1. Area of Study The Simple Gift
Written by Steven Herrick

2. The Simple Gift
Is a novel-length poetic tale about homelessness, relationships, wants, needs, the class system, and simple gifts.

3. Textual Features the structure of the book language choice motifs
setting and atmosphere.
themes

4. Conventions of Novel Chapters Title-page
- diary entries from three characters: Billy, Caitlin, and Old Bill.
Title-page
- includes a quote that foreshadows the events or ideas represented in the chapter.
- black and white image at the beginning of each chapter. These are a visual representation of ideas that are in the chapter.

5. Conventions of Novel
“The reader can see themselves progressing with the story. They see my stories less as poetry and more as a narrative.” Steven Herrick

6. Conventions of Poetry
Free-verse poems that tell of the character’s thoughts, the
events of that day, or their memories.
Full of figurative language and it is a concentrated, intense form of literature because of it .
Contains imagery.

7. Perspective
1st person perspective which helps the responder feel included in the story, we feel like we are being spoken to directly and intimacy is created.
3 characters: Billy, Caitlin and Old Bill
Example: p 114 and 147.
They become authentic and complex characters as we, the responders, enter into the dynamic interactions that they have with each other.

8. Language Choice
Figurative language enables the creation of powerful images.
- metaphor
“when you’ve got no window to close
and the wind and rain
hits you in the face
with the force of a father’s punch.” (p10)

9. Language Choice Figurative Language - similes.
“Men in suits, like tired penguins,
wait for the bus” (p28)

10. Language Choice Figurative Language - imagery “the deep radiant colour
burning gold,
the bubbles dancing
ballet-perfect to the rim,
the sweet-bitter smell
of malt and barley.” (p95)

11. Language Choice Colloquial Language “and reading books beside
Westfield Creek while jigging school” (p123).
Direct Speech
– helps the responder to feel that they belong in the story.
Repetition
- ‘Men’ (p14)

12. Setting Nowheresville - dark and melancholy, cold and wet place (p3-5)
Bendarat
- full of sun shine (p22,92,109). There is warmth, light and happiness to be found there.

13. Setting As the atmosphere becomes brighter and more
positive the characters rise above their original
situations and character development is
revealed.

14. Setting Billy and Old Bill’s visit to Caitlin’s house is
likened to visiting the moon (p122). This
contrast in setting is a metaphor for the social
distance between these characters.
They have moved beyond social barriers and stereotypes to find a way to truly belong.

15. Motifs Sunshine - symbol of growth and new beginnings Birds
- symbols of flight and freedom

16. Theme Simple Gifts Random Acts of Kindness
Ernie, the train driver, offers Billy a warm place to travel and food.
Irene, the librarian, allows Billy to read in the library and helps him find books.
Caitlin does not dob Billy in to her boss.
Billy gives ‘smokes’ to Old Bill and takes care of him.
Old Bill gives Billy the keys to his house and helps him out with the Welfare people.

17. Theme Belonging Into the World Relationships
All of these themes can be linked to the concept
of Belonging and can support a wide range of
theses regarding Belonging.