Tessa

** ﻿ Welcome to Tess's page!!!!:)[[image:http://www.cartoonlogodesigns.com/images/misc/Smiley%20faces/smiley%20face.jpg width="328" height="255" align="right"]] **
==** ﻿I am a person that is good at writing stories, sleeping randomly, and playing cello. I have two dogs that i love to play with. I also dance on saturdays. I'm a fairly nice person. . . sometimes. **==

Here's my writing so far . . . hope you like them!:)
= Crossing This Divide = //On the day. //

The countryside flew by. I am nervous about this, I am happy with this decision. I have made a choice. Though I wish that things were different. This was right. In my eyes, at least. We should be subjected to the aftermath of this choice. I am in the side of the car. Heading towards the stadium. Watching my old city and towns fly by. I feel oddly detached from my body, as if mind and body is not the same thing.

//Exactly four days earlier. // I set my book down. Already bored. I have to read it for my tutors then write a two foot long piece of paper on it. I don’t see why. Why we should be doing this when everybody else is out fighting and planning. Planning and fighting. “Jemima! Don’t make me come over there!” the thirty-two year old counsellor yelled from the kitchen on the other side of the common room. I sigh and hang my head as she catches me on the floor with nothing in front of me but a half open book. “Come and help me with the dishes. I am not a nanny.” I snort under my breath and stand up to put the dishes away. “So,” Leanne asks “how are your lessons going?” it sounds like somebody put her up to this “fine. I never have been much of a soldier. But they expect me to be fast because I’m small, but I just don’t have the right things they look for in people like us.” “I’ve been told that you have a great mind for strategy.” <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 19px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">“Yeah, um, I have. I get a problem in the form of chess pieces. Then I just solve it accordingly. I don’t know why everybody finds it so hard” I added at the end. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: times new roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 19px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">“You’ll always find that the ones they think are insignificant are always the ones who achieve greatness in the face of our war” She tells me. “Hmmmm” I say not really paying attention. My thoughts drift back to the book called ‘Divergent’ on the floor. The little passage I read was: ‘//<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 19px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">I believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another.' //I slam the door of the cupboard I just put a stack of plates in. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: times new roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 19px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">I believe that. I really do. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 19px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">“Jem!” a girly voice calls from across the court yard. I turn, looking up from the book ‘Divergent’. I’d decided that it was a good story after all. I found I could see myself in the main character. I see a crowd of older students, one of them blonde and short. She was waving to me. “Jayde!” I shout waving back as I rush to stuff all my things into my bag. I sling it over my shoulder and run to join the group of my friends. Chores’ of ‘hey!’ and much hugging greet me and then we were off to join the other group of people our age. Off to a club in the city to celebrate the end of exams. Right now it doesn’t matter to me that we’re competing or what score we get. Right now, it’s just us and grog and party.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: times new roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 19px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">The club is loud.It is loud, and noisy and gassy and smelly. There are always too many people in here and the alcohol is too overpriced. It always takes forever to get in. the line outside is super huge. And the VIP section is only aloud for people with special golden tickets. Though everyone always tries to get a peep inside. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: times new roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 19px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">We loved the place. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: times new roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 19px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">We party all night. Three quarters of us disappearing half way through and coming back with dizzy smiles and messy hair. Including me. I don’t really remember the rest of the night. Because I was drunk long before I disappeared. I am short so I have a low alcohol tolerance and about five bottles sets my head spinning. I lost count after my tenth. We spend all night on the dance floor, finding random partners when a slow song starts. I only blush when one of my partners is Tie. We’ve known each other all our lives and like each other but we’re just too shy and awkward to say so.We wear huge drunken grins the whole time. Dancing until our legs don’t feel anymore. I only vaguely remember the one toast, we toasted to our new lives in the big world. We knew what jobs we wanted but we don’t mention a thing.I danced and danced. . . until I disappeared with Tie.

My head throbs. “Uuuuuuhhhhhhh” I groan then roll over. I am awake. But I don’t want to be. I hear breathing all over the room. So I know I am not in my room. On my bunk with Helena across the room. Then last night comes flooding back. “Oh!” I sit up so quickly my head spins. The curtains are closed, only filtered sunlight streaks into the room. I swallow. The carpeted floor was littered with asleep people. My friends and peers, lying sprawled all over the floor. I spot jayde in a corner. Slumped next to her was Austin and Jess, Liana across the other side of the room to me. I look at the faces of people that were sprawled around me. I don’t recognise anyone except for one. Right where my head was. TieI gasp and jump up. Swaying when my head throbs with pain. I jump between the bodies of people. Heading for the door. I move the glass bottle in the way then open the door, exit, then close it quietly. I turn around. And I almost turn around and walk right back into the dark room to escape the tremendous amount of sunlight flowing through the open windows, Straight through to my eyes. My hung-over brain did not like the light. I look around the room. My eyes half shut. I was in a common room. Not mine, I was sure of that. My common room didn’t have a random large room to the left. And mine isn’t this bright. This room was smooth and clean. With red sofa’s and a flat screen TV, and a plain kitchen. I didn’t even bother looking to see where the light was coming from. “Aaaayyyyy! There she is! The little party girl!” I hear. Too loud, I wince then cover my ears as more greetings shout towards me. “Okay guys look, let her brain catch up!” Leanne’s voice comes from the crowd of junior counsellors. They quietened down a little bit. One boy steps forward and gives me a rib cracking hug. “Caleb” I croak as he hands me a pair of round sun-glasses. “Thanks” I say as I put them on. “Hey little sis! Good to see you’re the first one up. You look awful.” He commented as I swayed. “Uh-huh.” I answer vaguely. “Where are we?” “Just upstairs from the club. We waited until you were too drunk to notice, then we gathered the party up and we moved upstairs.”I nod. My eyes still half closed “is the diner across the street open?” “yeah, why?” some other person asks as Caleb sniggers. I move to sit on the couch. “Her remedy”. My brother answers him. Now that I was up and getting slowly used to the sun, I settled into my seat. Ready to wait until my friends are able to move. So we can get to that diner. Helena, Liana, Jess, Jayde and Yazmine sit at the same table as I do. It took them half an hour to get up and used to the loudness and the brightness. So now we sat in the diner. Looking really sad and depressed, the waitress comes up to our table. “Can I get you people anything?” she asks like she get us here all the time. I set the menu down. “Gravy.” “Ummm you want gravy on something?” she asked in a strange voice. “Surprise me. And can I get a milk shake please?” “Flavour?” “surprise me.” She writes my order down then writes the others orders down. She struts off to fetch them. The empty diner feels kind of eerie. “So, um anything happen last night?” Jess asked me smiling as she raised her eyebrows at me. “You’re reaching Jess.” Liana told her snorting “so? It looked like she was having the best time out of all of us.” “I don’t remember what happened. I can guess though.” I said, talking into the table. “//Yeah//, you can.” Helena said, a grin spreading across her face. “Aren’t you exited?” “No. if I don’t remember I doubt that he would. Anyway he wasn’t awake when I was pillowed on his stomach”. “Awwww. And I thought something would happen!” Jess complained “you are //way// too enthusiastic about my life” I comment in a whisper as the waitress brings our orders up. She sets down a gravy boat and a large serving of chips. And a strawberry milkshake. I take a large chip dip it into the gravy, and then pop it in my mouth. I was hung-over, sleep deprived and hungry. But though this wasn’t my best moment of my life. I felt it was, with friends, and eating the best food I have ever tasted-it might have been my stomach talking- but I felt this is where I belong. And if getting our results tomorrow changes this. . . Then I don’t need them. The diner is crowded now. All the people that were at the party are gathered here now. All wearing sun-glasses, all looking sallow. Everybody had different remedies for the hang over. I noticed a group of girls with a silver flask.To each their own I guess.Everything continued as normal for us. Until. . . ‘//Ding, ding, da-ding ding da ding-’// Helena’s Mobile phone went off.She checked it, and then with wide eyes, she answered it. “Chief?” she asked, sitting up straight. “Yes. . . um I think so. . . No! I know so. . . she’ll be right there. . . what did. . .? Fine, she’ll be there in ten. . . yes chief. Good bye”. She hung up then glared at me. “The war chief wants to see you”. “Oh. Why?”“He said that I’m not allowed to tell you.” She admitted in an angry voice. “I’ll go right now.” I stand up and hug them all good bye. Except Helena, she reaches out to shake my hand. I awkwardly let it drop. I walk outside, hail a taxi, and then make my way towards the war council chamber. All the while wondering what I had done this time. “I am looking for the war chief” I tell the lady at the front of the desk. “And your name is?” “Jemima” “Jemima. . . ?” she pressed, her hand hovering over the phone. “No last name. Just, Jemima”. She raises her eyebrows but says nothing. She picks up the phone and I’m pretty sure she’s about to call for security, when; “//April!”// the receiver blared //“I am expecting a Jemima here soon. Send her straight up. Got that?”// “She just arrived. I’ll send her up”.April gave me a set of directions, and then pointed me towards the elevator. I pressed a few buttons, and I was speeding upwards, towards the twentieth floor. As soon as the doors beeped open, I knew that something major had happened. The whole government body was here. The minister for defence, the Political debate leader, the prime minister, the magister and, at the head, was the War Chief. “Jemima, come sit down” the Magister told me in a clipped voice.I sat down; I fold my hands carefully together in my lap, and then look up. “What can I do for you?” “Well, nothing. We wanted to talk to you about you’re exam results”. “Really?” all I can think is: //how badly have I done//? “Yes. You have gotten the best test score in the area of solutionary planning. But the lowest test score in the year for revolutionary soldiering”. Why so many long words chief? “Yes” I say “and?” “Well. We have received a very serious tip off that you. . . well, you cheated in the solutionary Planning exam”. “Who? Who’s accusing me?” I ask angrily “I am”. The magister spoke up now. He was weedy and small. Any of these men could easily beat him in a fight. But each looked intimated by the very sound of his Mitch-matched voice. “I looked up your records and it says that you’re the most average student. With no apparent love for fighting in this war. And no talent in planning. I have reason to believe that you tweaked the test results, and ran when someone came along. You didn’t get to do the soldier result because you ran. You took the cowardice approach”.Oh, is that what you think is it?“I don’t see how you can come to that conclusion”. “It was very easy, one of your hairs was found on the screen where results were being kept. We’ve moved them”“I’m being framed. I didn’t do that”. “Oh? Well I have taken precautions any-way” I noticed how he said //I// and not //we//. “I am banning you from the celebratory games” “excuse me?” “You heard me. The celebratory games where we celebrate a victory in stealing the enemy’s supply lines. The one where //everybody// comes and watches the new soldiers’ parade new weapons for-” “yes I know which ones! What I don’t understand is why you are accusing me of this. How easily you jumped to the conclusion of me cheating! So now I’m a dumb person aren’t I? I’m dumb because apparently I can’t get a good score on my own-!” I continue yelling until two burly security guards grab my arms and drag me, kicking and screaming, from the compound. Into a car and out the city walls. I was dumped on dirt. About an hour later. With a bag. I don’t know what’s in it because I am too concentrated on shouting after the car that had disappeared back down the road. “Come back you traitorous basteds!” I huff one last time before I pick the bag up and start walking. I don’t know where. Just walking. Before long I am thirsty and hungry and the blistering sun is making me fry. I walk, and walk and walk.There is no water in the bag. Knowing this, it’s not long before I collapse.
 * // Exactly three days earlier. //**

I wake up with a dry mouth and a sore throat. I spy a jug of water next to my head. I take it and gulp it down. Noting the bitter twang of after taste. “The sleeper awakes”. A quiet voice said “ah!” I dropped the jug and it smashed on the ground. “Don’t do that!” I complained before I realised that I didn’t know the voice. “Sure, and I’m inclined to listen to my enemy”. He said in a sarcastic voice. “I’m your enemy?” I croak “Well not you personally, but you’re country” “okay so they dumped me across the border. //Knowing// that I would walk toward you guys! Well that magister needs a good-” I pound my fist against my palm. At a loss for words. “So you stand alone?” “Yes. I guess I do now. Though I can imagine going back to kick all of those jerks butts across the great divide”. He sniggered. Then nodded “then maybe you could help us. If you stand alone. If you know your way around the city. . .” “where are you going with this?” “We want to make a peace. We know that your celebratory games are on tomorrow. We know a lot more than you precious //Magister//” he twisted the word. “Thinks we do. Do you think you can help?” I thought about it for one minute “how do you know you can trust me? And that is not a //no//”. “Because you look like you don’t have a choice”. “Look okay. I am a hung-over student-planner that doesn’t have a home. And you want my help?” “You are the only help we have”I put my fingers to my temples, massaging them. “Okay. I’ll help”.
 * // Exactly two days earlier. //**

“And so because you’re new and fresh and you have an idea of what to say, you can maybe talk some sense into them”. I sigh. This is the tenth time we’ve gone through this. I think they’re trying to convince themselves that it will work. I had spent the day in the same room I woke up in. planning what I would do and say. I discovered about their lifestyle. And how different and equal they are.I was happy with what I was doing. We were now in the car driving to the stadium. Slowly. Because it was night time. I was tired and thirsty. And as soon as we were on the road. I fell right into a deep sleep.

The countryside flew by. I am nervous about this, I am happy with this decision. I had made a choice. Though I wish that things were different. This was right. In my eyes, at least. We should be subjected to the aftermath of this choice. I am in the side of the car. Heading towards the stadium. Watching my old city and towns fly by. I feel oddly detached from my body, as if mind and body is not the same thing. We pull up to the curb. I take a deep breath. Then open the door and start running. I plan to run the whole way into the stadium. Just so I don’t have to think about anything except breathing.I see the entrance coming up. This is it. This is what I was meant to do. Strategic planner, friend, girlfriend, junior, student. . . Peace keeper.I run onto the arena. My breath coming in and out in loud rasps. I run into the centre of the parade. And hope to god that I don’t look scared.
 * // On the day. //**

“STOP!” I scream.at first, I thought that they didn’t hear me, but then all the cheering stops and all heads turn to my tiny form in the middle of the arena. “WHO DARES TO STOP THE CELEBRATORY PARADE????!!!!!!” The Magister thundered from the top box. “I DARE!” I scream back in the same volume “I DARE, I JEMIMA ENTER THE RING!” “YOU? YOU AREN’T ALOUD INTO THE ARENA! WHY DID YOU BOTHER TO COME BACK?!” “THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING! THE DIVIDE BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES HAS BEEN MADE MORE PROMININT BY YOUR DOING MAGISTER! IT DOES NOT STAND FOR PROSPARITY! IF THAT IS OUR AIM, EMBRACE PEACE!!!!” ‘!!!!!!!!!’ the whole crowd was speechless “WE SHOULD NOT BE FIGHTING THEM! WE SHOULD BE MAKING PEACE OFFERS!” “WHY!!!!?????” the prime minister asked. Butting in. “BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE IN EQUALITY! AND EQUALITY IS THE NATURE OF PROSPERITY! AND IF THEY BELIEVE THAT, THEN I DON’T KNOW WHY WE WAGE WAR!” “YOU ARE RIGHT” the Prime minister’s voice echo’s all over the silent arena. “MY FAMILY! WE DO NOT FIGHT TODAY! WE NO NOT FIGHT AGAIN EVER! FROM NOW ON THIS DAY SHALL BE KNOWN AS THE DAY OF THE JEM! IN HONOUR OF THE SERVISE SHE HAS DONE US! AND OUR GREAT EMPIRE!”

The prime minister bowed low.The crowd mirrored him.

The Bayeux Tapestry
<span style="color: #984807; font-family: Algerian; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Back-ground to the Tapestry <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">The Bayeux Tapestry was made by Nuns from Norway around 1067-1068 to interpret why the Normans had the right to win the war. It is an interpretation of what happened during the battle of Hastings. Though it is possible that the tapestry could be slightly biased in the narration of the war. <span style="color: #ffcc00; font-family: Algerian; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">What kind of evidence it the tapestry? <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">The tapestry can be considered primary evidence in the way of the fabric that The Nuns of Normandy used fabric and the type of weaving that they used when making the tapestry. Also what the slaves wore and as well as the armour that the soldiers wore into battle. It is also primary evidence in what kings wore. <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">It can also be secondary evidence because history is told by the winner. The Nuns (who made the tapestry) are from Normandy who were the victors of this particular war, and there-fore their view on the matter was clouded because the nuns came from a Norman View of looking at the war.

How did King Harold die? //__ First possible cause of Death __// In the Bayeux Tapestry it is said that Harold made an oath touching to coffins of saints. It was the most solemn oath you could make in that time. It was said that the punishment for breaking such an oath is cutting out that particular persons eyes. Harold, apparently, broke the oath that he had made and was punished by the gods. An arrow was loosed and he was shot in the eye. But a person should not die from a single arrow to the eye. Also in the tapestry, was a picture of a man (supposedly Harold) with an arrow in his eye. He could have survived that. Wearing an eye patch for the remainder of his life. Though we know for sure that he died in the Battle of Hastings. So this is the least likely cause of death for King Harold. //__ Second possible cause of death __// The second possible cause of death for King Harold is the more likely of the more popular causes. The picture above shows of a group of men, one is pulling an arrow out of eye, and most are dead or dying. Later study of the tapestry led people to believe that the Normans would want to show King Harold truly dead. Not standing up pulling an arrow from his eye. In the picture above there are many people dying. It shows of one man with a sword thrust through his chest. He is on the verge of dying. Or he is already dead. Nobody knows for sure, but the Normans would like to show Harold very dead. Some believe that this person could be Harold and in actuality it is very likely that it is. // Which cause of death do you believe to be most // // likely? //

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">Speculation points to both theories, but the more realistic one is the one where there are men dying in that particular scene. The Normans would want to show Harold dead. And in that theory he is. One man is falling to the ground with a spear in his chest. There is absolutely no proof that tells us about this man being Harold. But it defiantly could be. The other man dying in the scene is a person with a sword in his chest is more likely to be Harold than to be anyone else because the Normans would want to show that Harold would be //very// dead.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #c800ff; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; overflow: hidden;">Bill Nugent ==<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; overflow: hidden;">“Hey Walt!” Dick and I called after him “Walt w-” “let him be” Corporal foster told us with a hint of irritation “he’ll get his own a bit later” the prisoners were led into the quickly towards the pit. I watched as they eyed their surroundings carefully, they looked a bit scared. I didn’t want a bit of what we were about to do, it was wrong and. . . well, it was just wrong. The party proceeded up the green path that led to that pit. Words along the lines of ‘horrible’ and ‘monster’ kept popping into my head. If anyone found this out we’d be in deep trouble, shooting unarmed prisoners was against the rules, and here we were, breaking the rules. . . again. I didn’t blame Walter. I think I would’ve done the same if I had the guts. I’m not sure if he’ll be caught. Probably. But I can’t dwell on Walt’s decision; we have a job to do. ‘Stupid’ another word invaded my mind ‘rotten’. I wonder, when you shoot an unarmed person in cold blood, and you say you were just following orders, do you still get in trouble? == <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">We finally reached the pit. I couldn’t stand to watch as Roger Inabinett pushed the prisoners into the pit. One of the boys in the pit kept looking at Charles Gordon, then talking to his comrades in his alien tongue. Foster signalled with his hand then, we fired. <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">I am never going to forget that sight <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">I would like to say I stood up for these people. I would love to believe that I had the false bullets. I would absolutely love to say that I fired up then down so that I would miss. But in truth, I just did it. I honestly can’t remember when I became such a cruel person. I wanted it to be over with so I can feel guilty later. I stopped firing a few seconds before the others. The prisoners were not dead. But dying. . . so very slowly. As if god wanted us to witness what we’d done. To make us watch as they grotesquely sprawled everywhere. Spattered with their own blood. And I did watch. I watched as the blood pooled on the ground. And as I said. I will never in all my life, forget that sight.


 * || Tenochtitlan ||


 * <span style="display: block; padding-bottom: 3.6pt; padding-left: 7.2pt; padding-right: 7.2pt; padding-top: 3.6pt;">Mexico ||

The Aztecs were a very large and powerful empire before their downfall. The Aztecs, before their demise, had nearly fifteen million people. They had close to five hundred towns and cities that were all very wealthy and they were considered really nice places to live. Most of these cities were very large and profitable. They were more organised than the European cities of the time. The European nobles didn’t know about the Aztecs until the year 1519. //__ -Where and when the Aztecs existed- __// Not very many things are known about what time period the Aztecs existed in. In Europe, a man by the name of Hernan Cortez was asked by his king to describe the land of Mexico to him. His symbolic gesture to the king was this; he crumpled up a piece of paper, and tossed it on the map in front of them. Cortez’s symbolic yet wordless attempt described Mexico perfectly. Mexico was rocky and had many hills, and the land was dry and parched. Some described the land as ‘scorched by the sun’. Crops could only grow in tiny groups near the coast-line. Eventually, a large fertile area was found two thousand metres above sea level. It was named; valley of Mexico. On this spot was the great city of Tenochtitlan. //__ -Great City of Tenochtitlan- __// In the Valley of Mexico, was a lake with an island in the centre; it was here that the pronounced city of Tenochtitlan was based. This great city was founded in the centre of a lake in the valley of Mexico. This city, in all its wonder, soon grew to one of the largest cities on Earth. It is estimated that over two hundred thousand people resided there. The government body brought traders, ambassadors, scribes and portieres streaming into the city with masses of tribute to the gods. Also, many war prisoners were brought to the city to be sacrificed. The Great city of Tenochtitlan was divided into four close districts. All named differently: Flowery Place, Mosquito Fen, Hernons Home and, at the centre, was the most sacred district of them all, called Sacred Precinct. All of these districts were linked to each other and the mainland by various canals and causeways of pounded earth. Also, fresh drinking water was carried into the city from the mountains nearby; the water was carried by a big stone aqueduct. This great city was very sophisticated and had a good way of living. //__ -Structure of the Aztecs Society- __// Most of the Aztecs were very strong and smart, which enabled their society to rise above the rest. The societies differences were set into five ranks, the highest being the emperor, the next being his advisers and then nobles, people and at the very bottom; slaves.
 * <span style="display: block; padding-bottom: 3.6pt; padding-left: 7.2pt; padding-right: 7.2pt; padding-top: 3.6pt;"> ** The fall of the Aztecs ** ||
 * The Emperor, this important man rarely appeared in public, and he was treated as if he was a god. ||


 * Slaves,Were the lowest on the social ladder, usually well treated by their masters. Some prisoners taken in battle, or caught stealing or maybe had fallen into debt. ||


 * Emperors Advisers,The most senior adviser, the deputy Emperor, oversaw the running of the empire. All in all, there were three levels of advisers. ||


 * People,The people were the majority of the population. The families, or clans, farmed the land on the outskirts of the lake. ||

The largest and most important social division was between the nobles and the commoners. This was determined by birth, the division was due to how hard and rare it was for a commoner to rise up the ranks. One of the only ways to rise was bravery in battle. Every city had its own laws and court of justice. The judges in the courts had to be completely fair and no take bribes. Lying and disobeying the court was considered lying to the gods and was punishable by death. Nobles, and anyone in a higher rank, were given harsher punishments if they committed a crime, for they were thought to have known better. The structure of the Aztecs society was separated by five different social classes.
 * Nobles, Called //tlatoani,// the nobles governed the provinces and answered to the Emperor. The official working for them, controlled daily life. ||
 * Dead man, with a missing heart. ||


 * Aztec people watching the ceremony. ||

//__ -Religion and Beliefs- __// The gods the Aztecs worshipped were as tough and demanding as the people. The gods the Aztecs worshipped were believed to be able to stop or cause natural disasters. Also, they were said to be able to stop the sun from rising. The Aztecs believed that the gods needed gifts to make them happy.
 * Heart of dead man. Being presented to the gods. ||
 * The Aztecs did not know if they had anything of enough value to offer to the gods. Eventually, it dawned on them than the only thing of proper value that they had to give, was the gift of life itself. So they began to offer tributes to the gods by giving human sacrifices. They would set the human on a table, use a scoop-like knife to cut out their heart, and then they would present it to the gods by holding it to the sky. Mostly, the sacrifices were prisoners taken in battle. Then, as the civilization grew, so did the amount of human sacrifices. In one practically grew sum year, the Aztecs sacrificed up to twenty thousand people to the gods. The sacrifices were killed as tribute to the heavens. ||

//__ -An Expanding Empire- __// The Spanish considered the Aztecs as barbarians, due to their bloodthirsty lifestyle. War was essential to the Aztecs’ life. Because they won the right to their homeland via battle. They were a slave race, but due to their head-strong attitude, they rebelled against their masters and took charge of the empire. After that, they relied on wars to expand the empire. Because they expanded, it brought them more land, more tribute and more grass and farmlands. Without the riches won in wars, the entire Aztec civilization would have collapsed. These riches included tribute, which the bigger cities needed to feed their citizens. War was also the source of all the captives and sacrifices that t the Aztecs had. Because of war, they were able to sacrifice all of the prisoners to the gods. They believed in war so much that they made a tradition; that each new Aztec ruler, at the beginning of his reign, needed to lead themselves into a war as a symbol of how dedicated and brave they were to the Empire. It was his job to win fame and glory by winning each war and fining new captives to sacrifice. Sometimes, these great rulers would conquer entire empires and cities.

//__ -What happened to the Aztecs? - __// The fall of the Aztecs began with a legend. It was said to have been a legend that a god called Quetzalcoatl would come up from the south to destroy the empire. To prove this legend right several events happen to the city of Tenochtitlan that year. They were said to be bad omens by the Aztecs. A comet appeared in the sky, a temple burst into flames and, strangest of all, some fishermen were supposed to have caught a bird with a mirror on its head. All these bad omens were right; something bad was coming to destroy the empire. The king told his people that he saw several men on strange for-legged beasts riding towards the city. Cortez, and a small band of allies and soldiers, marched on the city and struck it down with all the force in the world. There were only about seven hundred of the Spanish, but they overpowered the surprised Aztecs. //__ -Bibliography- __////__ http://www.aztec-history.net/media/aztec- __//[|//http://www.google.com/search//]//__ ?Defrates, J (1992), what do we know about the Aztecs?Macdonald, F, (1998) step into the Aztec world.Wood, T, (1992) The Aztecs, Hamlin London __// //__ ~TOMORROW WHEN THE WAR BEGAN TASKS~ __// What Does Tomorrow When the War Began suggest that Loyalty, courage and goodness are? This novel suggests that loyalty, courage and goodness are positive human characteristics. In __Tomorrow When the War Began,__ all the characters showed very strong positive human qualities, including all of the aforementioned ones. Ellie wonders if ‘//loyalty, courage, goodness.// [are] //human inventions too, or if they just are.’// This directs the reader’s response towards the gravity and necessity of these qualities for the group’s survival. The author; John Marsden, suggest that being able to trust and being trust worthy; having courage beyond the ordinary and having a strong moral centre are the qualities that help the group to function in isolation from all they knew before the invasion. In this novel, all of the characters displayed some form of loyalty to one another, their country and their families. In __Tomorrow When the War Began__ the group showed three different types of loyalty. In the relationships they formed between themselves; ‘//“Corrie’s my mate and I’m not just going to dump her and run.”’// Though it would take a great act of courage to go with Corrie, Kevin also showed great loyalty to her when he decided to go with her to the hospital. Although though the others do not know it, they show great faith in Kevin and Corrie to trust them enough to not give away their secret. They showed great loyalty to their families in trying to fight back against the invaders. //‘For instance, I wouldn’t allow myself to believe that Mum or Dad -or anyone else- had been injured or killed’// Ellie thought about this on her way to the show ground to find out what had happened. They also show loyalty to their country also in trying to fight back; ‘//I feel we’ve got to get out and have a go at something’// this is Robyn’s opinion on what they should do. They sacrifice life and limb for their county. Loyalty is very common in this novel in the fact that the invaders show it as well. Another positive characteristic that is shown in __Tomorrow When the War Began__ is courage. There is not only one courageous act in the novel. More that, the whole time the group was being courageous. ‘//It was as though a single step into that light would immediately make us visible to a whole group of hostile watchers.’// The courage Ellie shows when she runs across and into the light is the first of many acts. Though the type of courage she showed is called physical courage. When you see people do things abnormal. //‘So you think I should go for it?’// Fi is unsure whether or not to take Ellie’s word when she says Homer likes her, though in the end she went for it. This type of courage is called social courage. This is when somebody goes and does something that could embarrass them publically. The last type of courage is shown by all. It’s called moral courage. The group as a whole shows outstanding moral courage, because they know something is right and they act on it. ‘//I think we should blow it up’,// though it was only in their eyes that it is a good thing to do. For example; the invaders thought that invading was the right think, was the only option for them. But the Australians would think it was a bad thing because, well, the invader’s had invaded. Though in the end the readers come to admire people who show themselves to be courageous. Like courage, goodness is something that is universally admired, but unlike courage it is something that can only be defined properly in an ordinary situation. For example, at the beginning of the novel Ellie and Corrie talk about being innocent; //‘wow, we were innocent back then’// they were talking about it at the barn. They talked about when they were children and how they used to play with dolls and things. But then Ellie made the observation; //‘no, we had always been innocent. Before this.’// So in an ordinary situation being good is easy to determine. When somebody is a child, their parents will tell them to sit down and be good, but being good for them will be sitting still and being quiet and not making a mess. But how can one determine what goodness is in the situation the group is in? When it is not particularly ordinary? So Ellie can be considered a good person because she feels something when she kills people, she reflects upon her actions, which made her a good person. But only in that certain context. Context needs to be considered when one judges goodness. Marsden presents the reader with a group of very capable young people, who prove to the reader’s that young people are able to cope with what the world throws at them. That they can do something about the invaders proves this. That the group actually does something proves it right all over again. Because they do something proves to every single reader that everyone is capable of great acts or courage. That everyone is capable of showing great loyalty and that everyone can be a good person.

I gaze down at the report one last time. The life I made for myself here, down in hell has been blissful and full of peace. My animals, my hut and my river all go to calming myself. But I remember times when I could be happier. Then this makes me sombre all over again. I do not deserve this. So I look at this report one last time. CORONER’S REPORT #48. ‘Be it known by all persons having business with His Majesty’s Courts that I, HAROLD AMORY DOUGAS BATTY, being duly appointed magistrate and coroner in the district of Mt Tumbler, make the following findings and recommendations with respect to the deaths of IMOGEN MARY CHRISTIE, aged twenty-four, married woman of this parish, and ALFRED BERTRAK CHRISTIE, aged three, infant of this parish, both residing at block 16A on the Aberfoyle track, forty-four miles to the southwest of Pink Mountain:‘1. That both deceased met their deaths on or about December 24 last, at the hands of BERTRAM HUBERT SEXTON CHRISTIE, as a result of bullet wounds to the head.’ Harold Batty, my dear friend. Wrote this report under duress of the town. But I do know that he was being entirely honest when he wrote this. I know I will never see my life-long friend again. ‘2. That both deceased lived with BERTRAM HUBERT SEXTON CHRISTIE, farmer, in relationships respectively of wife and son to the said BERTRAM HUBERT SEXTON CHRISTIE, in a wooden cottage at the above address, this being a particularly remote part of the Mt Tumbler district.’ Oh dear, dear Batty. Why do you haunt me so? ‘3. That there is no evidence of marital disharmony between BERTRAM HUBERT SEXTON CHRISTIE and IMOGEN MARY CHRISTIE, and on the contrary BERTRAM HUBERT SEXTON CHRISTIE was a loving husband and father, IMOGEN MARY CHRISTIE a dutiful and even-tempered wife, and the child a sweet child of good disposition, and that is the testimony of WILSON HUBERT GEORGE, farmer, and neighbour to the deceased, and MURIEL EDNA MAYBERRY, married woman and neighbour to the deceased.’ Those two descriptions of my son and my wife were completely accurate. I am proud of my old friend for writing that in. ‘4. That the nearest medical practitioner or nursing sister to the Christies was at Dunstan Lake, being a day and a half’s ride away, and further‘5. That severe bushfires were burning on and around the Aberfoyle track, the Mt Tumbler-Mt Octopus Road, Wild goat track and to the south of Pink Mountain, which had the effect of isolating the Christie property, and that this information was known to BERTRAM HUBERT SEXTON CHRISTIE.’ This is true. I did know that when buying the house, but I only built it in isolation because of Imogen, she loved to look out at the scenery. The bushfire. That day I was more scared than I was in the trenches. Though not scared for my mates, I was scared for my family. I only knew I had to get them out and away from it. But we were surrounded. The trees burned and I had shattered under the gravity of the situation that had been placed before me. Imogen and Alfred’s wounds were too great. ‘That both deceased met their deaths EITHER as result of bushfire consuming the Christie residence, during which both were terribly burnt, and that BERTRAM HUBERT SEXTON CHRISTIE, believing their injuries to be mortal and unable to bear their suffering, knowing also that medical aid was beyond immediate reach, killed both deceased with single shots from his rifle: and that is the testimony of BERTRAM HUBERT SEXTON CHRISTIE ‘OR that both deceased were wilfully and feloniously murdered by BERTRAM HUBERT SEXTON CHRISTIE with the aforesaid rifle, and the bodies deliberately burned in an attempt to conceal the facts of the case.’ Imogen and Alfred’s wounds were too great. I did what I had done one million times before. I soothed them of their pain. I just couldn’t bear to see my wife and son on the floor. Imogen screaming for it to stop and shrieking at me to save Alfred. Alfred’s burnt face showing a pain too intense for a boy of such a young age. I reached for my rifle. The handle burning my palm as I loaded the rifle and then took Imogen’s hand; “I will make it stop. I will make it go away.” I said. Then I took aim, Pulled the trigger. I can still hear the resounding shots as my wife and son died. I can still see their faces and jaws go slack. I can still taste the bile in my mouth.

I shut the report back in the box. I cannot read anymore without reminiscing. I will join them all soon. I wonder what will happen to me, to my place here in hell. Maybe now that I have stayed in hell for a time, I will have been forgiven for my sins, maybe then I can join Imogen and Alfred in heaven. I reach for my rifle. It has one shot left. I know I am not afraid of it but I do know that this is the weapon that killed my family. I load the rifle up. Then I stick the barrel into my mouth. Pull the trigger.

Who is the Leader of the group? There is more than one leader in the group. The two main being Homer and Ellie; Homer being the person that the group would go to for the practical things like what to do when they’ve been spotted. ‘//We’ve got to make more decisions guys’// is something that Homer says in the book. In saying the word ‘got’ he enforces his opinion on the others. This shows that he has confidence in himself and what he does. Ellie is the leader they go to for moral leadership. Ellie, one could say, is the group’s identity. //‘It’s been only half an hour since someone – Robyn I think – said we should write everything down, and it’s been only twenty-nine minutes since I was chosen.’// In what she says here, Ellie shows that she is not the person that the group would go to for the practical things. In the decision taking the group exactly one minute, quick and without doubt, it shows that this – how she thinks and talks – is how they would want to be remembered if the war ended. The others are also leaders in their own rights. Robyn is a leader in the fact that, when trouble has ended her thinks ahead to what other people need. She puts them before herself. Kevin also shows that he could be a leader. After they had blown up the mower, he dugs Ellie along, telling her to run. He shows that when Ellie is distracted, he can take charge if she is not up it.

QUESTION ONE: which characters do you think undergoes the most change? Explain the journey that your character underwent during the novel.

During the novel, Fi changed drastically; from the quiet, posh girl to the fighting, strong willed, woman. At the beginning of the novel, Fi showed that she had not worked a day of hard labour in her life. Because she lived in the city, she had a big house and rich parents. Unlike Ellie or Homer, she didn’t have to milk the cows or skin the chickens. //‘Fi was the only person under sixty who said ‘gosh’//’, this comment, made by Ellie, made Fi out as a perfect teenager who did not do anything wrong. Also in the novel while they were getting ready to go down Satan’s steps they talked about what Fi had put in her camping bag. ‘//Oh. Do you think I should take out the pillow then?’// Fi asked this when Ellie enquired as to what was in her camping bag. When Fi had brought a lot of things she did not need. All of this shows that Fi was a girl who was very elegant and poised.

At the end of the novel Fi had accomplished a lot of things. From helping them gather information in the heart of the enemy, to getting food down Satan’s steps and down into Hell. She really did change the most. She changed from the most innocent teenager too the women who could blow up a bridge. The thing that was the most major change in her was that she found her house empty of all life and to know that she may not see her parents again. When this happened to her she changed, for the better of the group.

QUESTION TWO: Ellie at one stage outlines what she sees as <span style="color: #ffc000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">“ Homer <span style="color: #ffc000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">’ s genius <span style="color: #ffc000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">”– was Homer a <span style="color: #ffc000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">‘ genius <span style="color: #ffc000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">’ for coming up with the plans to <span style="color: #ffc000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">‘ rescue <span style="color: #ffc000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">’ Lee and to destroy the bridge?

One could see homer as a genius for coming up with that plan. But then again, Homer was not the only one to contribute to the making of it. //‘Well, we’re all thinking of quiet sneaky things. We could go the other extreme. Rock up in something so indestructible that we wouldn’t give a damn who saw us’,// as a matter of fact, Ellie is the person who says this. So really, it was not Homer who came up with the idea of rescuing Lee in the garbage truck.

Destroying the bridge was a risky move. They could have been caught, or worse, killed. When homer suggested that they destroy the bridge he was think in a purely heroic scence. He wanted to be a hero, and he wanted credit for it. When they destroyed the bridge it helped more people than they could have imagined. It stopped supplies from coming into Wirrawee; it also stopped more troops from coming to the aid of the soldiers that were already there.

QUESTION THREE: Ellie worries that she might become <span style="color: #2cc218; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">‘ like a war criminal <span style="color: #2cc218; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">’ because of the acts she <span style="color: #2cc218; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">’ s committing. She says she uses <span style="color: #2cc218; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">“ a sense within her <span style="color: #2cc218; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">” to determine what was <span style="color: #2cc218; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">“ good or bad <span style="color: #2cc218; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">”. Was Ellie a <span style="color: #2cc218; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">‘ good <span style="color: #2cc218; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">’ person?

Ellie being a good or bad person really depends on what the readers’ morals are. //‘For the first time I saw their faces; then struck the match’,// Ellie could be considered a bad person it the way that she can look into another human beings’ face, yet kill them. She could still be considered a bad person because she puts herself before anybody else. Though it is her instinct of self-preservation that makes her able to do those things.

Although, she could be considered a good person when she decides to fight back against the enemy. In choosing not to sit tight, to fight back she is a good person. Because she can and she does have the courage to do it. She is also a good person in putting Corrie’s needs above her own when Corrie was shot. She shows remarkable faith in Corrie and Kevin not to give away their spot. She is able to let Kevin leave, to get help for her sick and injured best friend. Which the readers should think is a very courageous act by a very good person.

QUESTION FOUR: When Ellie finds Chris asleep on sentry duty she loses her temper with him. She understands why sleeping sentries should be <span style="color: #00ccff; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">‘ shot <span style="color: #00ccff; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">’. She becomes <span style="color: #00ccff; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">‘ logical, cold-blooded and merciless <span style="color: #00ccff; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">’. Later she says that <span style="color: #00ccff; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">“ I guess he atoned. <span style="color: #00ccff; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">” Did Chris belong in the group?

Yes. In his own way Chris did belong in the group. The exact same question can be asked of Kevin when he did not secure Flip. Or of Fi when her mother almost did not let her go on the actual planned camping trip. The only reason that one asks these questions of Chris is because he did not start out with them.

He only fell asleep because he was tired and wary. Ellie was unreasonable in her dislike of him. Because she could have fallen asleep just as easily on watch as he did. Just because it was him, just because he did not start out with the group. Just because the reader has not grown used to him and his quirky personality. Does not make him any different from Lee or Fi or Robyn. All of whom, most likely would not have been able to go on the camping trip to begin with.

Task 3- Question one; how reliable do you think Ellie is as a narrator?

Ellie was a reliable narrator, in a way [BT1]. She was reliable ( J )in the way she told the reader that she’s going to be completely honest; ‘//I’m not holding back. I warned them I wouldn’t//’ is something she wrote at the start of the book. Meaning that she tried to be as honest as she can [BT2] be when writing it all down. But because it was Ellie telling the reader ( J ) the story, not Chris or Robyn, and it is in first person view she only told it from her point of view. Making the reader ( J ) guided by her opinions ( J ). For example [BT3] ; if she disliked Homer, then she would write him in a different light, and the reader ( J ) would be swayed to dislike him as well.

‘//I don’t know if I’ll be able to do this’// She wrote truthfully, which increased the readers ( J ) thinking that she was reliable ( J ). When she addressed this at the start of the book, she showed that she had the capacity to doubt herself. This showed that she was not infallible ( J ). If she could recount the events with a scence of confidence in her ability to write it down accurately, then the reader ( J ) could trust her in how reliable and truthful her story is. But again because it was Ellie narrating the story it could be biased ( J ), the reader ( J ) could be swayed into thinking her way.


 * Good Ideas Tess but you need to remember to put Quotes in! ||

[BT1] In a way is a good thing to write. It tells us that she is reliable, but not completely so. [BT2] Good. Very interesting that it’s in there. Because it puts up the fact that Ellie COULD get something wrong. [BT3] It’s really great that you could put examples into the response.

Task 6 1. What inspires Ellie with the idea to use the ride on mower as a bomb? Ellie got the idea of using the ride on mower as a bomb from homer. Even though he was not there. She may have remembered the petrol trail trick he used to play on drivers on the highway. This technique is called foreshadowing. 2. What techniques does Marsden use to create tension in this scene? Marsden uses many techniques to diverge away from the point of the story. When writing something suspenseful he will stretch out the suspense and the time of the point. The suspense builds tension with the reader, so when the reader wants to know what happens next, when the reader cannot wait any longer he digresses. This is to move away from the point. Then the reader is able to take on more suspense. Marsden creates more suspense in the way he uses a lot of techniques, like making the suspense drag on longer and making it sound better by putting in onomatopoeia and using alliteration. All these different things go to creating more suspense. 3. Marsden is careful not to let the reader strongly identify with the people who die. How does he achieve this? He dehumanizes them. He makes it seem like they are not human. He doesn't identify the people too closely. The have //seen// shadows, they have //heard// their bullets, they have //seen// their torches, and now the reader hears one male voice. Marsden always refers to them as ‘//soldiers’// or //‘three patrolling sentries’// he never makes it seem like they are people with families and people who love them. This is why we do not incriminate Ellie for murdering them. 4. Why do we not condemn Ellie for the murders? She isn’t doing it in cold blood, she doesn’t make it seem like she wants to. It seems like she only does it because she is afraid or she wants to survive. Marsden also wrote the soldiers that way; he dehumanizes them so it would make the readers believe that they are not actual people. This is why we do not hate or incriminate Ellie for killing them. Because the readers would do the same thing if the situation were reversed.

5. Why does Marsden have them pass the “Welcome to Warrawee” sign in the last sentence and why does he describe them as going “like bats out of Hell.” Marsden is being ironic in this one. They are not welcome in Warrawee anymore. Therefor the group passing the sign symbolizes how badly they need to escape. How badly the soldiers invading want to catch them. The bat out of hell thing is also being ironic. Because that’s how they escaped the soldiers. They go back to hell. The name of the place that is their escape is also oddly fitting for that term.