Short+Story+-+Urupa

=The Urupa - Patricia Grace =


 * In what ways is this short story childish? Make notes and take quotes from the story as evidence. **

__Characters __

· The actions of the characters are immature and childish for example when they are annoyed that they didn’t come up with the clever way to decorate the grave. They become angry and storm down the hill...someone did something better than them so they act immaturely and storm off. “Lizzie didn’t care either; she was going to do that idea next time” · The children get sulky over small things “...pulling the petals off the stupid marigolds. Their bottle had toppled over and the stupid water was pouring out all over the place.” · Everything is a game or a competition to them. Even the running up the hill and’ bagsing’ the graves and “Reddy, seddy, go” · They play pranks on one another, for example, tying the bottom branches of the lupin bushes together over the track to trip one another up. · They still believe that dead relatives can talk to them from the grave.

__Language __

· Language – basic · The language of the children is immature and cheeky. “Smartfarts, smartfellas, fartsmellers!” · Repetition of words and simplicity of sentence structure <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">“and then”....”and then”... <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">“Auntie Lola’s stupid grave”, “...better than banging a stupid jar at the top, a stupid jar in the middle and a stupid jar at the bottom...”

__<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Tone __

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· There is a level of naivety about the children caretaking the grave. They don’t appreciate the importance of what they do. Rather they see it as a game, something else to be competitive at. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Structure <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· The story is jumbled, not in chronological order. The reminiscing doesn’t flow. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· Story is easily sidetracked – switches from present tense to talking about memories on a regular basis. For example, the story is told of an old lady in old Urupa with wetas in her hair. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">This is childish also because the children believe the story to be true. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">“old woman with wetas in her hair who came out of the ground”


 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">There are a lot of characters in the short story. What does this tell us about Maori families? Make notes and provide quotes as evidence. **

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· That they are big and the bonds between them are strong <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· That they are very close. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· They look after each other. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· The show lots of respect. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· They respect their elders and those who have passed before them. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· Many generations all live hand in hand.


 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">There are a lot of Maori traditions covered in this story. What are they? **

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· They wash their hands after they leave the Urupa, <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">“we went down to the sea to wash.” <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· Storytelling and sing play a huge part in the passing on of stories and traditions. For example, Auntie June loved them to sing to her when she was sick and Auntie Connie’s. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· Playing in and with nature. Knowing how to make sounds with the Taupata leaves shows us this. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· Not so much a tradition but ...Tough love displayed in the story. For example, “They’d get a hiding from Auntie Connie for having wet clothes”. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· People are bought ‘home’ to be buried, for example Aunty was brought back when she died wherever she did. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· Living from the land. For example, Granny Wiki catching two crayfish with her bare hands and taking them back to eat.


 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">What do you think this story is really about? What message does the author want to present? What is the main idea or them? What are we meant to take away from this once we have read it? **

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· It is about respect for those who have passed. Shown by the care taking of the graves. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· It is about being your own person and having the courage to change things that have always been done one way – try something new. For example, Mereana and Macky sprinkled flower petals over the grave rather than just set them in bottles. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· The innocence of children and how they see things differently. That they don’t have a real concept of death. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· Individuality <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· Educating the readers about the Maori traditions and rituals. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· How important traditions and rituals are to the Maori

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">By writing through the eyes of children and therefore in a naive and innocent tone, is Patricia Grace commenting to us that there need not be all the ‘dramas’ and complexities attached to activities and responsibilities? That life should be simple and why do we feel the need to complicate everything and why can’t taking care of loved ones, disciplining children, having children do chores all be easy and harmless.

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