Envisioning Greatness through Landscape

In the middle of the 1700s, private English estates with vast landscapes and curated gardens became a symbol of the elite (Angod & Gaztambide-Fernández, 2019). A private estate in rural lands where its residents may walk for miles to sit and write poetry, paint, or frankly do whatever they desire while protected from the commoners was a symbol of privilege, power, and colonization. If you have ever seen Downton Abbey or Pride and Prejudice, you know exactly what I am talking about. However, it is crucial to understand that this landscape of historic buildings with surrounding plains still symbolizes eliteness for schools today. Many historic campuses have the same characteristics when looking at elite schools worldwide. Although the multiple campuses of Everdeen are not precisely within remote areas, the athletic fields spread out across campus create the visual of plains leading into tree lands. Additionally, a wall separates the students from the city streets on the other side of the campus. Besides having a wealthy English aesthetic, this pastoral landscape is critical in producing young elites (Angod & Gaztambide-Fernández, 2019). 

With this aesthetic, Angod and Gaztambide-Fernández (2019) argue that as the students look onto this land with an infinite gaze, they can look through the lens of a colonizer in which they are entitled to endless opportunities. This expansive campus makes students feel like they belong everywhere, creating confidence and entitlement. Moreover, Everdeen not only has multiple campuses across Australia, but they also have campuses abroad. This factor adds to the students’ infinite gaze, allowing them to envision themselves conquering whatever they most desire through manifest destiny. While the class diversity at Everdeen is low, and students often travel with their families during holidays, this landscape further reinforces the notion that for the students, the world is their oyster.