Tracks vs. Charlie's country: Overview

In this area of study students explore the meaningful connections between two texts.

They analyse texts, including the interplay between character and setting, voice and structure, and how ideas, issues and themes are conveyed. By comparing the texts, they gain a deeper understanding of the ideas, issues and themes that reflect the world and human experiences.

• Compare the portrayals of family in Tracks and Into the Wild.
• What inner journey's do both Robyn Davidson and Alexander SuperTramp go through.

What are the central themes, issues and ideas in the book that connect Tracks with Into the Wild?

A few examples might be:

• Themes(broad concepts):
  freedom, rules, commercialism, family, social expectations, human interaction with the environment and animals, happiness and fulfillment, personal journeys, respecting Indigenous culture
• Issues(question the themes):
  What effects do money / connection with others / social expectations have on our happiness? Can a person ever be truly free? Is it possible to live without money? Can you ‘heal yourself’ with a journey alone through nature?
• Ideas(points of view on the issues):
  Being isolated from other people is dangerous. Social conventions do more harm than good. Survival in the wild requires more than determination.Which of these intersect with those explored in Into the Wild? Do they present the same perspectives or do they contrast? Map out the development of each key theme, issue and idea as it is explored in each text and discuss how the comparison raises questions about these central themes that might otherwise not be evident from a study of only one of the texts.

Which of these intersect with those explored in Into the Wild? Do they present the same perspectives or do they contrast? Map out the development of each key theme, issue and idea as it is explored in each text and discuss how the comparison raises questions about these central themes that might otherwise not be evident from a study of only one of the texts.

[Source]

Read

Take the time to read "Tracks" by Robyn Davidson. At the end of each chapter, take the time to think about some of the themes or areas of the chapter that jumped out at you.  Overall, the book is a straight forward read. It isn't a novel, it is a memoir, so you don't need to look for main characters or story arc's.

Watch

When watching Into the Wild use the subtitles to actively view the movie. The film is broken up into chapters, why do you think that the director did this? At the end of each chapter think about the themes or areas that jumped out at you.

Fermentation

When studying a text or film you need to give yourself time to ferment the ideas and themes that you are being exposed to. If you get study, walk the dog, do something mindless (like unpack the dishwasher) and then go back and re-read or re-watch the section that you are studying.

Talk

Talking through your ideas and thoughts about the movie or memoir with teachers and students help you to verbalise and process your ideas.