Australian Literature Blogs 2018

There have been some wonderful blogs by students studying Australian Literature at ACU this semester. We began the unit with Kim Scott’s That Deadman Dance and then travelled through a number of Indigenous authors before beginning the “White” literary staircase from early colonial times right up to contemporary times with Francis Webb, Lisa Bellear and then Judith Beveridge showing us how poetry still has such an important place in our modern world. Judith Beveridge came to visit our students and inspired students into a new understanding of how poetry can open up our ways of seeing, our deeper awareness of what is around us. A number of students in fact went on to write poems directly inspired by Judith’s suggestions. Listen to her lecture right here: CLICK. Overall it has been a fabulous semester of critical responsiveness and creativity- here exemplified in students’ capacity to navigate so well the medium of the digital blog. Here are some outstanding, shining examples:

First some powerful blogs by students who have either arrived in Australia as refugees or are here as children of immigrant parents. For Fatima Hussein who fled from Baghdad because of the invasion of her country we hear how studying Australian Literature has opened the doors to a more inclusive understanding of racial differences in this country.

Here Fatima expresses her sense of welcome in this country: CLICK

And here Fatima talks of how the boundaries of her experience have been opened: CLICK

Here Sandra Russo (child of immigrant parents) gives a beautiful description of how blogging “opened up a new way of appreciating the history of Australia, the different voices and people that have contributed to this country: CLICK

Here now are a number of comments by our international students who have found Australian Literature a wonderful extension to their literary knowledge.

Here is Elena Finlay from New York: CLICK

Here is Anna-Sophia Blatz from Germany: CLICK

And here is Eliza Weidner also from Germany commenting on the way that blogging has opened up her understanding of literature: CLICK

Tyler Sirowich from the USA also expresses how blogging in Australian literature has helped to deepen her engagement with texts and with fellow students (whom she- and the rest of the group- had to peer review each week):CLICK

Then amazingly there were quite a few students who were inspired to write love sonnets inspired by one of earliest colonial poets Charles Harpur! Here is Lili Braidner’s Sonnet On Self-Love- inspired by Charles Harpur: CLICK . And here is Veronica Casha’s beautiful sonnet to a future lover (watch out guys!) also inspired by Harpur: CLICK

Here are some wonderful responses to Judith Beveridge’s Visit and to Francis Webb.

First Chloe Hayfa’s powerful response to Judith Beveridge’s advice to“Pay Attention to the World Around Us”, especially exploring the way women’s situation is so suppressed: CLICK

Second  Rawan Hijazi’s amazing poem inspired by Judith Beveridge’s visit: CLICK and in addition to this here is Rawan’s summative entry in which she speaks about the nature of Beveridge’s wider impact on her: CLICK

Third (but not last!) here is the best poem inspired by Judith Beveridge’s visit! Thank you Laura Nash: CLICK Needless to say, I have sent this poem through to Judith for comment!

And here is the best blog on Francis Webb. Thank you Alexandra Poeder: CLICK 

Here are some wonderful entries on “Australian landscapes that I love”:

Here is Izabella Georgievska celebrating the night sky: CLICK

And here are Charlotte Alphonso’s wonderful memories of times with her grandparents in Bathurst: CLICK

Here is a powerful feminist poem by Heidi Carroll inspired by Dame Mary Gilmore: CLICK

And here is a humorous poem by Jacob Hall inspired by John Shaw Neilson and a dog! CLICK

Here are the best overall summative entries and entries on the joys of blogging:

Veronica Casha: CLICK

Julia El Azzi, who writes passionately about Aboriginal women and about “Milford Sound”: CLICK

Here is Chloe Hayfa’s powerful summative entry on awakening to the plight of indigenous people through studying Australian literature: CLICK

Here are Rachael Kirkpatrick’s comments on how her study has made her into a convert to Australian literature and how powerful for her have been the stimulus questionsfor the blogs: CLICK

Here Christina Pisani shows us the power of animated gifs in getting her point across: CLICK

And here finally are two wonderful entries on the joys and benefits of literary blogging. Here is Brooke Kelleher raving about how the interactivity of blogging really helped her understanding and engagement: CLICK

And here is Lauren Ward’s deep appreciation (after initial terror) of how blogging on and in Australian literature has powerfully expanded her horizons:CLICK