The Australian Dream: Coastal Living in 'Breath' and 'Blue Hills 11' Erin Coombs 11th Grade

"Australians are the most beach conscious people on earth. The beach has become our defining experience" (NATIONAL FILM AND SOUND ARCHIVE OF AUSTRALIA, n.d.).

Coastal living has become an integral part of surviving the harsh and arid climate of Australia, creating a unique culture that is not only treasured and celebrated amongst Australians as the 'Australian Dream' but also destroying the landscape of which it is centred around (Australia State of the Environment, 2016). Australia's love for the coast is imminent throughout literature and film, such as the widely acclaimed poem, Blue Hills 11, by Laurie Duggan, and the famous film, Breath, by Simon Baker, highlighting what defines coastal living, in both an Urban Sydney, and a rural Australian context.

Laurie Duggan is an acclaimed poet, having earned a collection of educational accolades and awards, such as a PhD in Fine Arts, and ASAL gold medal in 2004, while Simon Baker has starred in the famous American T.V series, The Mentalist, and earning a Logie award in 1992 (IMDb, 2019) (Library, 2018). While both texts focus on the topic of 'coastal living', each author and director's upbringing affect the light of which this aspect of Australian life is portrayed. Duggan's low...