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The Whale Rider Essay

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The Whale Rider Essay
The Whale Rider
Describe at least ONE effective technique used in the written text(s).
Explain how this technique helped you to understand an important message.
NOTE: Techniques could include vocabulary, style, imagery, symbolism, structure, or narrative point-of-view. In the novel “The Whale Rider” there are many effective techniques that Witi Ihimaera uses, such as having a prologue to start the story, also an epilogue to finish it off. There are 21 chapters in the novel which include the four seasons, summer, autumn, winter and Spring to separate the growth of Kahu and her coming of age, making it easier for the reader to understand the important message. The effective technique that I have chosen helped me to understand the important message, Kahu being ‘the chosen one’. The novel also includes parallel plots, as well as his writing style being fantastically well written, to make it an awesome book to read. However, I will only try to focus on ONE effective technique in this essay that I am writing. I am also asked to explain how the technique I have chosen helped me to understand an important message.
One effective technique that I could relate to in the novel “The Whale Rider” by Witi Ihimaera is the use of language features. This technique helped me to understand the important message of Kahu’s coming of age and being ‘the chosen one’. Kahu shows signs of Maori leadership and confidence throughout the story.
The thing that strikes me the most is the fact that the traditional way that has been followed for many years may have to be broken. The reason being, the tradition only allows a male leader to lead the tribe, so it is kept well and alive. Koro being the present leader has to prepare himself to step down and pass the leadership on to the eldest male great-grandchild of his. His eldest great-grandchild happens to be a female; Koro is disgusted by what may interfere with the tradition of his tribe. Kahu being the first great-grandchild of the family, she

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