Examiner’s commentary

As an exemplar, this essay’s strengths lie in the qualities of its interdisciplinary approach. The analysis of
the characters and the way they are associated to mythical narratives both within western and
aboriginal cultures is extremely impressive. The grace and acuity with which the student uses the critical
terminologies of language and film to open out the powerful significance and messages of the work is
also impressive and sustained. An example is the image (Film) of the bridge linking urban and rural
worlds and cultures (White Australian and Aboriginal) as well as textually (Language), and how Nana
embodies this bridge in her reconciliation with white society. The subtlety of the reference of the two
protagonists “sheltering under the bridge” captures in one image the vulnerable nature of indigenous
people in their struggle to survive. Nevertheless, there are significant weaknesses in this essay. There is
no synopsis of the film which is the subject of the work; rather the reader is pitched straight into the
argument. There is also a reliance on the primary text as the only research focus; given the immersion of
the student in the film, a more distanced academic understanding might have initiated a discussion
within the body of the work.

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current copyright laws and new technologies and business models that make legal access to digital
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fullest extent of the law.
 SAMSON AND DELILAH: EXPERIMENTS TN FORM AND CONTEXT

RESEARCH QUESTION:

How does 'Samson and Delilah' by Warwick Thornton deviate from the biblical

story with regards to cultural context and audience in order to serve the

director' s purpose?

Book ofJudges in the Old Testament

Samson and Delilah (2009) by Wa1wick Thornton

World Studies Extended Essay

Global Themes: Culture, Identity and Language

Academic Subject Areas: English and Film

Word count: 3986

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................. 3

THE EFFECT OF AUTHORS INTENT AND CULTURAL CONTEXT ON FORM ............................................ 4

COLOUR, ATMOSPHERE AND LIGHT. ...... ......... ........ .............. .... ...................... ........ ........... ........ ................. 5

CROSS CULTURAL COMMUN/CATION AND INEQUALITY ............... ........... ....... ........................ ......................... 6

INCLUSIONS AND OMMIS/ONS; THE ROLE OF DICHOTOMY IN CHARACTER/SA TION AND CONTEXTUAL/SA TION .......... 7

SIMILARITIES IN DICHOTOMY; AUDIENCE......................................................................................... .......... 10

THORNTON'S DIRECTORIAL PHILOSOPHY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ................................................................... 11

USE OF DIALOGUE .... ...................... .. ....... ........................................................ ................... ..... .............. 12

SOUND AND MUSIC. ............. ...... .. ...... ...... ........ ........... ...... ......... .........•..•................................ .............. 13

THE EFFECT OF AUTHOR'S INTENT AND CULTURAL CONTEXT ON CONTENT ................................... 14

CHOICE OF TEXT ................ ........ ...... ................. ..................................•..........•...................................... 14

FOILS AND THEMES .. .... ........ ....... ....... ...... ................... .... .... ...... ... .............. ......... ........ ......... .......... ...... . 15

CULTURAL APPROPRIATION AND EXPLOITATION WITH REFERENCE TO HISTORY ..... ...... .............. ....................... 17

NANA ....................•..........................................................................•................................................. 18

CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................................... 19

2
INTRODUCTION

Oppression and maltreatment of indigenous societies occurs globally, both throughout

history and today. Although a topic that has long been discussed, in many parts of the

world social reform is no longer receiving the resources it requires. A local

manifestation of this issue is the case of Aboriginal people in Australia, for whom the

standard of living is far lower than the average Australian, especially those in remote

communities, who often receive no healthcare at all. As the world' s oldest civilisation,

Aboriginal culture is incredibly rich and varied, with individual identity firmly rooted

in land and ' community'. Enduring stereotypes and race-based prejudices prevent the

provision of basic aid, with geographical and social isolation of Aboriginal

communities meaning their issues are often neglected.

'Samson and Delilah ', released in 2009 by Warwick Thornton for Scarlett Pictures, is

an example of efforts made to change the approach to Aboriginal affairs. One of the

first of its kind in Australia to use stark realism via film, Thornton's work consistently

focuses on the similarities and differences between Australian Indigenous and western

societies, with the ultimate aim of unity through understanding. As a film and literary

text type, it must be analysed using background knowledge from both fields in order

for its complete comprehension, as so many factors come together to convey its

message, and to view it from the perspective of just one discipline would limit it in its

aim. Background knowledge of Australian film and social cultme, as well as literary

knowledge especially regarding the bible is required. Thornton's use of omissions and

3
inclusions, imagery, sound and camera work, create one of the most accurate

representations of a social sector in Australian fi Im history, thus demonstrating

negative aspects of the society and suggesting potential routes to improvement.

Thornton presents the story as a film as opposed to a different media or text type for a

variety of reasons, and each way in which the content of the story deviates from the

bible is significant, from changes as superficial as Samson killing a kangaroo as

opposed to a lion, to more pertinent changes such as the reason for Delilah first

cutting her hair being to honour aboriginal traditions of mourning, and later Samson

cutting his hair when he loses Delilah, indicating both that he draws strength from

Delilah, as well as the sense of betrayal he feels occurred of black Australians by

white Australians.

THE EFFECT OF AUTHORS INTENT AND

CULTURAL CONTEXT ON FORM

It is highl y significant that Thornton chose this mode of film to convey his message. Media is

a more prevalent method in which to gain information than it has ever been before, and

Thornton was aware of this, acknowledging that coverage of aboriginal affairs is inadequate.

We gave Australians access to a place they'd never been before. The only time they'd ever been to that

community or met kids like Samson and Delilah was on the five o'clock news! It's made me so proud and

so happy that people were watching this film and getting access to information they didn't have before.

- Warwick Thornton, 2009, The Age

4
He claimed it as his duty as an aboriginal man, writer and filmmaker to illustrate a realistic

idea of aboriginal culture. As film is more easily and economically consumed by a modern,

time-poor audience, it expands his potential audience demographic, and his utilisation of the

visual and only a small amount of auditory text further extends his audience to include non-

Anglophonic populations in which the message is also applicable. Thornton himself

explained that as oral storytelling is integral in traditional aboriginal culture and filmmaking

is a form of this, there was an unprecedented aboriginal turnout at the release of the film. The

film allowed emotion to be evoked in the audience to an extent impossible with a different

text type, and his unique perspective allowed him to provide an invaluable insight into a

culture still little is known about, using film techniques to convey this more effectively.

Colour, Atmosphere and Light

Complete immersion in the narrative was essential in order to maximise the impact of the

film, and Thornton did this extremely effectively by creating an atmosphere of fam iliarity in

combination with a sense of empathy in the reader, through his uniquely personal style of

cinematography. Light is used in order to immediately indicate the mood of the scene, with

darkness denoting both danger and tranquillity, two seemingly dichotomous ideas which

serve to sharpen the viewers attention. One of the most significant uses oflight occurred

when Delilah in the darkness watched Samson dance in the light, signalling the shift in her

view of Samson, and the subsequent change in their relationship. His flowing movements in

the blue lights lent his salient form an ethereal quality which could be viewed as religious

imagery, and applicable to the various belief systems of the audience. Blue is not traditionally

Aboriginal, however it is increasingly used in modem aboriginal art especially when

5
 depicting gods, and this other-worldly characte1isation of Samson is likely referential to him

being Delilah's link to a different reality (western society). Colour is a technique that

Thornton maximises throughout, in that it consistently highlights the binary opposition he

establishes between Aboriginal and white Australian culture. In the community only natural

colours are used, however when they reach the city the colour palette changes to tones of

grey, with the only vibrant colours coming from the fire which warms and feeds them and a

tree in the distance, symbolic of the Jack of nature in the urban landscape.

Traditional Aboriginal Dance

Traditional Aboriginal Visual Art (Dark Emu, 2019)
Left: Wati Kutjarra (Lane, 20 19)
Right: (Emu Maa who had Two Wives (Wa llace, 20 19)

Cross Cultural Communication and Inequality

Nana's colourful paintings themselves served as a uniting factor between various social

groups and individuals, and the collective fascination with the paintings although the

6
provided the clearest ljnk between the community and white society, also were an effective

way in whlch to demonstrate various imbalances and disparities. They emphasised a lack of

communication between the communities, as there were at least two middle-men between

nana and her customers, both of whom showed the family blatant disrespect, with the

difference between the money Nana received and the retail price further displaying economic

disparity between the groups. In this, Thornton alludes to the misappropriation of credit to

whlte Australians in terms of the country, in that aboriginal ownership and guardianship of

the land for hundreds of years before settlers arrived and claimed its ' discovery', consistently

is not acknowledged. As she becomes increasingly frustrated, the audience sees Delilah's

sales technique becoming far more aggressive and the paintings increasingly using violent

black and red images.

Thornton's use of co lour in characterisation

Inclusions and Omissions; the role of Dichotomy in

Characterisation and Contextualisation

7
Thornton also used colour in individual characterisation, with Samson consistently wearing

black and DeWah wearing only a white hooded sweatshirt at the end of the film, which not

only highlighted the dichotomy between the two who serve as opposites, but also contributed

to the angelic quality of Delilah as she was illuminated by light behind her as she rescued

Samson. Thornton's interesting use of composition in minimalist props and background

images served to draw attention to each significant object, most notably in the opening scene

in which Samson awoke in a room containing only him, his bed, his radio and his petrol can -

the items which held most value in his life. The barren nature of his room and the deliberate

omissions made by Thornton not only reflect the harsh Australian landscape, but also the

extent of Samson' s poverty, and thus contributes extensively to setting the scene and tone of

the piece. Thornton also employs the thirds rule, by placing the teenagers in the lower third of

the shot when in the presence of white Australians, indicative of their lack of agency and low

ranking social status, but as the salient image in the centre when in the community. The

peripheral placement of the characters contributes to their identity as a marginalised social

group, in both a metaphorical and physical sense, perhaps in reference to the way in which

Aboriginal people throughout Australia's history have been forced out of their own land in

order to create space for settlers.

Samson and Delilah wait at the Health Centre

8
Contrastingly, Samson and Delilah when in the same scene are always placed next to each

other on the same level, which contributes to the idea that while opposites, they are also

equals (and further to this, complements), regardless of Delilah' s perceived higher moral

standing due to Samson's substance abuse problems. A key example of this occurs when

Samson raises himself on a chair in imitation of Delilah, demonstrating his respect for her,

with the row of chairs between them creating a vector symbolic of equivalence and drawing

the audiences' eyes directly from one character to the other, perhaps alluding to the fact that

although apparently different, much like black and white societies, they are far more similar

than they appear.

The importance of mutual respect and interdependency is demonstrated in the community in

the way that Delilah cares for her grandmother, who even as a respected figure, places herself

on the same physical level as Delilah as they work to achieve the shared goal of completing

the painting, possibly indicative of Thornton 's belief that it is imperative that both Australian

societies work together in the interests of the nation. Instead, white Australians were often

depicted with their backs to the teenagers or in a sedentary position, which effectively

portrayed the inactive and often reproachful stance much of Australia takes when it comes to

improving Aboriginal conditions. The only times when white society was shown to take

interest in Delilah was when she was assumed dead in a very public setting, and when she

became violent. In these two instances, Thornton appeals to the audience by asking at what

point an effective change will be implemented, and asks that action be taken before it is too

late. The fact that Delilah was eventually forced into more violent sales methods is reflective

of the attitude of many people who have been driven to violence in order to try to provoke a

change, as historically violence has often shown to be an integral part of social reform, after

attempts at change bad long been peaceful but ineffective. In this way, Thornton elevates the

9
issue to that of globally significant revolutions of the past, which began peacefully but were

finally changed through violence, such as M.L King Jr and Malcolm X in the US and the

Suffragists and Suffragettes in the UK. Through thi s equivalence he is able to elevate the

perceived significance of the issue, while assisting foreign audiences in comprehending its

extensiveness. Samson and Delilah as characters who can only be understood in conjunction,

represent the two halves of the media-coined 'Aboriginal Issue', with a humanity which

another text type would not convey.

Similarities in Dichotomy; Audience

Although Thornton places emphasis on the perceived negative aspects of the community and

its contrast with the western population, he ensures the film includes commonalities between

the two societies, so as not to alienate any demographic to the extent that it would negatively

affect his aim of ingratiating the audience to his cause. He does not neglect to highlight the

overwhelmingly positive attributes of the Aboriginal demographic, many of which he

exemplifies in the production of the film itself, and it could be argued that he conveys his

message just as effectively in this way as he does through content. He calls his camera his

'weapon ', specifically choosing a singular, small, handheld camera, with which he shot the

entirety of the film by himself, as be thought this would contribute to the personal sense of

the film. In this way and others, he wrote and directed the film in a traditionally aboriginal

manner, with emphasis on reliance within the community. To extend this statement, Thornton

stuck to a tight production budget, and thus his film also served as a critique on the

government handling of issues of poverty within the Aboriginal community. It is widely

broadcast in the media across Australia that obscene amounts of government budget each

10
year is allotted to aboriginal communities, which instead of actually serving to mitigate the

issue, only perpetuate the stereotype of aboriginal people being lazy and dependent on the

state, and thus further deepens societal rifts. However, upon inspection of the actual

government figures, analysts have noted that it is impossible that the entirety of the

contribution is going directly to aboriginal people, when compared to the actual number of

aboriginal Australians, a population of slightly over half a million, considering no significant

improvements are visible (The Conversation, 2019). By sticking to a comparatively miniscule

budget of $1.6 million, Thornton managed to raise more awareness of the issue both

internationally (with prestigious international film awards) arguably nationally, than the

government achieved over the course of many years and at much greater expense. This

mocking c1itique of policy not only highlights the inherent shortcomings in Australian

governance, but also completely invalidates the notion that indigenous people are incapable

of action or agency and are heavily reliant on the state.

Thornton's Directorial Philosophy and its Implications

Thornton also appeals with this argument to his aboriginal audience, many of whom are not

reached by Australian media, empowering Aboriginal people to take the issue upon

themselves. By producing the film in a traditionally Aboriginal way he establishes the work

as one of the first feature films with truly Aboriginal origins and ensures it is more accessible

to a larger amount of Aboriginal people, many of whom would lack sufficient education to

read an equivalent message in the format of a traditional western text. He extends this

traditional way of operating even into the crew and actors he worked with in the film , as very

few people were involved and those who were, were already known on a personal level in

some capacity by Thornton 's fami ly. Both R.Mcnamara (Samson) and M.Gibson (Delilah)

11
were teenagers near Alice Springs where the film was set, which lent the production a sense

of authenticity. Thornton successfully achieved accuracy in all aspects of the film as a result

of his own personal experience of many of the issues expressed in the film, which was largely

reflective of his experience of being Aboriginal, young and homeless in Alice Springs.

Having grown up predominantly in Community, be was able to use bis proficiency in

Aboriginal communication, and thus instructed the actors more in body language than

speech. As a result, the self-expression of the characters occurs predominantly through body

language and by encouraging the audience to reach their own conclusions as to why this may

be, be forces the continued engagement of the audience in the hopes that they will think more

extensively about the issue after the film finishes.

Use of Dialogue

Although there are multiple reasons as to the lack of dialogue, perhaps the most pertinent

implicit suggestions again relate to Aboriginal oppression. Although an emphasis on body

language in place of spoken word is a common characteristic of indigenous languages, in

many Aboriginal societies hand signals and body language would be employed when

entering the land of another society, both in order to protect those who are communicating by

not alerting the owners of the land, but also as a sign of respect upon entering another

society's land. Thornton contrasts this implicit communication with the comparatively brash

expression of white Australians, likely symbolic of the way in which settlers invaded

Aboriginal land displaying a complete lack of caution or respect for its owners. This holds

the disturbing underlying message that indigenous Australians no longer feel at home on their

own land, and feel as if it is owned by somebody else. Fmiber implications of this technique

12
are that the audience is unable to discern whether Samson can speak or is mute, indicating

either a lack of education or healthcare. The only word Samson speaks is his own name,

halfway through the film. It is a significant moment which serves to connect the audience to

Samson on an emotional level, achieved through the use of visual and auditory imagery,

revealing Samson potentially has a stutter. Perhaps the darkest interpretation of all as to the

lack of dialogue from the Aboriginal characters is the implication that even if they were to

speak, they would not be heard.

Sound and Music

The lack of speech employed by the characters not only focuses the audiences' attention

when it does occur, but it also places more impo1tance in the other sounds in the work, and

Thornton uses it to fmther depict social divisions and instill in the viewer traditional

Aboriginal views of nature. In the community, the only sounds are natural noises of people

and animals, whereas in the city, there is a constant auditory backdrop of urban noises, which

likely wouldn' t even be noticed by city populations as they are constantly exposed to it,

which is in itself a significant realisation. This is shown when sitting under the bridge,

Samson and Delilah periodically bear a crash above them which appears to be separate to the

normal noise of the cars driving above, which visibly shakes them in the beginning, but less

and less as the film progresses, while Gonzo the homeless man doesn ' t even seem to be

aware of it. These noises occur almost as a drum beat punctuating the film and contribute to

the overarching sense of foreboding. It could be viewed as a countdown to Delilah's injury,

or alternatively as a form of warning against excessive urbanisation, as Thornton is also a

prominent environmental campaigner, and human impact on nature is a theme he often

references. Similarly, it is important to note that the film begins with entirely natural noises,

13
but is soon interrupted by western music and w-ban noises, emphasising his earlier point, that

there is an extensive Australian history that existed before settlers. The music each character

listens to extends their characterisation (necessary due to the lack of speech), symbolic to an

extent of what they each desire. This is most clearly demonstrated by Samson's brother's

band only playing one song seemingly continually throughout the film, which could be

interpreted as Thornton commenting on the stagnation of elements of Aboriginal societies, as

he has expressed the belief that there are some aspects of culture which he believes need to

evolve, such as the traditional beatings of Delilah by the Aunties. Alternatively, it could

represent the men 's contentment in their life as it is, and their wish to preserve Aboriginal

culture as it has been for centuries. When Samson bad the opportunity however he played a

different type of music, wh ich although sti ll Aboriginal also had modem western elements,

indicating his boredom and desire for change. Delilah's music taste was different to an even

greater extent: it demonstrated her desire for entirely new experiences as it was both in a

foreign language (Spanish), and of a typically more respected genre (operatic), the

grandiosity of which may imply that she had greater aspirations for herself.

THE EFFECT OF AUTHOR'S INTENT AND

CULTURAL CONTEXT ON CONTENT

Choice of Text

14
It is interesting to consider the reasons for which Warwick Thornton chose the story of

Samson and Delilah for adaptation to his purpose beyond more superficial aspects such as the

symbolism of Samson's hair, however arguably more significant in tem1s of his message is

the ways in which he dramatically changed the original story. Of the two main reasons for

this choice, the first is the fact that he knew that his primary audience would be from

traditionally Christian countries, so would likely have some prior knowledge of the story.

Thus, by creating an analogy to a story already known to much of the audience it allows for

focus on the themes, imagery as well as the similarities and differences between the two

renditions, and viewers are able to relate it to their own prior knowledge. As a result, viewers

will more quickly be able to draw out the comparisons Thornton is making, such as the way

in which wh ite Australia represents the Philistines and Aboriginal Australia represents the

oppressed Nazarenes, which would lead a white Australian viewer to look at their

community's position in the country in a different light, achieving Thornton 's main aim. As

religious knowledge is such an inveterate form of knowledge and so closely linked to the

most fundamental human emotions, it is likely to have a larger impact upon the viewers.

Foils and Themes

The second most pertinent reason for Thornton's story choice is likely to be the fact that both

renditions share a set of fundamental themes, including: lust, greed and desires; injustice,

inter- and intra-societal power dynamics; as well as tragic flaws, vices and misdirection of

thought. Of these, perhaps most interesting to examine .is each character's primary flaws and

the reasons for the small yet significant ways in which they differ between the versions of the

story due to their context, meaning they act as intertextual foils for their respective characters

in the alternate rendition, as well as foils of their opposing character within their rendition.

15
Both the original biblical and film versions of the story use Samson to embody the theme of

vices, and the biblical incarnation of Samson, demonstrates his main vices to be lust, greed,

and pride interfering with utter obedience to God. The authors of the Book of Judges place

great emphasis on this, as these characteristics constitute three of the Seven Deadly Sins, thus

in its writing the book contributes to the wider religious aim of social reform, by

categorically prescribing the way in which individuals should lead their lives. Thornton

strives for the perhaps more achievable goal of equality as the main premise behind social

reform, defining it in a way that promotes Aboriginal Mob (communal) mentality, instead of

focus on improvement of each individual. In place of the presc1iption of rules to follow, it

derives a nontheistic, although similar in intent, message as to the areas in which social

improvement could occur, suggesting more sympathetically the society in which Samson

lives to be the ultimate cause of his downfall, and thus transfers the majority of the onus onto

the Australian audience, appealing to fundamental human compassion.

Art Vendor mistreats Nana

16
Cultural Appropriation and Exploitation with reference to
History

Another key theme present in both versions are the ideas of misapplication of both language

and credit, which occurs in conjunction with the more modem idea of misappropriation in the

film. In the same way that the Philistines applied labels and identities to Samson in an

attempt to demean him, the painting vendor also applies the name 'l(jttie' to Nana, which he

uses before appropriating her art for personal gain. The implication that he believes he has

the authority to rename Nana as he pleases is in reference to the historical way in which

invaders would rename Aboriginal people in an attempt to force them to conform to western

society. Similarly, it makes reference to the 1967 declassification of the last Aboriginal

people as ' flora and fauna ', so it appears additionally insensitive that he would label her with

the name of an animal. Although a less critical standpoint may excuse his behaviour as

innocent ignorance, in the context (2009), it is impossible for him to not be at least to some

extent aware of his wrongdoing, and thus Thornton demonstrates that misunderstanding can

no longer be accredited as the sole cause of intersectional conflict, instead a persisting lack of

respect is a far larger issue.

17
Nana encourages Delilah to speak to Samson; the Bridge linking the country and the city

Nana

Although an eponymous text, Thornton 's characterisation of the secondary character Nana is

extremely significant in terms of his aim. Nana is p011rayed as the embodiment of traditional

aboriginal society and yet she demonstrates positive evolution of culture, even though she

exists as one of the most neglected demographics in Australia, meaning she demonstrates

both social and generational conflict. Not only does she protect and encourage the formation

of a relationship between Samson and Delilah which changes the course of their lives, much

like the recurring imagery of the bridge between the two communities which they later

shelter under, she seems provide a civil link between their community and western society.

She exemplifies Thornton ' s idea of how social refonn should occur and acts as a mouthpiece

for many of his views regarding society. She appears to have an admirably objective

viewpoint as to her situation, interacting with outsiders when it results in gain for them both,

but calmly rolling her eyes when she doesn 't receive the respect she deserves. It is also

18
significant that she attended a Christian church, as this demonstrates that she saw the need for

cultures to evolve in unison, not attempt to obscure one another, and recognised that

improvement would only occur with mutual trust and understanding. The only occasion of

assistance the children received from European Australians occurred when Delilah was

almost killed, furthering Thornton's point that pre-emptive action needs to be taken before

the situation can no longer be rectified, however like her grandmother, Delilah graciously

cared for Samson even before he needed it.

CONCLUSION

Although Thornton can be credited with further raising awareness of societal inequality in

Australia and the disparity between populations, and thus was successful in his aim, there

remains the issue ofreducing this inequality, both on a local and global level. Thornton's

talent in film and the effective techniques he employed served to inform and remind the

population of the existence of the issue, however little concrete progress was visible. Alone,

the film may not achieve significant social refonn, but in conjunction with various other

movements and charities along with the dedication of Australian artists and influencers to the

cause, rapid reform of attitudes is possible.

At the end of 'Samson and Delilah', Delilah is shown to soundlessly hang a cross in the

house, before taking off Samson's black shirt and bathing him, in a scene reminiscent of a

religious baptism. This is a clear display of acceptance and understanding of western culture

by two children, even after the suffering they have experienced at the hands of white society,

and thus should experience similar respect in return. The bath seems to cleanse Samson of his

experiences, and parallels the presiding recent message from the Aboriginal community that

19
the past cannot be changed, but regret must be demonstrated in changing the future of

'Aboriginality'.

In Australia, it is only relatively recently that laws regarding the respect of Aborignal people

have been imposed, and the majority of 'The Stolen Generation' have not be recompensed or

reunited with their families, meaning the trauma of these experiences are passed to future

generations, with no conclusion in sight. Societal rifts in Australia and abroad continue to

cause social disarray and violence, the most recent high-profile example of this being the

verbal abuse of an elderly Native American man by a group of white youths, who were

filmed mocking and intimidating the man while he performed traditional music, proving that

not only is this still a significant global issue, but that it will continue to be for generations to

come.

20
Bibliography
Samson & Delilah. (2009). [film] Directed by W. Thornton. Australia: Scarlett Pictures and CAA MA

Productions.

Rust, E. ( 1982). The Book ofJudges. I st ed. Atlanta, GA: John Knox Press, p.Samson.

M ilton, J. (2015). Samson Agonistes. Adelaide: The University of Adelaide Library.

Samson. (2018). [ftlm] Directed by B. Macdonald. SA: Pure Flix ;Boomtown F ilms.

Lane, E. (2019). Wati Kutjarra. Freemantle: Merenda Gallery.

Wallace, K. (20 19). Emu man who had two wives. U lladulla: Ulladu lla Aboriginal Art Gallery, Keringke Arts

Aboriginal Corporation.

Dark Emu. (2019). [contemporary, cu ltura l] Barangaroo: Bangarra Dance Theatre Australia.

The Conversation. (2019). FactCheck Q&A: is $30 billion spent every year on 500,000 Indigenous people in

Australia?. [on line] Available at: https ://theconversation .com/factcheck-qanda-is-30-billion-spent-every-year-

on-500-000-indigenous-people-in-australia-64658 [Accessed 6 Jun. 2019].

https://theconversation.com/factcheck-qanda-is-30-billion-spent-every-year-on-500-000-

indigenous-people-in-australia-6465 8

Samsonanddelilah.com.au. (2019). Samson & Delilah I A new film by Wmwick Thornton I In Cinemas from

May 7 - News. [online] Available at: http://samsonanddelilah.com.au [Accessed 6 Jun. 20 19].

http://samsonanddelilah.eom.au/fags .php

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Gook, B. (2019). Australian Postcolonial Trauma and Silences in Samson and Delilah. Post Doc. Humboldt

Universitiit.

https://www.academ.ia.edu/24422674/Australian PostcolonjaJ Trauma and Silences m Sa

mson and Delilah

Qm.qld.gov.au. (2019). Aboriginal Peoples ' connection to land - Queensland Museum. [online] Available at:

https ://www .qm. q ld.gov.au/F ind+out+a bout!Abori gina l+and+ Torres+Strait+Is lander+Cultures/Land#.XP iSH i l

LO_V [Accessed 6 Jun. 2019].

https://www.gm.gld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Aboriginal+and+Torres+Strait+Islander+Culture

s/Land#JCPiSHi l LO V

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Extended essay - Reflections on planning and progress form

Candidate: This form is to be completed by the candidate during the course and completion of their EE. This document records
reflections on your planning and progress, and the nature of your discussions with your supervisor. You must undertake three
formal reflection sessions with your supervisor: The first formal reflection session should focus on your initial ideas and how you
plan to undertake your research; the interim reflection session is once a significant amount of your research has been completed,
and the final session will be in the form of a viva voce once you have completed and handed in your EE. This document acts as
a record in supporting the authenticity of your work. The three reflections combined must amount to no more than 500 words.

The completion of this form is a mandatory requirement of the EE for first assessment May 2018. It must be submitted
together with the completed EE for assessment under Criterion E.

Supervisor: You must have three reflection sessions with each candidate, one early on in the process, an interim meeting and
then the final viva voce. Other check-in sessions are permitted but do not need to be recorded on this sheet. After each reflection
session candidates must record their reflections and as the supervisor you must sign and date this form.

First reflection session

Candidate comments:
Having recently moved from the UK to Australia, I was interested in Australia's complex relationship with its own identity,
crucially regarding its treatment of indigenous people in contrast with those who had settled in the country far more recently,
like me. This focus allowed the exploration of distinct cultures within the country in a structured way, involving pulling from a
range of sources. I researched Australian history and was shocked by the lack of attention the issue received globally,
before looking to films made by aboriginal cinematographers for a more personal perspective. I initially settled on 'Rabbit-
Proof Fence', however later changed my focus to 'Samson and Delilah', as its added biblical subject matter interested me. I
had some difficulty arriving at a question, however I reduced the focus on the original story which I had previously planned,
with a view to better understanding how and why Thornton chose this story in particular, and the ways he used and adapted
it for his purpose.

Date: !December 18, 2018 Supervisor initials:

lntemat1onal Baccalaureate Orgari zaUor" 2016

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Interim reflection
Candidate comments:
As I become increasingly interested in the subject matter, I have struggled to focus my research on answering the question,
and have lots of notes which will not be pertinent to my final submission. My passion for the subject which I had initially
viewed as a strength instead became a limiting factor, and my supervisor highlighted that I had undertaken nearly four
distinct projects. I have forced myself to stop researching further and started to condense my work by adapting each crucial
thesis to the question , however this has damaged the clarity of the essay. My supervisor helped me greatly with approach to
structure, which although I wasn't able to implement much of this in my essay, has noticeably helped my writing in other
subjects. The excess work undertaken in belatedly changing my film choice and the continual adaptation of my research
question, could have been avoided if I had narrowed my focus from the outset.

Date: !April 8 , 2019 Supervisor initials:

Final reflection - Viva voce

Candidate comments:
I aimed to demonstrate how the content and form of every story changes respective to its context, to explore how Thornton
employs these to achieve his aim. I wanted to do his skill and message justice which I found impossible in such few words.
Reading responses by others around the world helped me realise the film's true global significance lay in its extensive
applications. A conversation with a friend revealed Canada's historic relationship with its indigenous citizens echoed
Australia's recent history, but provided inspiration in that it was being handled more effectively, whereas in Germany,
reviewers compared recent immigrants to the aboriginal protagonists and native Germans as oppressors, demonstrating the
globally transferable message to be the prominence and dangers of exclusion. If I rewrote my essay, I would pick a topic I
was less emotionally invested in as I would feel less pressure to accurately represent it, however I appreciated having my
interest renewed in aboriginal affairs and I am currently planning an immersive Aboriginal culture trip next year, to
complement the university course in anthropology I hope to study.

Supervisor initial~

lnternatlonar [.: ecalaureate OrganizaUon 2016