An Imaginary Life Essay Guide (HSC Common Module)

1Introduction

Today, we’ll be looking at David Malouf’s novel An Imaginary Life (1978) in the updated HSC Texts and Human Experiences Module. Below is an unpacking of the new syllabus description for HSC Common Module and how we can link this to the ideas in the novel.

From NESA: “Students deepen their understanding of how texts represent individual and collective human experiences. They examine how texts represent emotions and qualities related to these experiences. By responding to a range of texts, students explore how texts provide insight into emotional, intellectual, physical, cultural and lived experiences. They explore the ways texts represent identity, culture, acceptance and growth, invite the reader to see the world differently, and challenge assumptions. Students explore how texts can represent the tension between agency and conformity in our human experience, while examining the paradoxes of motivation and behaviour. Through critical and creative responses to texts, students consider the ways that texts encourage them to reflect personally and challenge their assumptions about the nature of human experience.”

Important things to note:

• individual and collective human experiences
• emotions and qualities related to these experiences
• emotional, intellectual, physical, cultural and lived experiences
• identity, culture, acceptance and growth
• invite the reader to see the world differently, and challenge assumptions
• tension between agency and conformity
• paradoxes of motivation and behaviour
• texts encourage students to reflect personally and challenge their assumptions about the nature of human experience

2Links to the human experience syllabus

A key tip to answer questions for the Common Module is to analyse how the composer’s portrayal of the human experience has allowed them to ______, or, alternatively, invites the responder to ______.

Also, a common pitfall is to focus too much on themes, e.g. language, nature. When doing your paragraphs, make sure to focus on what the HUMAN EXPERIENCE is rather than thematic concerns.

3Applying the syllabus to An Imaginary Life

• Individual and collective human experiences: Ovid’s individual experience of alienation within the community of Tomis as he is unable to adapt to their supposedly primitive way of living in comparison with the Roman luxuries he’s accustomed to. The community of Tomis represents the collective human experience – they help each other and slowly help Ovid adapt to the village, yet they view the Child as suspicious. Ovid and the Child share collective experiences of navigating through the foreign wilderness which ultimately enriches Ovid’s perception of mortality and existence.
• Emotions and qualities related to these experiences: Ovid is initially alienated and disoriented by his new surroundings, yet through shared human experiences with the Child and his own power of imagination and resilience, he is able to reconcile with his surroundings. Additionally, he feels a sense of loyalty towards the Child, initially teaching the Child of the civilised world and ultimately running away from the village with him for survival. Ultimately, he appreciates and surrenders to the immensity of the natural world as he recognises his mortality.
• Emotional, intellectual, physical, cultural and lived experiences: Ovid undergoes an emotional experience when interacting with the Child and also seeing nature’s sublimity. His intellectual experiences lead to his exile from Rome, yet through engaging with the wilderness, he discovers a greater intellectual capacity for literature and an expanded worldview. He experiences a disjunct between his refined Roman culture and the rural lives of Tomis inhabitants.
• Identity, culture, acceptance and growth: Ovid’s identity as a Roman intellectual is challenged by his exile into the rudimentary village of Tomis. He is initially unable to adapt to this new culture, preferring the refinement of Roman life. However, he undergoes personal growth when the Child guides him through nature’s immensity and he ultimately accepts his mortality.
• Tension between agency and conformity: Ovid is presented as an outlier in the Roman empire as he writes poems that are overly hedonistic, antagonising the emperor and hierarchy. He also refuses to conform to village life as he is used to comforts and luxuries while the villagers live rudimentary lives. Additionally, while other villagers are hostile towards the Child, he does not conform to this and agentically engages with the Child. Ultimately, he and the Child assert their personal agencies by interacting with the wild.
• Paradoxes of motivation and behaviour: A paradox arises when he is trying to educate the Child with language – instead the Child slowly adopts the role of teacher to guide him on traversing and reconciling with the natural landscape. Initially, Ovid is fearful and bitter towards the untamed wilderness of Tomis, yet his behaviour becomes inconsistent as he slowly appreciates the beauty and imagination that nature evokes. The villagers also exhibit inconsistent behaviour: whilst they help Ovid, they are hostile towards the Child due to his perceived threat.

4Final thoughts

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