Text 4 - Journey to the Interior

[AbeGettysburg]

Does anyone have anything intelligent to say about Atwood's poem? What do you think it has to say about inner journeys?

[wanton-wonton]

Originally Posted by AbeGettysburg

Does anyone have anything intelligent to say about Atwood's poem? What do you think it has to say about inner journeys?

I'm using it, but for physical journey. But basically, Atwood is saying how journeys can be difficult but requires perserverance, like all journeys.

[pig_93]

its kind of life a self reflection thing
she is looking into herself, which is something not many ppl do, and she is critically analysing her environment and herself.
it is a look into her psyche

[silvermoon]

that's too broad. I have lots I could say (ill leave it up to you to decide whether they would be intelligent or not). I did Atwood's poem for my stimulus text last year and used it as the basis for a piece of creative writing. I might be able to scrounge up some notes. If you can think up something more specific, either post a proper question up here or PM me and I'll see if I can help you doll

[gordo]

journey to the interior was the best text by far in the BOS booklets
wat u mean your EE2 teacher couldn;t work it out


if u need any help with it pm me

[jusdorange]

Argonaut, how is it that difficult?

I think it's easier to use in essays than the visual ones, and the Robert Frost poem is too overdone.

[Glenn198718]

i think you should keep clear of that one too.

im thinking about the road not taken or ivory trail for that question

[glitterfairy]

Whoa! Road Not Taken is like, the most popular stimulus text. Do it if you really want to, but do it well.

I did Journey To The Interior last year, and loved it. I'm not quite sure why an EE2 teacher couldn't work it out, but anyway...!!!

I'll try and explain it, without spoon-feeding.
From an inner journey perspective, we are going inside the narrator's mind. The deeper we go in, the more confusing it becomes - impossible lines like "a shoe among the brambles under the chair" (OMG!!!! I still remember quotes from this this!!! Someone shoot me!!!) appear. In the first stanza, we also have references to the (physical) Canadian landscape. Interpret that as you will.

As we go further in, we break free of the physical limitations our body (exterior) has, but without a reliable compass or map it's easy to get lost, because we have no obvious landmarks or directions. I believe the poem ends with something along the lines of "I know it is easy to get lost here, I know I must keep my head". Come on guys!

This poem is EXCELLENT for Inner Journeys, in my opinion, the most suitable.

[silvermoon]

*shoots glitterfairy* ...well, you did ask!

anyway, i agree --> it's absolutely ridiculous that an EE2 teacher couldn't explain the poem. Frost's poem is dreadfully overdone which makes it the one to steer clear of. Journey to the Interior is probably the most applicable (and reasonably easy to analyse) text in the stimulus booklet. ah, here's a little i found in some old doc:
Margaret Atwood’s poem Journey to the Interior uses an extended metaphor of physical journeys to demonstrate the nature of inner journeys. Atwood emphasises the dangerous nature of inner journeys, where the mind becomes a metaphorical “net” that can “entangle” and “snare” the unwary.
In the second half of the poem, Atwood reveals what she considers the purpose of an inner journey to be – to resolve deep-rooted fears and issues. This is explained to the responder via symbolism – Atwood uses “A sodden log I’m sure I passed yesterday” as a metaphor for issues buried deep within her psyche. We are told that until she confronts these problems and resolves them she will be continuously “walking in circles”.
Atwood emphasises that it is the journeying process that is important, not the final destination. Although she uses an extended metaphor of a physical journey, she names no tangible destination as the endpoint to this experience. Indeed, Atwood informs the responder that some never emerge from their journey and that none return “unchanged”. The last line of the poem ends without a full stop, giving no sense of finality and demonstrating to the responder once again that Atwood wishes the emphasis to remain on the importance of the journey itself and what understanding is gained rather than the reaching of the final destination.

[shoppin_spree]

the poem is meant to be about the dangers of journeys as if you look to far into yourself you may never come out "but only some have returned safely". Also it kind of has meaning the Margaret Atwood as her poet friend went on an inner journey and ended up committing suicide...so yeah that just some contextual knowledge...hope it helps

[martinb00e]

may be your could help me. Im using Jouney to the interior for my ort in a feature article. if u have any notes for it and imaginative journey i would help me heaps

[mitchbeatty]

Margaret Atwood is a deadset sort for an oldie! She can journey my interior anytime.

[skull78]

Originally Posted by mitchbeatty

Margaret Atwood is a deadset sort for an oldie! She can journey my interior anytime.

haha nice call but with all seriousness an english extention teacher which cannot figure this poem out is a complete idiot.... i suggest leaving that school you are in...

ok here are some points i took in class about the poem.....

• this poem is describing an inner journey and using a physical journey of canada as a metaphor to her inner journey.
• the mention of swamps 'have their roots in swamps' and the the trees 'surrounded by a tangle of branches' is reffering to the poets states of mind while she is travelling on this inner journey.
• 'that travel is not the easy going from point to point..' is saying that the journey is impossible to plot out and has to been done by feeling.
• 'alternate light and dark' sometimes in this journey there is light - you know what is going on and dark- you are unsure and unknown parts of the journey... there are no destinations, only 'what is', instead of stimulating to what it is not (eg. a drug enduced inner journey)
• reflection on a distraction 'have i been travelling in circles...' author is actually asking weather her mind is going in circles again showing that the focus on the inner journey has been lost.
• 'a compass is useless' no external aids can be used to help you on your inner journey- this also eextends the original analogy of the journey through canada.
• 'vacant wilderness' is what the author is experiencing on this inner journey.

well thats a few points because i want the rest for myself...some of my mates might steal stuff from me :P so have fun with that.... and i hope the ppl in the class of 2007 come second to me lol..... i got no chance....

[Bobness]

Originally Posted by LottoX

The graphic of the blue pants which couples the poem reinforces the idea of the "Journey into the Interior" of my pants.

Oh man you're not serious are you?

And hmm this thread is over a year old, but to any 07ers reading this i would definitely recommend it as well.

This or shirley geok-lin's excerpt

Oh and if you can show an imaginative journey in either of the above, you're even more ace and should definitely use them in assessments as you'll be showing flair and insightful thinking in your text choices.

(that's if you're doing imaginative journeys and for some reason are reading this thread btw)

[-pari-]

on the other hand ^^ dont do a text just becoz you think its "harder" for your journey so will be marked better as you'll be showing intelligence by trying to make it sound relevant to your journey.
remember there are about 60 000 kids in the state who have to do AOS, SOME1 will be doing the same as you no matter what - someone else will also have thought - hey lets do that coz its not exactly inner journey but if i make it relevant kudos to me.

pick something you can analyse well and can write a decent amount about

---this is what our english teacher advised us, and he's an age old hsc marker.