Blake’s tiger

These are the first verses of the poem, “The Tyger [Tiger]”, by 18th century

English writer, William Blake. Blake wonders what kind of creator could make

a creature so impressive as a tiger.

Tyger! Tyger! Burning brightIn the forests of the nightWhat immortal hand or eye

Could frame thy fearful symmetry ?

In what distant deeps or skiesBurnt the fire of thine eyes?On what wings dare he aspire?What the hand dare seize the fire?

*

frightening beauty*Note: “fearful symmetry” :

9mag2009 Year 9 — Literacy preparation

ContentsUsefully useless ................................... 2

Taronga................................................ 3

Blake’s Tiger......................................... 4

TARONGA

There was a stir of movement somewhere in the building behind them.

“What was that?” Ben asked.

A soft hiss of warning escaped from Ellie’s lips, one hand beckoning for him to follow as she

glided across the room. Just as she reached the door there was another faint sound, much

closer this time. With a cry of astonishment, she leaped through the opening, making rapidly

for the head of the stairs. “Ben quick!” she called out.

But Ben, still only half way towards the door, was arrested by a familiar, rank odour. He knew

the cause of it even before the massive head and forepaws slid into view blocking the doorway.

“Raja!” he breathed.

The animal was looking straight at him, the amber eyes flashing gold as they caught and held

the setting sun. The same golden light bathed the whole face, making the barred pattern of

cheeks and snout shimmer and glow as if on fire. There was a low snarl, as familiar to Ben as

the rank feline smell, and the long body, sinking into a half crouch, began creeping towards him.

All Ben’s deepest instincts urged him to halt the advance with a silent command. Only one part

of himself, a tiny background voice, resisted the temptation, reminding him of a vow he had

made and must keep. It was that voice which prevailed, blocking all his attempts to force the

tiger into submission.

“Raja,” he said again, the murmured name neither a plea nor a protest: merely the final

statement of a fact which could no longer be avoided.

Steeling himself for what must follow, he backed away as far as the window and waited;

passive, unresisting; watching as the golden, sun-filled eyes closed in on him.

From

by Victor Kelleher

Taronga

Ben and his friend Ellie live in

a post-disaster future. People in

Taronga Zoo want Ben to use his

special mental powers to control the animals.

5

10

15

20

In the 20th century, many architects became critical oftraditional ideas about what makes buildings beautiful.The buildings of the 19th century were often decoratedwith useless ornaments. Their facades (fronts) wereimitations of those from ancient Greece, but with columnsand other features that were just for show.

Take, for example, the granite pylons that seem to support each end of the SydneyHarbour Bridge. In fact, they do not hold up anything but themselves! Instead, theywork hard to make the function of the bridge clearly visible. These pylons obey adifferent design principle, one that says “form should function”.

The function of a bridge is to support a weightacross a wide span. The shapes of natural

objects lead us to expect this to be doneby a structure with a bulky anchoringpoint. Just think how a long tree branchis thicker where it attaches to thetrunk. The balanced look of the pylonsof the Sydney Harbour Bridge,therefore, reveals the truth about howstable the bridge is, even though ittells a fib about the source of thatstability.

reveal

Should architects to make their buildings

good-looking? Or should they just make them useful and

let good looks follow?

try

Usefully useless

Reacting against this ornamentation, modernarchitects obeyed the principle that “form shouldfollow function”. A building looks good, theythought, when it is shaped to suit its purpose.

This principle was applied, spectacularly, to thedesign of the art gallery in Paris, the PompidouCentre. The factory-like tubes that contain thebuilding’s utilities — its lifts, pipes and wires —are mounted on its exterior. No attempt is madeto cover them up. The Centre’s architectsthought that hiding something is a dishonestway to make it beautiful.

Nevertheless, useless architectural features will never disappear

because, in a strange way, they be useful.can

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Usefully useless

In the 20th century, many architects became critical oftraditional ideas about what makes buildings beautiful.The buildings of the 19th century were often decoratedwith useless ornaments. Their facades (fronts) wereimitations of those from ancient Greece, but with columnsand other features that were just for show.

Take, for example, the granite pylons that seem to support each end of the SydneyHarbour Bridge. In fact, they do not hold up anything but themselves! Instead, theywork hard to make the function of the bridge clearly visible. These pylons obey adifferent design principle, one that says “form should function”.

The function of a bridge is to support a weightacross a wide span. The shapes of natural

objects lead us to expect this to be doneby a structure with a bulky anchoringpoint. Just think how a long tree branchis thicker where it attaches to thetrunk. The balanced look of the pylonsof the Sydney Harbour Bridge,therefore, reveals the truth about howstable the bridge is, even though ittells a fib about the source of thatstability.

reveal

Should architects to make their buildings

good-looking? Or should they just make them useful and

let good looks follow?

try

Usefully useless

Reacting against this ornamentation, modernarchitects obeyed the principle that “form shouldfollow function”. A building looks good, theythought, when it is shaped to suit its purpose.

This principle was applied, spectacularly, to thedesign of the art gallery in Paris, the PompidouCentre. The factory-like tubes that contain thebuilding’s utilities — its lifts, pipes and wires —are mounted on its exterior. No attempt is madeto cover them up. The Centre’s architectsthought that hiding something is a dishonestway to make it beautiful.

Nevertheless, useless architectural features will never disappear

because, in a strange way, they be useful.can

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Page 2

Taronga

TARONGA

There was a stir of movement somewhere in the building behind them.

“What was that?” Ben asked.

A soft hiss of warning escaped from Ellie’s lips, one hand beckoning for him to follow as she

glided across the room. Just as she reached the door there was another faint sound, much

closer this time. With a cry of astonishment, she leaped through the opening, making rapidly

for the head of the stairs. “Ben quick!” she called out.

But Ben, still only half way towards the door, was arrested by a familiar, rank odour. He knew

the cause of it even before the massive head and forepaws slid into view blocking the doorway.

“Raja!” he breathed.

The animal was looking straight at him, the amber eyes flashing gold as they caught and held

the setting sun. The same golden light bathed the whole face, making the barred pattern of

cheeks and snout shimmer and glow as if on fire. There was a low snarl, as familiar to Ben as

the rank feline smell, and the long body, sinking into a half crouch, began creeping towards him.

All Ben’s deepest instincts urged him to halt the advance with a silent command. Only one part

of himself, a tiny background voice, resisted the temptation, reminding him of a vow he had

made and must keep. It was that voice which prevailed, blocking all his attempts to force the

tiger into submission.

“Raja,” he said again, the murmured name neither a plea nor a protest: merely the final

statement of a fact which could no longer be avoided.

Steeling himself for what must follow, he backed away as far as the window and waited;

passive, unresisting; watching as the golden, sun-filled eyes closed in on him.

From

by Victor Kelleher

Taronga

Ben and his friend Ellie live in

a post-disaster future. People in

Taronga Zoo want Ben to use his

special mental powers to control the animals.

5

10

15

20

Page 3

Page 4

Blake’s Tiger

Blake’s tiger

These are the first verses of the poem, “The Tyger [Tiger]”, by 18th century

English writer, William Blake. Blake wonders what kind of creator could make

a creature so impressive as a tiger.

Tyger! Tyger! Burning brightIn the forests of the nightWhat immortal hand or eye

Could frame thy fearful symmetry ?

In what distant deeps or skiesBurnt the fire of thine eyes?On what wings dare he aspire?What the hand dare seize the fire?

*

frightening beauty*Note: “fearful symmetry” :