Journeys_Lead_the_Traveller_to_Knowledge

Set Text: Radiance Other Related Texts: * Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Film) 20th Century Fox * Cats in the Cradle (Song) By Harry Chapin “JOURNEY’S LEAD THE TRAVELLER TO KNOWLEDGE” After reaching a certain point in one’s life-a small step in the whole journey- a sense of achievement, accomplishment and satisfaction is gained. Whether the journey be a long and tactical one or a short yet mentally exhausting period of time, all these small inner journeys result in learning. Knowledge is gained through advice, people, experiences and most of all self-discovery; Knowledge is the small diversion in the quest of our Journey. In the three texts, Radiance, Priscilla: Queen of the Desert and Cats in the Cradle, the concept of “Journey’s lead the traveller to knowledge” is clearly demonstrated in each. In the film Radiance, Cressy embarks on her very personal quest from the city to tell Nona (who has been led to believe Cressy was her Sister) the truth about her. Cressy’s two ‘sisters’ Mae and Nona believe that her reason for returning home after so many years is to pay respect to her Mother who has just tragically passed away. On arrival to the family homestead, Cressy’s journey both mentally and physically leads her to discover that Nona is actually pregnant herself. In a desperate attempt to save Nona the ‘hassle’ Cressy attempts to pay her to take an abortion; scared of putting her daughter through what she had to go through at such a young age. While Nona vigilantly refuses the offer and Cressy try’s digesting the news, Nona who has lived a ‘no ties’ sort of lifestyle is still searching for the ‘Black Prince’ (Father) in her life. The dream is shattered when Cressy along with the persistence of Mae reveals the truth to Nona that she was in fact a product of her rape; a rape so deviously committed by one of her Mother’s numerous boyfriends. Cressy then goes on further to explain that Mary (her Mother) would not allow Cressy to raise her child, taking her as her own for the protection of Cressy. While all the drama is unfolding, Mae reveals the ugly truth about the state that their Mother (and Grandmother) was in before her death. Plagued with dementia, she constantly abused Mae and the townspeople, being labelled ‘The Witch’ and gaining quite a reputation for her and Mae in town. This is shown quite well when no one turns up for the funeral; where Nona has trouble comprehending why people were not present. Not being able to handle the pressures of caring for their Mother, Mae turned herself to drinking, leading to a serious substance abuse addiction. Mae turns aggressive towards Cressy for not being there or helping with the care of their Mother blaming her state on Cressy’s actions to run away and start a new life. In brief, these are just some of the many examples listed above of the knowledge each of these women gained while on their physical journey to scatter their Mother’s ashes and their inner journey to heal their past differences and resolve their kinship: * Nona learns that Cressy is her biological Mother; Mary was her Grandmother. * On Nona’s return home, Mae learns that Nona is pregnant; Nona learns that Mary has passed away. * Cressy also learns of Nona’s pregnancy when she makes a surprise visit home and attempts to stop it. * Both Cressy and Nona learn that Mae is an aggressive alcoholic because of the torment she suffered from their dementia-plagued Mother. On the other end of the scale, Priscilla: Queen of the Desert also maintains the concept of ‘Journey’s lead the traveller to knowledge’, but in a more clever and humorous way. Clearly shown when on trip to the Alice in the battered tour bus christened ‘Priscilla’, Bernadette and Felecia learn that Tick was once married and has an 8 year old child named Benjamin (which comes as quite a shock to the pair who have known him as a gay man all his life). The pair also learns that the high heeled and high-flying drag production they are going to perform is actually at his ex-wife’s (Marion) resort in order for Tick to see his Son again, whom he has not seen since a newborn. After this shock discovery, the trio continue on route to Alice Springs on their physical journey together not aware of the intellectual journey taking place within. In this text, Bernadette (the transsexual woman) realises that there are other people out there (such as Bob the Mechanic whom they picked up along the way when the bus broke down) who can make you feel as happy as your first husband did. Irritating and Flamboyant Felecia learns a major life skill along the way-it’s not what someone looks like, but who they are on the inside that counts and Tick finally understands that the love of a Son even when they know who you really are is incomparable to anything else in the world. With Benjamin between their hearts, Tick and Felecia head back to the ‘Big Smoke’ of Sydney to start a new life, while Bernadette opts to stay with Bob in outback Australia. Although their physical journey together has ended at this point, each continues on their personal and emotional journey throughout their lives, with the new found knowledge they have gained. This knowledge they have gained through their journey has forged a bond between them that is irreversible and irreplaceable; each character gaining a personal relationship with both Marion and Benjamin. In Cats in the Cradle however, after a life of procrastination and false hopes and lies towards his son, the Father’s journey through life leads him to discover that his past actions had set an example for his son as a young child which had terribly negative effects. As the child grows up and the father’s career goes by the way side, he wishes to make amends with his Son and his now grandchildren only to learn that- Quote: “My new job’s a hassle and the kids have the flu; but it’s been sure nice talking to you Dad”. It was at this point in the hit song that it occurred to the Father that his ‘boy’ had grown up just like him and his actions were a direct reflection of his own as a young adult. Through this emotional journey of hearts, the Boy had grown up believing his Father did not have any time for him reflecting the actions he takes. The Father learns also that his Son does not have the time for him in his hectic lifestyle and would rather spend time with his Job than with his Father. After analysing these three texts in depth, it would occur to most that each of these characters in their respective stories have learnt or gained some form of knowledge that they did not have to begin with. This directly reflects and reinforces the concept that “Journey’s lead the traveller to knowledge”.