Have you ever felt like “you just don’t get it” when you have been studying or commenting on a text in class? Have you ever felt the same when you have been reading a novel or poem for fun? When studying a text, we often search for THE ANSWER – the definitive meaning of the text. In fact, we can’t truly know THE ANSWER to a text (for reasons I won’t talk about here but if you are interested you might like to peruse these pages).
Watch (or read if you have a copy of the book) this:
This book is a pretty transparent allegory of colonialism in Australia. Why? Think: WHO might be useful. (Allegory: The representation of abstract principles by characters or figures).
Now think, WHO ELSE? Change perspective. Put on a new hat.
With a partner, read another story. Each of these examples has a quite clear “message”. Identify ONE message (it will probably be the obvious one). Discuss the WHO, and WHO FOR.
Read again (and again) and look for WHO ELSE?
English As Pie 
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