Chapter Seven: Father and son

After reading chapter 7:
• Comment on the following quote: "And, of course, Alex understood only too well." (p.43, l.33)
• Write a different ending of the chapter: "That night, when Alex had gone to sleep, TOM picked up his diary and began writing." (compare p.43, l.34f)

In this chapter Alex and Tom tried to unterstand each other. The author wanted to tell us in this quote, that Alex tried to understand it, why Tom left his family and didn't contact him. Tom wanted to travel around the world and he wouldn't become an adult. As far as I'm concerned, Alex wont to be an adult, because he is afraid that he makes a mistake like his father too.

That night, when Alex had gone to sleep, TOM picked up his diary and began writing.

Friday, 8 February
This day was a wonderful day. Today it was my first meeting with Alex after 16 years. Alex is a good looking boy with a good personality.
He asked me, why I... left home and didn't contact him. I gave him my answer; I hope he understand me.
In the days I was young I had made a big mistake. I'm really sorry, what I've done. I will the best for him and tries to help him, whenever he has a problem or what ever. I can't turn it back, but I can tries to be a good father for him. I hope he accepts and can forgive me.....

Chapter Six: Into the rain forest - Part II

After reading chapter 6:

If you asked me, I was really shocked as I read this chapter. Alex asked Tom if he wasn't enough for him and didn't like him (p.32/l.2-3). He lost himself under control. Tom told him he was sorry. As far as I'm concerned Tom couldn't say anything as "...I'm sorry" (p.32/l.9), he was to disappoint and shocked what he did wrong to Alex. It was right from Tom to say: "Did you really think I could ever forget the day you were born" to him, because with it he could show him, that Alex wasn't insignificant for Tom.
But I'm afraid I don't agree at all, it was not okay he did something like that. I think no father would think that the child didn't want to know him or HATE him. It's the worst of all things what a father could say to his child, because if a child heard this, it would be hurt him/her like a hurt attack.
Finally it was a good concept from Tom and Alex to make a trip to Queensland, because so they could get on well with each other and make it up.

Chapter Six: Into the rain forest - Part I

Before reading chapter 6:

In my mind, Alex will be nervous, excited and keep very silence at the begining of the conversation between his father, because he hasn't seen his father for 16 years . He doesn't know what he shall to do or say. After a couple of minutes Alex will be self-confident and ask him a lot of questions. In my opinion Alex will ask Tom about the past, for example why he never had contact or visit him. As far as I'm concerned Tom will give him a reason for his questions, but not the truth, because he won't hurt him.
I can imagine that this conservation will be hard for both; Alex is disappointed of his father; Tom has a lot of guilt feelings. The way I see it, Alex and Tom will start an argument, because of their disagreement.

Chapter Five: The face in the crowd

1. What do you think, how Alex thought about the band and how he reacted, when he saw his father for the first time?

2. What was your first reaction, when you read that they hit the cow and Joe didn't tell the police about that? Do you agree to their procedure?

3. Do you think Alex will get on well with Tom Connell, his real father?

4. Will the bandmembers find it out about the realationship between Alex and Dani?

Chapter Four: The big decision

Task: Dani and Alex have their first disagreement.

• Why? • What is it about? • What's your opinion about it?
It seemed that everything for Alex was good, because he fell in love with Dani and got his first kiss from her, but sudden they had their first disagreement about being in spotlight and the freedom of the penguins in Melbourne.

In Danis opinion the penguins looked happy and sweet, whereas Alex thought they looked lost and afraid, so they had different opinions. Then Dani give him an answer to his argument:"...I thought you liked being in the spotlight (p.24 l.8)". The way I see it, Dani wanted to show Alex the bad side of being famous, that’s why Alex thought Dani wouldn't believe in his dream. As far as I'm concerned, she was in this situation to hard to Alex to show him that. In my opinion I agree with Alex, because I didn't know what I would do, when hundred people looked down at me. If I played in a famous band, I would also felt in the spotlight. I think Alex wanted to give his opinion, but he didn't want to argue with Dani.

Chapter Three: The islands and the mountain

Task:

• Describe what happens on top of St. Mary's Peak
• Why does Alex think "Let him see how he likes it"?
• Who is he? What will he like or not?


Mary, Tom's wife proposed Alex to met Kevin Williams, the nephew from Tom. As he met Kevin, they had taken the tent over to Kangaroo Island. After that Alex and Kevin went to Wilpena Pound and then to St. Mary's Peak.
On the top of St. Mary's Peak Kevin talked about Tom. Alex was irritated that Tom his real father thought Alex didn't exist. It began to rain, so they went home and the conservation about Tom ended.

Before Alex went to sleep he thought "Let him see how he likes". I think Alex tried to say, how Tom reacts or what he feels when Alex flew back to London before Tom came back.

What do you think, how Tom reacts or fells?

Who was the author from the book "Australian Connection"?

Paul Stewart was born in London in 1955. He studied English and Creative Writing in Lancaster and at university of East Anglia and then he teached abroad, among other things in Germany, Sri Lanka and Australia before he returned to England to a school in Brighton. Since 1990 he only devotes himself to writing children's books, his cooperations with the illustrator Chris Riddell are successful. Paul Stewart lives with his wife and two children in Brighton today.

I give you this information about the author, because I think its important for the readers, that they know something about his life. If you ask me, the reader can maybe imagine,
why he write the story"Australian Connection"? Maybe he had a life without a dad as well like Alex too, so he wrote this story.

Source:
Bookbrowse

Chapter Two: Hello Australia

In my opinion Alex's first 66 hours in Oz were exciting, but when he arrived at the airport, he was a little bit shocked, because his father wasn't there. As far as I'm concerned Tom must have a secret reason for this. By the way Tom was in London, so Alex couldn’t see his father for a time. At the airport he got to know Tom's wife and their children. They encourage Alex to forget about this problem.The way I see it, Alex felt like at home, because they looked after him and they were friendly.

At the Bondi beach, Alex met Dani Klavans, a girl he liked very much and the neighbor and babysitter of Tom's family. She invited Alex to play the bass guitar in her band "The Beat Crew". So the way I see it, he had an interresting,exciting and a hard day, because he met a wonderful girl, got to know Tom's family and played inDani's band.

Questions, that comes to my mind:
How will the realationship between father and son go on?
And what about Dani and Alex, will they fall in love?