THEMES IN A WALTZ FOR MATILDA

LOSSMatilda has lost so many people (and one dog). What does each loss mean to her?

TASK

In pairs, make a timeline of her losses, using the summary to find each one (p 425 lists them. How helpful!). Put a post on your tackk page that covers - when the character died or left, who they were and their significance to Matilda. Include a photo of what you imagine each character looks like.

MARTYRDOM* Use your trusty dictionary to get the meaning of what a 'martyr' is. TASK - Is Jim O'Halloran and James both martyrs? If so, to what cause? Explain in a post on your tacck page.

FAMILYCan 'family' be other than related by blood? What makes a family do you think? Who can you include?Make a family tree of how Matilda's and the Drinkwater families are united. Use Mr Sampson's revelations on page 449 - 451 for the information about how everyone is related. This can be handrawn as we will put up in classroom

RESILIENCE & DECISION MAKING‘She didn’t know if she minded or not. She had never had a chance to ‘mind’ things before - adults of fate decided, not her.’ (pg 149)Discussion: Are children generally at the mercy of adults or can they excercise power too? Who makes decision for you and why? Which ones do you think you are entitled to make for yourself at your age? What moments would Matilda have preferred to have an adult make her decisions for her and when does she resent people telling her what to do? Are you like that do you think? Respond on your tacck page.

Matilda realises that perhaps her mother too was at fault (and not so much her father) in not seeking help from those closer to her such as the women in the Women’s Temperance and Suffrage League; that perhaps her mother was too proud (pg 183) to reveal her poverty to others.

Discussion question: Is pride often a deterrent to seeking or accepting charity?

BRAVERY Do the events of pages 185-188 make you

cringe? Do you think you could cope with the snake and the 'fly strike' as Matilda has to? Explain what your reaction is, how you would deal with such events and how you feel about Matilda at this point. Put your response on your tacck page.

JUSTICE- working conditions- unjust wages & conditions- white squatters vs Aboriginal Australians- treatment of immigrants- land ownership- women

what other injustices can you think of and find quotes for?