Explore the necessity of change in Frears’ The Queen and Malouf’s Ransom.

Ransom is a novel about hope in times of unrelenting anguish whereas in The Queen, hope is irrelevant in times of tragedy. Discuss.

Without reconciliation, the tragedy of Ransom is futile. To what extent to you agree?

Within the texts, the role of the advisor is one that is undervalued and underestimated. To what extent do you agree?

In his text, Malouf presents violence and loss as reductive. Discuss.

‘How has he got hold of such a notion? It contradicts everything they have ever known of this grave and cautious figure who is their father.’ (Ransom, p 82) Discuss the presence of duality in the characters of both texts.

‘People really DO want change. And want YOU to give it to them.’ In Ransom and The Queen, resistance to change is shown to be detrimental. Discuss.

It is primarily Priam’s approach that causes Achilles to no longer view Hector’s body as ‘an affront’ (p 190) and is entirely cleansed of his anger and pain. Do you agree?