Film Analysis: The Common Australian Stereotypes

Source three is a World War I Australian propaganda poster created by the Australian State Parliamentary Recruiting Committee in 1917, focussing on the recruitment of soldiers, specifically sportsmen to volunteer to join the war as a method to replenish the front lines of the war in Europe. An associated message of the source questioned the validity and legitimacy of healthy, Australian men participating in sports while the other soldiers fought at the front in Europe. This situation strongly contradicted cultural loyalty, where Australians from the past and in the present have a traditional value of fitness and athletics, and have a competitive history in sports, with regional loyalty and political nationalism in terms of accommodating the

From the 1970’s Australians have been viewed as bush people as they were seeming as heroic and brave. Never the less, internationally, Australians have been showcased as vulgar, racist that have strong pride for their country. Consequently, Australia has also been viewed as an alcoholic nation as companies continuously push the stereotype to market their products. In turn, Australian’s collective identity is made up of multiple other stereotypes that have been fed into. Despite being incorrectly portrayed; the Australian identity has a positive effect on Australian culture.

The fact that Australia was considered as a global nation, which was ‘open to multiple international cultural, political and economic influences (pp.222), was very contentious. Sheridan makes it clear that Asia involvement has shaped Australia, acknowledging the positive and necessary changes in areas including culture, economy, education, defence and more. Knight indicates that Australia was encouraged to begin the desire for economic gain and civilisation. He states ‘Australia thus inherited from Britain a European country, its sense of cultural identity and its feeling of superiority towards Asia and Asians’(pp.223). This demonstrates that Australia views towards Asia were constantly changing leading to an increase in problems examples including smuggling and entering legally from other states.

Good morning and welcome fellow active citizens. Today we will be examining the wide spectrum of cultural identities, values, and beliefs that Australian poetry and film are underpinned with. By the end of this presentation, you will walk away with knowledge of the Australian Identity through the works of two Australia poets Oodgeroo Noonuccal and Bruce Dawe and one of our beloved Aussie box office smash ‘The Castle’.

Globalization for Australia is now the speed of change, the direction in which it is going, and the pressure on Australia to modify their economy and their population to receive these movements. Australia needs these people flowing into their country to expand their workforce. However, the security risk is now with the flow of people and the melting pot of different cultures, people struggle to identify with the nationalism of traditional Australian people. In Australia, cultural diversity, different cultures living together in one place, is the new norm.

So much to do here in Australia, there is just no time for anywhere else anyway.” (Trent Parke, 2014). Parke explores the Australian identity through his emotion and interest in relation to the

Robert Drewe’s 1996 novel The Drowner is, among other things, a representation of Western Australian lifestyle, culture and identity in the late 19th century. At the time, Australia was still a young nation; an “underdog” among Western countries. However, numerous gold rushes brought wealth and prosperity to the nation, attracting millions of immigrants from mainly European countries. Australia’s national identity developed into one centred around the values of hard work, perseverance and mateship—values which are still central to our identity today.

Speeches made within the past are still relevant to today’s society as the issues they have faced are significant to the values of the present. The statement: "Any significant and valued speech is able to transcend its immediate context", is exemplified within Paul Keating 's Redfern Address (1992) and Noel Pearson 's An Australian History for Us All (1996). Within these speeches, the themes of taking responsibility for actions and the importance of reconciliation resonate as they have influenced change in present-day Australia through new laws and forming the basis of Australian society. Conducted in a predominantly Aboriginal community, the former Prime Minister of Australia, Paul Keating addresses a controversial topic in celebration of

Australian Identity “It’s not a house, it’s a home”. Aussie Films are renowned for their quirky comments like this, and their representation of characters, often using exaggeration to exemplify the inimitable nature of Australian cultural identity and accent. Good morning all, I am Dereck Letcher and I am here to talk about how Darryl is the Australian identity personified. The 1997 film, The Castle, produced by Rob Sitch, is about Darryl Kerrigan, an everyday Aussie forced to fight for his home after they have been told they must vacate by the airport authorities. Darryl takes the challenges to heart and shows the persistent, dogmatic and satisfied nature of Australians.

Australian identity and what constitutes Australian culture are prominent ideas explored by Peter Goldsworthy’s Maestro. Throughout the novel, there is a strong sense of cynicism towards Australian culture as it is painted as ambiguous and indefinite. This is established through the analogy of Paul representing Australian society and his parents representing the British influence on Australian culture. Goldsworthy also explores the European influence on Australia through Kellar’s character. Goldsworthy’s broader message is that Australian identity is in fact quite complex and open to interpretation due how culturally diverse it is.

What does it really mean to be Australian? Is Australia really just: bushland, hot sunny beaches, native animals and having to have a laid back attitude? These are just common stereotypes about the ‘land down under’. With Australia settled by the British colony many of its inhabitants were the leftover convicts from Europe. After world war 2 boat people and asylum seekers arrived in Australia hoping for a new life.

Since colonisation in 1788 Europeans believed the Aboriginal peoples to be a primitive race with no societal structures in place because their system did not resemble one that was recognizable or fit within it did not resemble a system that was recognizable by white settlers. National identity is believed to be a general concept that referred to a broad set of codes with a shared understanding within a nation, and the sense of belonging that is reinforced through myths, symbols, media activities, and everyday practices (Carter, 2006, p. 7; Van Krieken et al., 2017, pp. 234-244). Australia is now regarded as a diverse country with an identity that has evolved over time and will continue to do so. For Indigenous Australians to conform to this national identity, they had to assimilate and give up their values, beliefs, and cultural rights to become more like white Australia.

After the Second World War, Australia as well as the rest of the world, underwent some major changes in the way young people in particular, follow ‘trends’. Through research it is clear that in the 1960’s and early 1970’s, the youth of Australia changed their views and ideals to be more ‘free and harmonious’ with the world. A hippie is a member of a subculture that was originally formed by the youth in the United States during the 1960’s. By the time everyone else in the US had caught in to the ‘newest trend, it had spread to many other countries around the world.

Popular culture in post-war Australia was immensely influenced by American and British culture. Upon the end of World War 2, Australians experienced increased leisure time with nothing to fill it with. The Union had successfully enforced the 8 x 8 x 8 principle, thus supplying Australians with 8 hours of work, 8 hours of leisure and 8 hours of sleep. Increasing globalisation meant that the average Australian became more aware of the world around them, rather than the impenetrable bubble of their farm or township that they belonged to. This knowledge of foreign ideas and behaviours were quickly adopted because of their tantalizing appeal and soon became extremely common in Australian society.

There is no doubt that ‘Crocodile Dundee’ has put Australia on the map and has attracted great tourist interest on an international