Essay Questions
Mabo – Possible Essay Questions
1. ‘Mabo plays an important role in Australians’ understanding of the indigenous experience.’
Discuss.
2. ‘The film, Mabo, is as much about Bonita Mabo as it is Eddie Mabo.’
Do you agree?
3. ‘The recognition of Murray Islanders’ rights to their land is also an acceptance of their laws and traditions’.
Discuss.
4. ‘Mabo demonstrates the importance of family in Eddie Mabo’s struggle for land rights’.
Discuss.
5. ‘The central theme of Mabo is Eddie Mabo’s fight for justice.’
Do you agree?
6. ‘Eddie Mabo is portrayed in the film as an outcast as a result of his conflict with both Queensland Government laws and the traditional laws of his people.’
Discuss.
7. “The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Protection Act… what does it mean? Protection… I protect you from yourself.” (Patrick Killoran)
‘Racism was a significant factor in Eddie Mabo’s heroic struggle for justice.’
Discuss.
8. “People like us have no choice but to be troublemakers.”
Is Eddie Mabo right?
9. ‘Creating social change can come at a great personal cost.’
Discuss.
10.“… my wife…. The most important person in my life, has stuck to me over many hardships and hurdles… but somehow we made it”.
‘Bonita Mabo plays a central role in Eddie’s life.’
Discuss.
11.‘The use of archival footage, setting and costume plays a central role in ensuring that Mabo remains historically accurate.’
Discuss.
12. 'Racism is not the only thing Eddie Mabo faces in Mabo'.
Discuss.
13. “I’m not working as a slave.”
To what extent does Eddie Mabo act out of pride?
14. ‘Mabo is more of an historical account than it is a drama.'
Do you agree?
15. 'Mabo is a film about the importance of family'. Do you agree?
16. 'The purpose of the film, Mabo, is to educate Australians.'
Do you agree?
17. 'The authenticity of the film, Mabo, is built through thorough planning and the clever use of a series of film techniques.'
Discuss
18. 'In Mabo, the title character has a lot of ‘enemies’ that want to see him fail.'
To what extent is Eddie Mabo responsible for the feelings of ill will towards him?
19. “Koiki… sounds cheeky…. Cheeky Koiki” Bonita Mabo
'Mabo is a love story as much as it is a retelling of the landmark court case.'
Do you agree?
20. “I’ll do that to the whole bloody lot of you if it earns me a bit of respect”.
'The film, Mabo, is about one man’s fight for more respect.'
To what extent is this true?
21. 'As he ages, Eddie Mabo’s motivations and priorities change, and by the end of the film the viewer sees a very different character to the one who left his home as a young man.'
Discuss.
1. ‘Mabo plays an important role in Australians’ understanding of the indigenous experience.’
Discuss.
2. ‘The film, Mabo, is as much about Bonita Mabo as it is Eddie Mabo.’
Do you agree?
3. ‘The recognition of Murray Islanders’ rights to their land is also an acceptance of their laws and traditions’.
Discuss.
4. ‘Mabo demonstrates the importance of family in Eddie Mabo’s struggle for land rights’.
Discuss.
5. ‘The central theme of Mabo is Eddie Mabo’s fight for justice.’
Do you agree?
6. ‘Eddie Mabo is portrayed in the film as an outcast as a result of his conflict with both Queensland Government laws and the traditional laws of his people.’
Discuss.
7. “The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Protection Act… what does it mean? Protection… I protect you from yourself.” (Patrick Killoran)
‘Racism was a significant factor in Eddie Mabo’s heroic struggle for justice.’
Discuss.
8. “People like us have no choice but to be troublemakers.”
Is Eddie Mabo right?
9. ‘Creating social change can come at a great personal cost.’
Discuss.
10.“… my wife…. The most important person in my life, has stuck to me over many hardships and hurdles… but somehow we made it”.
‘Bonita Mabo plays a central role in Eddie’s life.’
Discuss.
11.‘The use of archival footage, setting and costume plays a central role in ensuring that Mabo remains historically accurate.’
Discuss.
12. 'Racism is not the only thing Eddie Mabo faces in Mabo'.
Discuss.
13. “I’m not working as a slave.”
To what extent does Eddie Mabo act out of pride?
14. ‘Mabo is more of an historical account than it is a drama.'
Do you agree?
15. 'Mabo is a film about the importance of family'. Do you agree?
16. 'The purpose of the film, Mabo, is to educate Australians.'
Do you agree?
17. 'The authenticity of the film, Mabo, is built through thorough planning and the clever use of a series of film techniques.'
Discuss
18. 'In Mabo, the title character has a lot of ‘enemies’ that want to see him fail.'
To what extent is Eddie Mabo responsible for the feelings of ill will towards him?
19. “Koiki… sounds cheeky…. Cheeky Koiki” Bonita Mabo
'Mabo is a love story as much as it is a retelling of the landmark court case.'
Do you agree?
20. “I’ll do that to the whole bloody lot of you if it earns me a bit of respect”.
'The film, Mabo, is about one man’s fight for more respect.'
To what extent is this true?
21. 'As he ages, Eddie Mabo’s motivations and priorities change, and by the end of the film the viewer sees a very different character to the one who left his home as a young man.'
Discuss.
Types of Questions
Construction
Look at the different choices the director has made and the tools they’ve used
Treat these questions kind of like a language analysis in the sense that you need to understand how the key messages are being presented.
Note that you will likely be directed to the key techniques that need to be discussed. This does not mean you are limited to these but they must be incorporated.
Thematic
- Often these questions will direct you to a particular theme and once again this does not mean you are limited to one theme but it must form an important part of your discussion.
- Remember that a theme is developed throughout a text through a series of techniques that can be discussed
- As the text progresses, a theme develops and sends messages and ideas. Look at how the thematic ideas changed or were challenged throughout the text.
Character
- Whilst this type of question asks you to focus on a character or characters, it is still important to note that the messages sent by the director through the character/s are important.
- How the director develops the characterisation is also crucial and will help evidence your arguments.
- Try to think about the development of the character/s over the course of the text as well overall portrayal.
- This type of question doesn’t restrict you from talking about the themes that are explored through these characters but this needs to be discussed within the context of the question.
Societal/Historical
- These types of questions ask you to look at the text in terms of what it says about society or history. i.e. What can we learn from this text about humanity, past or present?
- There needs to be a logical balance between discussing the text and looking at the context in which it is written. Sometimes the wording of the question will help indicate to you what the logical balance should look like.
- It goes without saying that you need to understand the real world context well and be able to explore the complexities
Discuss
- This type of question forces you to look at a range of ideas
- It forces you to ‘open’ the question up and see things from a variety of angles
- However, you still need to logically develop an overall answer and ‘close’ the question in your conclusion
Do you agree?
- This question requires a very clear contention in the introduction with a series of body paragraphs that justify your answer
- This does not mean you cannot ‘discuss’ the question. In fact a piece that looks at more than one angle will be easier to write and provide more scope for you to show conceptual prowess
Look at the different choices the director has made and the tools they’ve used
- Various camera features (zoom, angle, etc…)
- Sound
- Lighting
- Setting
- Editing
- Costume
Treat these questions kind of like a language analysis in the sense that you need to understand how the key messages are being presented.
Note that you will likely be directed to the key techniques that need to be discussed. This does not mean you are limited to these but they must be incorporated.
Thematic
- Often these questions will direct you to a particular theme and once again this does not mean you are limited to one theme but it must form an important part of your discussion.
- Remember that a theme is developed throughout a text through a series of techniques that can be discussed
- As the text progresses, a theme develops and sends messages and ideas. Look at how the thematic ideas changed or were challenged throughout the text.
Character
- Whilst this type of question asks you to focus on a character or characters, it is still important to note that the messages sent by the director through the character/s are important.
- How the director develops the characterisation is also crucial and will help evidence your arguments.
- Try to think about the development of the character/s over the course of the text as well overall portrayal.
- This type of question doesn’t restrict you from talking about the themes that are explored through these characters but this needs to be discussed within the context of the question.
Societal/Historical
- These types of questions ask you to look at the text in terms of what it says about society or history. i.e. What can we learn from this text about humanity, past or present?
- There needs to be a logical balance between discussing the text and looking at the context in which it is written. Sometimes the wording of the question will help indicate to you what the logical balance should look like.
- It goes without saying that you need to understand the real world context well and be able to explore the complexities
Discuss
- This type of question forces you to look at a range of ideas
- It forces you to ‘open’ the question up and see things from a variety of angles
- However, you still need to logically develop an overall answer and ‘close’ the question in your conclusion
Do you agree?
- This question requires a very clear contention in the introduction with a series of body paragraphs that justify your answer
- This does not mean you cannot ‘discuss’ the question. In fact a piece that looks at more than one angle will be easier to write and provide more scope for you to show conceptual prowess