The impact of the physical journey

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The challenges faced on journeys cause travellers to learn more about themselves and the world around them.

The challenges faced on journeys cause travellers to learn more about themselves and the world around them. The truth of this concept is shown through the effective use of language, structure and theme in Gow’s play Away, Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken”, Robert’s film Shackleton, and Winter’s feature article “Survival of the Fittest.”

The structure of Away is critical to the meaning conveyed to the responder in two ways. The first way is the central storm that brings all the three families together and is a catalyst for change. The challenge Gwen faces is that all of her possessions have been literally and symbolically washed away by the storm. This is a challenge for her as she has had the view that possessions are everything, and that without them you have nothing. From the driving force of the storm Gwen has learnt that possessions are not everything. She loses all her possessions, but she still has her family. She realises that that is more important after speaking with Vic. So from the challenge of the storm, Gwen has learnt more about herself.

The second aspect of the structure of Away is the cyclic nature paradox. All three families start off at the school. They then travel to different locations for their holiday. These different locations, the hotel, Caravan Park and tent, represent their social class. They are then brought together by the storm, and the play ends with them all back at the school, the same school that they started off at. Upon first investigation you could say that they have started and ended their journey at the same place, and so nothing has changed. However upon closer investigation, you can see that although they are back to where they started, they have moved forward, much like a wheel that has turned one revolution. Although the wheel appears not to have changed, it has in fact moved forward.

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Gow’s context when composing Away is critical and has affected what and how he writes, in particular reference to the character Coral. Gow set Away in Australia in the late 60’s. At this time the Vietnam War was ending, and many families back home were aware that their loved ones were not returning. This is the challenge that Coral faces. She, and her husband Roy, find out that their son has died in the war. Coral in particular cannot accept this. She becomes detached from society and from Roy. From meeting and talking with new people on her holiday such ...

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