Hannah Warner joins Clare to discuss the first comparative pairing of the season - David Malouf's 'Ransom' and Stephen Frear's film 'The Queen'. When Hannah speaks about these texts, she communicates with clarity, confidence and knowledge, and is supremely generous with both her time and the ideas she has been discussing with her own students. Sharing detailed insight into both texts in regards to context, key concerns of grief, leadership, the dual-self and family, and a deep dive into a range of symbols and how to compare these in writing, Hannah's reflection is a must-listen for any student or teacher currently engaging with this comparative pairing. 

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Carla Ziino joins Clare to discuss Anthony Doerr's Pulitzer Prize winning novel, 'All The Light We Cannot See' - a text that ultimately explores what makes us human. The discussion traverses a lot of ground in an hour, focusing especially on the binary nature of the two young protagonists - Marie-Laure and Werner: girl and boy, French and German, disabled and able. Carla's knowledge and insight into student approaches to investigating the novel, their preparation for the exam, and responding to topics is valuable, and this episode is worth listening for the opportunity to understand the mind of the teacher and the examiner. 

Carla wished to dedicate this episode in memory of her dear colleague Cathy Maloney, and pay tribute to the phenomenal teaching team at Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar School for their combined knowledge and insight that allowed her to speak with such confidence in this episode. 

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In this discussion, Clare speaks with Prue Bon about 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen. Topics covered include the constructed nature of the text, and the reality that Austen was ultimately producing popular fiction in her day, the feminist elements of the novel, and an examination of a series of characters, including Charlotte, Lydia, Mr & Mrs Bennet, Elizabeth, Darcy and Lady Catherine. Prue's experience as both an English and Literature teacher allows her to focus on interpretation, construction, and Austen's style, all elements that will allow students to reflect on authorial intent in their writing.   

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Philip Thiel and Lauren Wade join Clare to discuss Euripides' bleak lament, 'Women of Troy'. The discussion spans the course of the play, focusing in on the perspective of Queen Hecuba, labelled the 'favourite grandmother in lit', the lack of support provided by the gods to these women left behind after their men failed them, and some differing perspectives on how to read Talthybius. A deep dive into a challenging play that privileges the voices of women and acknowledges their suffering in a society that traditionally ignored both. 

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