Sharing Fruit

Overall, I am impressed with the ways in which this collection of writing fulfils the stated objectives for the anthology, in particular, the gathering of texts which are very contemporary, and the choice of themes which do encourage personal exploration. The quality of the translation of texts, where they were not written in English, is very high.

YEAR LEVEL OF TARGET AUDIENCE

The ideas and issues in these texts seem appropriate for upper secondary school students. Many of the texts explore the complexities and implications of particular situations in ways which will challenge readers in Years 11 and 12, and possibly some mature Year 10 readers.

For example, the extract from The Crystal Messenger in the section on Identity explores many aspects of the narrator`s situation ("The voluntary silent stenographer"), and requires close reading. In the "Creating a better future " section, "A Drop of Glass" raises economic issues, and matters of industrial relations, which are likely to be of interest to students in the final years of secondary school. Most of the poems, too, make demands on the reader which are appropriate for senior students.

POSSIBLE LINKS TO STANDARD SYLLABUS TEXTS

The Victorian VCE English (the common, compulsory study) prescribed text list includes anthologies of short stories, and could accommodate an anthology such as "Sharing Fruit". In Tasmania, the TCE writing workshop course has increased in popularity in recent years, and because of the ways in which that course combines students` writing and reading, "Sharing Fruit" could be a useful resource.

The section on the writing process, and the various writing activities, open up many possibilities for teaching the craft of writing, which is a major area of study in VCE English, and in most other senior English courses.

The other five sections deal with themes which are common in many of the texts widely studied. For example, Williamson`s play "Brilliant Lies" is a current popular choice, and it raises issues about relationships, and of better futures. The popularity of the Williamson text is indicative of the relevance of such issues to senior students. A connection could be made between "Brilliant Lies" and Anong`s situation in "A Drop of Glass" (Section 3).

SUITABILITY OF CONTENT

The content of all texts is extremely suitable and accessible. All have literary merit, and all have the potential for sustained and intensive study. Each text in the collection raises issues likely to engage students in the exploration of challenging ideas.

All texts are appropriate for male and female students - and there is a good balance of male and female protagonists and writers.

In my opinion, none of the texts contains material or language which is likely to offend current community standards and expectations of texts set for study in school.

The range of literary genres represented in the collection is broad, and includes many examples of texts which could be described as high quality examples of the particular form and genre. This makes them extremely suitable for close study and discussion, and as models for the students` own writing.

THE THEMATIC ORGANISATION OF THE BOOK

This is a very positive feature of this anthology. All themes are very relevant and raise many interesting ideas and issues. All of capable of sustaining discussion and thinking.

Each section of the book provides the basis for challenging and interesting study. Studying one section, rather than the whole book, is clearly a possibility, thus adding to the usefulness of the text for upper secondary English.

1. The writing process
   This provides a kind of overall focus for the anthology, and it is very interesting to consider it as theme. The selected texts explore many perspectives on writing - the process , the writers, and the power of writing. This section could provide the basis for very significant discussions of the craft of writing, and integrate well with students` on writing.

2. A sense of identity
   Identity is a theme which underlies many texts which are set for senior courses, and one which students find accessible.

   The contents table includes an excerpt from Falling Leaves - this is not actually included (which is a good idea, as there are other extracts from Falling Leaves), and does not list Freedom`s Song, which is an excellent choice, raising matters of national identity. "Killing Mum" is a challenging text in the way it deals with difficult and abusive parent-child relationships - it should prompt much discussion.

3. Creating a better future
   This is an extremely worthwhile theme for students in upper secondary school to consider, and could be linked to their own aspirations and experiences. The prose texts, and the three poems, highlight a variety of perspectives on creating better futures. The story "Banish Charity" is not listed in the provided table of contents, but it is an excellent piece for this section.

4. Finding a suitable partner
   This is an aspect of the broader theme of relationships, but a very suitable theme for an anthology such as Sharing Fruit. The three prose texts explore different aspects - cultural differences, arranged marriages, etc.

5. Relationships
   A very rich section - covers a wide range of situations. It is interesting to note the inclusion of the short anecdote which highlights the role of language in defining relationships. The texts are engaging, and would prompt extended and challenging discussion.

6. Travelling
   This theme will resonate with the experiences of many students in multicultural Australia, and it is a strength of the collection that it is included. The texts have been chosen to provide reflections on travel and new experiences - they are not simply travelogues. The poems are particularly interesting, both individually and as a collection. Will activities be provided for "Walking around small towns"?

GENERAL SUITABILITY AND PLACEMENT OF QUESTIONS/ ACTIVITIES

Activities relating to specific texts
Through most of the book, the pattern of "Reading response" and "development" activities is followed for each text. This is appropriate.

In general, the questions in "reading response" provide an excellent basis for class or small group discussion, and the "development questions" suggest individual thinking and writing, as well as further discussion. The opportunities for oral interaction reflect a significant aspect of English curriculum at all levels, including senior courses.

The is a range in the kinds of questions posed in the "reading response" sections. Some seem to be fairly basic comprehension questions - "What sort of bait is successful?" ("My Mouse Trap" in section 6), and I suggest that, for students in upper secondary school, these could be deleted.

Other questions prompt thinking, discussion and analysis - for example, all of the questions referring to "Carapace" in Section 4. A question like "Why is this story called Carapace? …" is a very effective way of stimulating discussion of central aspects of the story.

The kinds of activities suggested under "Development" are very valuable, especially as they often lead students towards writing texts of their own, which further explore the ideas and issues in the text. The suggestion of scripting a dialogue between Vijay and the young woman in "Carapace", so that it could be acted out, is an excellent example of these kinds of activities.

However, I am not sure that "development" is the most appropriate heading for these sections. The activities certainly prompt development of thinking about the text. Maybe "extended responses", "further responses", or "further thoughts"?

Thematic activities
The extended activities provided at the end of each section are sound, interesting and challenging tasks, which could be used effectively and validly as assessment tasks within a senior English course. The suggested tasks prompt careful thinking about the texts, and the themes and issues. Appropriately, all tasks require planning, drafting and revision which could lead to well crafted pieces of writing, exploring significant issues and ideas. The writing produced in response to these prompts could contribute to a Writing Folio, a task which is found in many senior English courses. Where options are given, as for the travellers section, this offers plenty of scope for students.

The majority of these activities lead towards writing, but some could be adapted as oral presentations.

STYLE AND LENGTH OF INTRODUCTIONS

These are concise, and not too long. Their brevity is a positive feature. It is useful to provide an introductory paragraph focused on the theme, rather than simply short introductions to particular texts.

Section 1.
This effectively highlights the central focus of the pieces in this section - "why write?". However, the use of "I" in the sentence "I hope that you will be able to learn …" seems inappropriate in this context.

Section 2.
This paragraph is totally focused on the theme - perhaps the most appropriate approach. This could be the model for revised versions of the other introductions.

Section 3
This, like the paragraph for section 2, deals with the theme in general terms, and seems to strike exactly the right note.

Section 4.
No introduction given. A short paragraph similar to those given for sections 2 and 3 should be developed.

Section 5
Refers only to the two letters. Perhaps it could be expanded by raising some other questions about relationships which are raised in the other texts in the section.

Introductory notes relating to individual texts are valuable in this section.

Section 6.
The general paragraph raises the interesting distinction between returning travellers writing in their own language, and "travelling writers and poets".

The references to groups of texts fit well in the introduction.

Introductory notes on individual texts
These are provided where necessary - which is better than as a formulaic approach of providing explanations and introductions to each text. Some texts need contextual information. Perhaps it would be useful to indicate the author`s country, or the country in which the text is set?

CONCLUSION

I realise that this is a very positive review. I very much enjoyed reading all the texts. The anthology presents a fascinating and extremely varied collection of writing, and this alone is valuable. The chosen themes, and the interesting and thoughtful activities add another dimension to the collection, making it a potentially very stimulating resource for senior English courses. Students who read this anthology, and discuss and write about the themes and issues in the text will develop and extend their understanding of many different cultures.

* Reproduced with permission

Marion Meiers

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1998-01-06