An Ideal Girl: Australian Traits According to Ethel Castilla (Poetry) and Kate Woods (Film) Erin Coombs 11th Grade

Australia is a nation that was built from the slime of another; those who built this land up from nothing were sent here to serve their time but ended up creating a community that is known for their distinct ‘Australianisms’ - “customs or features peculiar to or characteristic of Australia, its people, or their culture.” (Dictionary.com, 2019) One of Australia’s most famous writers, Patrick White, believed that “Australians will never acquire a national identity until individual Australians acquire identities of their own.” (White, 2016) However, both Australia and individual Australians cannot possibly have one clear, distinct identity when there are so many aspects that make up the Australian identity. The depiction of Australian women is one such aspect that is made up of intricate, yet interconnected ideas and representations, and for this reason, has been explored in various novels, films, poems and other media texts. In Ethel Castilla’s unforgettable poem, An Australian Girl and Kate Woods’ iconic film, Looking for Alibrandi, Australian women are depicted as witty, charming and determined; however, Woods draws attention to the trials and tribulations which are faced on the journey to respect and social acceptance whereas...