Comparative - The Longest Memory and 7 Stages of Grieving Quotes only

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BEAR Quotes (Quotes only) Comparative for The 7 Stages of Grieving (Deborah Mailman and Wesley Enoch, published by Playlab, 1996), and The Longest Memory (Fred D’Aguiar, published by Vintage, 1995)

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Text summaries from the 2020 VCAA Text List

The 7 Stages of Grieving

The 7 Stages of Grieving opens with an Indigenous family grieving the loss of a grandmother. It explores the anguish of losing family members, land, culture and traditions through issues such as the stolen generations, deaths in custody and racial discrimination. While the focus is on the sorrow of what has been lost, the characters’ resilience and the final scene of the Walk for Reconciliation leaves plenty of room for the audience to see some hope in the future of a nation. The mournful nature of personal grief is juxtaposed with the ‘joy of being’ around your community to celebrate the life of a loved one. Hope comes from an acknowledgement that understanding can come when the majority has greater knowledge of what a minority group has lost.

The Longest Memory

This concise novel explores the story of Whitechapel, the oldest and most respected slave on a plantation in Virginia in the 18th century. Reflecting on his life, Whitechapel remembers his past as a valued slave and advisor to his master, central to the functioning of the plantation. The key event that changed and marred his life is revealed through his reflections as he considers his role in the events leading to the death of his son. The narrative moves between first, second and third person, and between reflection, verse, diary entry and newspaper report. The novel examines the nature of slavery, sacrifice, power and the insidious nature of racism.