Hut In The Wilderness Summary

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Throughout the article, Huts in the Wilderness: Pioneering in School Readers, by Jane McGennisken, the effects of significant Australian pioneering literature are examined to determine the repercussions on School Readers and their beliefs on national growth. McGennisken clearly demonstrates her belief as to how the inclusion of the new visual and textual instances engrave national pride and growth towards the readers; she argues how the Grand Narratives used in schools persuasively inhibit the pride in Australia’s national history. The Victorian Readers Fifth Book, was the first type of textual literature that was instilled into the curricula for School Readers that elaborated immensely on the strength associated with the Australian …show more content…

Land is used to describe the major historical conflict when settling into Australia; however, the Indigenous Australians were not acknowledged for their belonging on the land before. This part of history is represented through the concept of the pioneers being old trees, “surviving contact with Australian Aboriginal peoples” (McGennisken, 2010, p. 40). This statement acts as a negative connotation for the Aboriginals while continuing to demonstrate the perseverance and stoicism of the pioneers. This reference to the past is a prime example of the use of a grand narrative because it is excluding certain parts of history with the intentions to make a particular culture, in this case the pioneers, have a better reputation and positive thoughts about their cultures …show more content…

Huts symbolize the struggle that pioneers endowered to achieve success; this demonstrates the pioneer’s hard work towards establishing a home by requiring the reader to closely examine the picture to recognize the home. Similarly, to how only the pioneers whom put in the labour, time and dedication became successful; representing ideal characteristics of the idolized pioneers. McGennisken included many photos that emphasized the importance of the hut because it not only represents the struggles faced by the Europeans but also demonstrates how the land was empty, with no evident signs of civilization before the European exploration. This manipulates the audience through the use of a Grand Narrative by leaving out important facts of the past, like the previous Aboriginal settlers, to result in portraying themselves as more

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