No sugar – College Essay Example

reading, and washing clothes. By doing this, Davis aims to establish a sense of normalcy that the audience can relate to. The play also highlights the family's acceptance of white culture as a means of survival and their strong familial bond. The Munday-Millimurras serve as the central family in the play, representing the hardships faced by Aboriginal people during a time of white oppression. Jimmy Munday, a member of the family, embodies anger, displacement, and frustration due to the restrictions placed on him by his white oppressors. While he recognizes his powerlessness in society, he is keenly aware of the actions of the white settlers and is even inclined to provoke trouble in response. An example of his sentiment can be found on page 16, where Jimmy expresses his frustration about the appropriation of their country by the white settlers.Jimmy, in order to cope, turns to alcohol, song and dance, and is unafraid to speak his mind using obscenities. Gran, Jimmy's mother, serves as a connection to the Aboriginal past. This is evident when she mentions delivering her grandchildren into the world on pg.(60). Gran, like her son, is not intimidated by the white authority and will defend herself and her people whenever necessary. Davis uses the characters' names in the text to make symbolic references to Christianity. For instance, Jimmy's middle name "Emanuel" means "god is with us" in Hebrew. The character Joe is short for "Joseph", who eventually has a child with another character named "Mary". Davis does this to illustrate how the settler's religion has been imposed on the Aborigines. However, when Sister Eileen insists that the children of the Moore river

settlement learn how to read, Mr Neal refuses, justifying it with the statement "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing". This reveals Mr Neal's racist attitudes, as he fears that if the Aborigines were aware of the injustices they face, they might take action to stop them. The characters in the text are portrayed in a way that they all confront racism in some way. Davis ensures that his Aboriginal characters are treated racially while highlighting that it is the white authorities who instigate this racism.The law prohibits Aborigines from consuming alcohol, which reveals an element of racism towards them. This is contrasted with the privilege given to white authoritative figures like Mr Neal, who is allowed to drink alcohol. In a conversation between Mr Neal and Matron, it is implied that Mr Neal gets heavily intoxicated, but due to the racial law, he is permitted to do so while Aboriginal individuals like Jimmy Millumara are not. Davis uses language effectively to showcase the strength of the Aboriginal community. By incorporating both the Nyoongah and English language, he enables the oppressed to empower themselves and disables the oppressor. The use of Nyoongah language isolates the white audience, creating a power role reversal that allows them to experience the injustices faced by Aborigines. Additionally, incorporating Nyoongah language through Aboriginal characters' words and expressions presents a proud and resilient Aboriginal culture. In writing in a hybrid manner, Davis also includes the English language in the play.Throughout the play, the white authorities and Aboriginal characters both speak English, despite the Aboriginal characters also speaking their native Nyoongah language. This highlights how the white settlers have attempted to eradicate

Aboriginal culture and silence their voices by teaching them English. However, the fact that the Aboriginal characters still use their Nyoongah language demonstrates the resilience and strength of their culture. Davis aims to show the white society that although they may be able to take Aboriginal land, they cannot eradicate Aboriginal culture. Similar to the importance of the Nyoongah language, music and dance play a crucial role in showcasing the strength of Aboriginal culture. The use of Jimmy's Grandfather's song during the corroboree scene emphasizes the power of Aboriginal culture in the face of white oppression. The exchange between Bluey and Jimmy about the song further illustrates how storytelling and song-sharing are influential tools in preserving their heritage, particularly during times of oppression. Symbolism is another narrative element employed by Davis to reveal the immense hardships endured by the Aborigines.Throughout the play, various symbols are used, with the most prominent one being sugar. This symbol represents the control exerted by the White authorities and is frequently mentioned by Davis. In the opening scene, Sam is seen adding sugar generously to the tea. As the play progresses, it becomes evident to the audience that the Aborigine's rations are gradually taken away until they receive no sugar at all. This signifies the severity of the situation faced by the Aborigines, as the White authorities use petty acts like taking away their sugar to display their power. The costumes worn by the characters also play a significant role in conveying meaning. The Aborigines are dressed in clothes typically worn by white settlers, which highlights the racist attitudes of the white people and pressure for assimilation. An example of

this is seen in the Australia Day celebrations, where Billy and Bluey are given ill-fitting uniforms, illustrating how they are still marginalized by society.The text highlights the idea that despite the White authorities' insistence on assimilating Aborigines into their society, they will always feel out of place in a white society. Davis strategically uses staging and theatrical space in the play to emphasize this point. Instead of placing the Aborigines on the outskirts of the stage, he puts them in the center, while the White authorities, such as the department of Aborigines and the Northam police station, are pushed to the outskirts. This manipulation allows Davis to present the play from an Aboriginal perspective and challenge the oppressive society they live in by reversing the roles and limitations placed on Aborigines. By having the Aborigines occupy the center stage, Davis also exposes the different relationships that Aborigines and white settlers have with the land. The settlers view the land in terms of ownership, control, and boundaries, which is evident in settings like the lock up and office that are controlled by the white authorities. However, as Aborigines do not value the land in the same way as white settlers, their access to it is restricted by these boundaries, risking entering white space. Through his manipulation of theatrical and narrative elements, Davis successfully creates a play that offers a unique perspective on early Western Australian history.The text effectively challenges common beliefs about the level of racism faced by Aborigines and explores how they manage it. Although racism remains prevalent in society today, it is gradually improving when compared to the perspective presented in the text.