust in the creative process; meaning is often revealed in hindsight.
Which artist released the hit song “Espresso” in 2024 that became a viral TikTok anthem?
Sabrina Carpenter
“It was always Dad who decided. Always.”
Technique: Repetition.
Effect: Emphasizes control and emotional suppression; reflects inconsistency in parental care.
How does Harry’s innocence show anomalies in trauma?
Harry’s confusion and lack of understanding about abuse highlight an anomaly—children experiencing trauma without comprehension, deepening the reader’s empathy.
"We were the only Asians in the street.”
Anecdote, Juxtaposition
Emphasises cultural isolation and the experience of being 'othered'. Explores identity in a multicultural society.
“Behind us, the city driven like stakes into the earth.”
Flames and Dangling Wire
Simile, Violent imagery
Conveys destruction and unnatural intrusion of urbanisation.
Luka Lesson
Quote: “May your pen grace the page at the same pace as your brain.”
Question: What technique is used here and how does it reflect the relationship between thought and writing?
Metaphor, direct address – Suggests harmony between cognition and creative expression.
What is the name of the Netflix series starring Jenna Ortega as a gothic teen at Nevermore Academy?
Wednesday
“Harry didn’t know what he’d done wrong.”
Technique: Free indirect discourse.
Effect: Highlights innocence and confusion; anomaly in a child’s emotional development.
How does Miles and Harry’s bond show collective experience?
Their relationship reflects the collective human experience of familial love and sacrifice, especially under hardship, fostering emotional resonance.
“I was the bridge between two worlds.”
Metaphor
Captures the tension of bicultural identity and the challenge of navigating dual cultural expectations.
“She and I came wandering there through an empty park.”
Harbour Dusk
Tone, Setting
Reflects emotional distance and isolation; symbolic of relationship decay.
Jobs
Quote: “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”
Question: How does this quote use imperative language to inspire authenticity?
Imperative tone – Urges the audience to live with purpose and reject conformity.
Which movie won Best Picture at the 2025 Oscars?
Oppenheimer
“The ocean was wild and beautiful and dangerous.”
Technique: Tricolon, oxymoron.
Effect: Nature as both nurturing and threatening; paradox of beauty and danger.
How does the absence of the mother affect the boys?
The missing maternal figure creates an emotional void and inconsistency in nurturing, shaping the boys’ vulnerability and emotional isolation.
“Happiness is not something you feel, it is something you do.”
Aphorism, Cultural idiom
Reflects cultural values around duty and emotional restraint. Explores how culture shapes emotional expression.
“The sunlit town’s strewn like petals.”
Byron Bay: Winter
Simile, Visual imagery
Romanticises the natural landscape; evokes beauty and peace.
LL
Quote: “May your grey matter / From now on / No longer be grey.”
Question: How does Lesson use wordplay and symbolism to explore creativity and clarity?
Symbolism, enjambment – Transforms dullness into vibrancy; celebrates imaginative thinking.
Who played Ken in the 2023 blockbuster film Barbie?
Ryan Gosling
"Miles had to be the one. He had to look after Harry.”
Technique: Modality, repetition.
Effect: Shows burden of responsibility; inconsistency in childhood roles.
How does Parrett’s prose reflect emotional restraint?
Her sparse, lyrical style mirrors the characters’ inability to express emotions openly, reinforcing the theme of suppressed human experience.
“I was not allowed to go to sleepovers.”
Anecdote, Contrast
Reveals cultural differences in parenting and social norms. Highlights generational and cultural conflict.
“The road is hot and dusty.”
Description of a Walk
Sensory imagery
Grounds the reader in a physical experience; evokes discomfort.
Jobs
Quote: “Stay hungry. Stay foolish.”
Question: What is the effect of this aphorism in the context of the speech’s conclusion?
Aphorism, repetition – Leaves a memorable, motivational message encouraging risk-taking and curiosity.
What is the name of Taylor Swift’s 2023–2025 world tour?
The Eras Tour
"There was no sound. Just the wind and the water and the birds.”
Technique: Auditory imagery, polysyndeton. Effect: Paradox of silence filled with natural sound; evokes isolation.
How is the father’s detachment a paradox?
His emotional absence contradicts societal expectations of fatherhood, creating a paradox that exposes the impact of neglect and unresolved trauma.
"We were taught to be grateful, not happy.”
Juxtaposition, Tone
Explores the migrant mindset shaped by hardship and survival. Challenges Western ideals of individual happiness.
“The moment is a pause, a stillness.”
24 Poems
Caesura, Tone
Emphasises reflection and mindfulness; captures fleeting beauty.
LL
Quote: “May writing your lines / Be the way that you pray.”
Question: What is the effect of this metaphor on the reader’s understanding of writing as a spiritual act?
Metaphor, rhyme – Elevates writing to a sacred, personal ritual of self-expression.
Which Marvel character did Florence Pugh play in Black Widow and Thunderbolts?
Yelena Belova
“He didn’t cry. Not even when he saw the body.”
Technique: Contrast, understatement.
Effect: Suppressed grief; anomaly in emotional response.
How does Tasmania’s setting reflect isolation?
The remote, rugged landscape intensifies the characters’ physical and emotional isolation, echoing broader human experiences of loneliness and entrapment.
“My father was a man of few words, but many actions.”
Characterisation, Contrast
Demonstrates cultural values of stoicism and duty. Shapes identity through familial modelling.
“A bird calls, and the sound hangs in the air.”
24 Poems
Auditory imagery, Personification
Evokes tranquillity and presence; nature as a meditative force.
Jobs
Quote: “Death is very likely the single best invention of life.”
Question: How does Jobs use paradox to provoke reflection on mortality and purpose?
Paradox – Reframes death as a motivator for meaningful living and personal growth.
What is the smallest bone in the human body?
The stapes (in the ear)
“The light was golden now, and the sea was gentle.”
Technique: Visual imagery, symbolism.
Effect: Moment of peace; contrasts with earlier chaos—suggests fleeting comfort.
How does silence convey emotional depth?
Silence and non-verbal cues reveal unspoken pain and connection, showing that human experiences often transcend language.
“I was a good girl. A clever girl. A quiet girl.”
Repetition, Cumulative listing
Reinforces gender and cultural expectations. Explores how identity is constructed through compliance.
“The yachts were far across their empty fields of water.”
Harbour Dusk
Metaphor, Visual imagery
Emphasises loneliness and detachment; water as a barrier.
LL
Quote: “May the ball in your ballpoint roll ‘cause that’s the point of the ball.”
Question: How does Lesson use pun and repetition to reinforce the purpose of writing?
Pun, repetition – Playfully emphasises clarity and intention in expression.
Which animal can sleep for up to three years?
Snail
“They were just kids. Just boys.”
Technique: Repetition, emphasis.
Effect: Highlights vulnerability; inconsistency in expectations placed on children.
How do memory and flashbacks reveal inconsistencies?
Flashbacks expose fragmented and subjective memories, revealing inconsistencies in perception and the unreliability of personal truth.
“English was the language of success.”
Symbolism, Diction
Highlights the role of language in shaping identity and access to power. Explores assimilation and cultural capital.
“As in hell, the devils are half-known faces.”
Flames and Dangling Wire
Allusion, Metaphor
Evokes horror and moral decay; critiques consumerism and waste.
Jobs
Quote: “I dropped out of college and began dropping in on classes that interested me.”
Question: How does this anecdote reflect the value of curiosity and non-linear learning?
Anecdote – Shows that passion-driven learning fosters creativity and innovation.
How many stripes are there on the American flag?
13
“He was gone. Just like that.”
Technique: Ellipsis, abrupt syntax.
Effect: Sudden loss; evokes shock and emotional numbness.
How does the novel foster empathy for damaged characters?
Through nuanced storytelling, Parrett humanizes morally ambiguous and emotionally broken characters, encouraging readers to understand complex experiences.
“We were not poor, but we were not rich either. We were grateful.”
Reflects migrant values of humility and resilience. Explores identity shaped by socioeconomic status.
“I’m back in the open countryside, one of those bright crockery days.”
Journey, the North Coast
Metaphor, Visual imagery
Suggests clarity and freshness; contrasts urban confinement with natural beauty.
LL
Quote: “Mean what you say.”
Question: How does this imperative reflect the values of authenticity and integrity in writing?
Imperative, aphorism – Encourages sincerity and emotional truth in creative work.
What is the national animal of Scotland?
Unicorn
“And the sea—it was always there. Waiting.”
Technique: Personification, enjambment.
Effect: Sea as both constant and unpredictable; paradox of permanence and threat.
How does suffering lead to resilience?
The boys endure loss and hardship, yet moments of tenderness and survival suggest that suffering can cultivate emotional strength and resilience.
“I was the translator, the negotiator, the cultural ambassador.”
Tricolon, Metaphor
Emphasises the burden of cultural mediation. Explores identity shaped by responsibility and duality.
“The beach is one great arc of white.”
Byron Bay: Winter
Hyperbole, Visual imagery
Emphasises purity and serenity; nature’s grandeur.
Jobs & Luka Lesson
Quote Comparison: Jobs – “Stay hungry. Stay foolish.” | Lesson – “Mean what you say.”
Question: How do both texts use imperative language to encourage authenticity and creativity?
Both use imperatives to inspire personal expression and risk-taking. Jobs promotes boldness and curiosity; Lesson promotes honesty and emotional truth.
What is the name of the largest desert in the world?
Antarctic Desert (Yes, it's a cold desert!)