"Journey" by Patricia Grace: Stories Of Ourselves Revision | Cambridge IGCSE English Literature

Summary

In this video, Barbara provides an insightful overview of Patricia Grace's short story *Journey*. Set in 1980s New Zealand, the story follows an elderly Māori man’s journey to protest the government’s encroachment on his ancestral land. As he faces bureaucratic resistance, the narrative explores themes of change, death, and dispossession. Grace critiques the notion of progress by highlighting the plight of indigenous people losing their land to modern development. Through its poignant portrayal of personal and cultural struggle, *Journey* examines the intersection of tradition, loss, and the inexorable passage of time.

Takeaways

• 😀 Patricia Grace is a Māori novelist from New Zealand, born in 1937, known for exploring Māori culture and identity in her works.
• 😀 Grace's previous novels include *Motu Wenhua*, *The Moon Sleeps*, and *Petiki*, the latter of which won the Fiction Section of the New Zealand Book Awards.
• 😀 *Journey* is set in 1980s New Zealand during a period of high immigration, which led to a significant demographic shift, with Māori people becoming a minority in their ancestral land.
• 😀 The main plot of *Journey* revolves around an elderly Māori man protesting the government's development of land that has been in his family for generations.
• 😀 The story highlights the conflict between modernization and the preservation of Māori cultural identity, symbolized by changes in land use and technology.
• 😀 The old man travels to town to fight for the right to build homes for his nieces and nephews on their ancestral land, which the government plans to turn into parking spaces.
• 😀 One key theme of the story is change, which affects not only the land but also the old man's body and his perception of his own life journey.
• 😀 The theme of dispossession is central to the story, illustrating the impact of colonization and modernization on indigenous Māori people who are losing their ancestral lands.
• 😀 The bureaucratic figure of Paul, a city official, represents the disconnect between the emotional and cultural significance of land for the Māori people and the government's focus on development.
• 😀 Another major theme is death—both the physical death of the old man and the metaphorical death of his culture and way of life due to modern development and governmental policies.

Q & A

What is the main theme of Patricia Grace's short story 'Journey'?

The main theme of 'Journey' is the conflict between progress and tradition, specifically focusing on the dispossession of Maori land and the impacts of modernization on indigenous culture and heritage.

How does the story of 'Journey' reflect the socio-political context of New Zealand in the 1980s?

The story reflects the socio-political context of New Zealand in the 1980s by addressing the high levels of immigration and the resulting marginalization of the indigenous Maori population, particularly in relation to land ownership and government policies.

What does the old man in 'Journey' symbolize?

The old man symbolizes the struggle between traditional Maori values and the forces of modernization. His journey represents both literal travel and the broader journey of life, marked by aging, change, and the loss of cultural identity.

What role does the character Paul play in the story?

Paul is a city official who represents the bureaucratic indifference to the old man's plight. He dismisses the old man's concerns about his ancestral land, further highlighting the theme of dispossession in the story.

What is the significance of the old man noticing changes in the landscape during his journey?

The old man's observations of the changing landscape symbolize the broader theme of change in the story. His awareness of technological advancements and land developments highlights the conflict between progress and the loss of the past.

How does the story critique the concept of 'progress'?

The story critiques 'progress' by questioning the value of development that comes at the expense of indigenous peoples and their land. The government’s decision to turn the old man’s ancestral land into a parking lot reflects how development often overlooks the needs and rights of native populations.

What does the old man hope to achieve by going to the city?

The old man hopes to negotiate with government officials to secure land for his nieces and nephews, allowing them to build homes on their ancestral land rather than be displaced by government development plans.

How does the old man react when his concerns are dismissed by Paul?

The old man becomes frustrated and reacts by damaging Paul’s desk, symbolizing his powerlessness and the futility of his protest in the face of bureaucratic indifference.

What is the significance of the old man’s wish to be cremated at the end of the story?

The old man’s wish to be cremated reflects the theme of death, not only the physical death of his body but also the metaphorical death of his way of life, his land, and his cultural identity.

What is the broader social issue explored in 'Journey'?

The broader social issue explored in 'Journey' is the dispossession of indigenous land and the erasure of Maori culture, which is tied to the broader history of colonialism and the marginalization of native populations in New Zealand.