national identity
Task 1: Short Written Response
“The portrayals of Australia’s national identity presented in the Australia media bear little resemblance to contemporary reality”
Is it the beach, bush, sun, thongs, or flies and kangaroos that help shape our national identity. It is these images for many years that portray Australia, however do they actually summarise Australia’s national identity.
Our national identity as Australian’s is not how the media claims it to be and each individual has his or her own concept of what our identity is. Quin, McMahon, & Quin (1995) discusses Richard White’s point, as national identity based around the media. He talks about how production of film, pictures, commercials, and more cannot convey the true reflection of Australia’s identity.
Our identity lingers around the representations of the bush and bushmen, this was one of the first powerful shaper of our identity and how paintings and portraits show images of these masculine, rough, and tough bushmen who worked hard to tame the bush or were struggling with the drought. Elder (2007) says how “one of the most stereotyped, out of date and yet long-lived and most popular narratives of Australian-ness is that of the ‘Aussie bloke’” (p.4). Although the bush and Bushmen is still a huge factor of our identity it is not the only factor that contributes. Donovan (2010) explores how Australia has “built a narrative about who we are as a nation, and new chapters are being added all the time as the national identity is updated with each new era” (p.1).
Other factors that contribute to our national identity are our history. A major part of our history is Gallipoli. This is where the ‘larrikin’ stereotype comes from and ANZAC tradition takes its place in our identity. Mateship also evolved from Gallipoli as our country goes to war to help fight with our alliances. This part of our history helps to add to our identity as other countries view have they view of Australians as portraying that
“The portrayals of Australia’s national identity presented in the Australia media bear little resemblance to contemporary reality”
Is it the beach, bush, sun, thongs, or flies and kangaroos that help shape our national identity. It is these images for many years that portray Australia, however do they actually summarise Australia’s national identity.
Our national identity as Australian’s is not how the media claims it to be and each individual has his or her own concept of what our identity is. Quin, McMahon, & Quin (1995) discusses Richard White’s point, as national identity based around the media. He talks about how production of film, pictures, commercials, and more cannot convey the true reflection of Australia’s identity.
Our identity lingers around the representations of the bush and bushmen, this was one of the first powerful shaper of our identity and how paintings and portraits show images of these masculine, rough, and tough bushmen who worked hard to tame the bush or were struggling with the drought. Elder (2007) says how “one of the most stereotyped, out of date and yet long-lived and most popular narratives of Australian-ness is that of the ‘Aussie bloke’” (p.4). Although the bush and Bushmen is still a huge factor of our identity it is not the only factor that contributes. Donovan (2010) explores how Australia has “built a narrative about who we are as a nation, and new chapters are being added all the time as the national identity is updated with each new era” (p.1).
Other factors that contribute to our national identity are our history. A major part of our history is Gallipoli. This is where the ‘larrikin’ stereotype comes from and ANZAC tradition takes its place in our identity. Mateship also evolved from Gallipoli as our country goes to war to help fight with our alliances. This part of our history helps to add to our identity as other countries view have they view of Australians as portraying that