UNIT 3: AOS2ENCOUNTERING CONFLICT

INTRODUCING PARADISE ROAD

Week 1

LEARNING INTENTION: Become familiar with forms of conflict and characters in the text Paradise Road

TODAY WE WILL…• Identify conflict inherent in the text ‘Paradise Road’• Be introduced to key characters in the text ‘Paradise

Road’• Produce an appropriately structured paragraph to a

conflict based question

Identify conflict inherent in the text ‘Paradise Road’

Key facts:• The historical setting of the film is the global conflict of World War II.• This conflict is a military one, fuelled by political conflicts which, in 1939,

finally erupted into the violent conflict of global warfare

Conflict for you to identify when watching the text…• Deeply embedded cultural and racial tensions that sometimes lead to conflict.• Inner (personal) conflict is also encountered by the women who are often pushed

to breaking point • interpersonal conflict as the hardships they encounter make them edgy and

vulnerable

Key characters in ‘Paradise Road’

Colonel Hirota is in charge of the POW Camp. Although unsettled by the brutality towards to the women from the Snake and Captain Tanaka, he feels powerless to stop it. He is a bystander in this conflict. Therefore he feels that he can’t do anything to stop or control how the women are treated.

Captain Tanaka is a sadistic officer of the Japanese Secret Police. He believes that his brutal treatment of the POW Women is in retaliation to what he see as the racist and imperial domination of Asia by western Countries.

Like Colonel Hirota the Interpreter feels sympathetic and sorry for the plight of the women. However he feels powerless to do anything about it. This is shown through body language and sometimes looks when a prisoner is punished.

The Snake is vicious and sadistic in his treatment of the prisoners. He is shown in a number of scenes of the film savagely beating the prisoners. He is the one who pours petrol on Wing for smuggling in the black market and burns her alive. However he is also moved by the women’s vocal choir

Adrienne Partiger is the heroine who orchestrates and ensures the survival of the vocal choir in the text

Key characters in ‘Paradise Road’

Rosemary Leighton-Jones is an English model. She develops a close friendship with Helena young Dutch Prisoner who she helps teach English. Rosemary initially has an unshakeable will to survive until she sees that her husband failed to escape from the men’s POW camp.

Daisy Drummond is a missionary, She has a strong and unshakeable faith in God. Throughout the film she develops a close friendship with Adrienne. It is Daisy that encourages Adrienne to conduct and create the vocal orchestra.

Susan McCarthy is an Australian Nurse who goes from being as quiet as mouse to an outspoken critic of how the Japanese treat women. She shows us how conflict can bring out ones inner strength and hidden qualities.

Dr Verstak is a Jewish refugee. She pretends to be a medical doctor in order to obtain medical supplies needed for treating the ill. She is not sentimental and often comes across as unfeeling. She is willing to do anything to ensure that the women of the camp keep getting medical supplies.

Topsy Merrit is an American woman who finds the conditions in the camp very challenging. She is tempted like many by the prospect of becoming a Prostitute to a Japanese Officers.

Wing is a Malaysian woman who has been interred in the POW camp. We first see Wing when her husband’s head has been impaled on a stake when the women are rounded up and taken to the POW camp.

Wing is a Malaysian woman who has been interred in the POW camp. We first see Wing when her husband’s head has been impaled on a stake when the women are rounded up and taken to the POW camp.