text 2 - the ivory trail (1 Viewer)

[Loza33]

"Jamie comes from a long line of ‘Channellers’, and the Hassan family expects him to accept his talents. But
Jamie’s first encounter with channelling leaves him seriously frightened and it takes a few years and a bit of
family subterfuge to interest him in the process again. Eventually, though, the gift of a carved ivory elephant,
willed to him by his Gramps, lures him down the ivory trail. He travels into several different times and people’s
heads, and discovers gifts he’s only dreamed of. Jamie’s grandfather left him more than a beautiful piece of
carving; he left him the secrets of life instead."

He guys sometimes it helps to research the background of things.. while without proof in the text you cannot explictly refer to it, at least it helps you to understand the text more!! do this with all exerts in my opinion...

 

[lost_istari]

Indeed, and well said.

The idea that the boy is Caucasian is ridiculous. Jamie Hassan has grown up in westernised culture, but he is of Islamic heritage, a little research goes a long way.
The major revelation of the story occurs in Egypt, this is fairly damn obvious. The sphinx and the great pyramid of Giza. The pillars are called minarets (traditionally the call to prayer for Muslims comes from these towers, they are part of the Mosque).

The basic back story to Kelleher's story is that Jamie comes from a long line of 'channellers', who are able to travel through time. Jamie receives a small elephant carved from ivory on his fifteenth birthday. This object holds magical property, acting as a conductor between past and present. From this point Jamie begins a life changing journey into the past.

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Jamie first becomes ('channelling' a certain persona) an African Elephant Trader called Louis, an unusually cruel man. Louis alters through the process of journey with a group of slaves, whom he comes to respect and care for. Louis take only a small piece of ivory from an elephant he had slain, realising the error of his ways.

Then Jamie becomes John, an English man. John must retrieve a small ivory elephant, which his dying brother threw away in an act of jealously. John successfully does so, and the brothers are reconciled.

Next Jamie assumes the persona of Paul Sahib, an Englishman living in India. Paul possesses a small ivory elephant, which he uses as a source of courage when facing the wilds of the Indian jungle with his friend Raj.

After that Jamie becomes a Depression-ear orphan called Jack. This facet of the story is set in Australia. In his travels, Jack encounters a girl called Milly, who's only remaining reminder of her father has been stolen. Jack and Milly set off to recover a small ivory elephant.

Finally Jamie assumes the persona of Yusef, an apprentice Egyptian craftsman. Yusef is given a small piece of ivory from a man called Louis. He must make something beautiful to impress his master. He craves a perfect elephant from the ivory. When this task has been completed he meets a man called Ali, a Sufi prophet. Ali informs Jamie that he has completed the tasks that lead him on paths of wonder, selflessness, faith and innocence. Jamie is now worthy to be a great spirit guide.

So there we have it. This text is aimed at 12-16 yr olds, so don't expect anything too fancy. Now, pretend you don't know all of this, pretend you are only reacting to a visual stimulus. Talk about:

• Vectors - The author's name draws immediate attention, the size of the text is quite large, and the contrast of white against red also helps to gain the attention of responders. The proximity of the author's name to the title leads responders to fluidly go from one to the next. The words are of varying size, placing emphasis on 'trail' (path or track roughly blazed through wild or hilly country) thus on the process of Journey.
  The foregrounded eyes of the adolescent boy are turned towards the middle-grounded Sphinx, which leads on the back-grounded pyramid, which points skywards to the similarly back-grounded minarets. The minarets lead attention to the phrase 'not all journeys have an ending'.

• Colours - Red to black. Limited spectrum, implying danger, passion and intrigue.

• Image motif - Exotic, religious allusion, rippled sand implies the passing of time.

This is an easy text to talk about, and demonstrates a broad understanding, if one is able to talk about say poetry, film and visual.

The book cover- “The Ivory Trail” from the stimulus booklet represents that the individual may encounter new horizons by realising the limitless power of the imagination. The text provides an imaginative journey for responders as they are drawn to speculate upon the text and visuals provided. The text type’s purpose is to appeal to readers to purchase/read the book, however the references made to reality challenges responders to question the erratic, mysterious and obscure nature of the journey itself. This is communicated through the ambiguous, photographic montage of the sphinx, face close-up and minarets. An exotic setting is portrayed through the back drop of the eastern minarets and the sphinx’s Egyptian associations. The idea of a rare journey is evoked in the title: “The Ivory Trail”. Ivory is symbolic of the rare material from tusks of elephants and is known for its illegal trade. This exotic and rare allusion also evokes feelings of intrigue and mystery which gives an impression for the responders that this text is an imaginative journey.

The caption: “Not all journeys have an ending” is used by the composer to encourage the actualisation responders come to after exploring the possibilities presented to them. It expresses an idea of continuum by suggesting that imagination itself does not have an end and that only through imagination continuum can be achieved. The dominant colours of red, black and orange and the use of shadows depict an atmosphere of fear, passion and threat. Subsequently responders do not reach a resolution or a nirvana in this imaginative journey. Through the use of techniques constructed by the composer there is an acceptance by the responders of the imagination to present infinite possibilities as they encounter this journey.

That's it - Over and Out

 

[shuai]

um..im doing an assissment/speech on journey. is the ivory trail a good text to chose?...the ivory trail is most imagative..but it does have some physical journey in it right ? so i can talk about both and relate them

 

[adam300492]

the name of the book, 'the ivory trail' is placed in the centre of the cover. 'trail' suggests journey. it means a route, path or a road which you take to get somewhere.

'not all journeys have an ending' - there is an assumption that all journeys have an ending and the reader is challenged why this one might not.

not all journeys have an ending is a paradox, also the sun shining on the sphinx could indicate where the main event or conclusion of the story will occur. The eyes looking up also show that he is in a state of uncertainty.