Analytical Essay

Discourses have powerful social effects and can empower some, while marginalizing others. In the texts Lost Property and Muriel’s Wedding the dominant discourse is relationship. The audience is positioned to see Josh Tambling from Lost Property as having tough relationships as he is the one who is expected to pull through. While Muriel Heslop from Muriel’s Wedding is portrayed as unreliable and selfish as the story is told.
In the early stages of both texts it is obvious that Josh and Muriel have different relationships, as Josh is respected and dependable while Muriel is rejected and a failure. Josh is trustworthy towards his friends which make him respected in his relationships. For instance, he shows his loyal and respectable values and attitudes in the first chapter as he tends to a woman customer who has lost her cardigan. “A cardigan. What colour was it, Madam?” Josh asks politely to help the woman. (p3). Josh also shows that he is dependable by singing songs in the band which are chosen by the lead guitarist Neven, despite not liking the song. After viewing the first couple of scenes of Muriel’s Wedding, it is clear that Muriel is rejected and has complete different relationships than Josh. In the first scene, she attends an engagement party. While there she is confronted by the police and a woman accusing her of stealing the dress she is wearing. As she arrives home in a cop car, she is then ridiculed by her family which leads to her father, Bill Heslop, bribing the police men and leaving with a carton of beer. In the first text the audience is positioned to recognize Josh’s deeds as a reliable and honest person, whereas Muriel is some what felt sorry towards for being unwanted and a disappointment.
As the plot progresses the bonds between relationships are strengthened. For example, when Josh meets Gemma, he realizes that she is unlike his girlfriend Alicia. Josh has an in depth conversation with Gemma about God, which earlier he tried to have with his