Rainbow's End Belonging Analysis

1119 Words5 Pages
Rainbow’s End, Two Bob Mermaid and The rabbits Place can foster a sense of connection. The idea that people can have a significant bond with a place which allows them to feel a sense of connection and thus belong is explored through act one of the play “Rainbow’s End”, composed by Jane Harrison. This text depicts the dispossession of the Aborigines and their resulting feelings of alienation and insecurity. In scene 1, where Dolly inquires about the family tree and her identity, Nan states that “They forced us to leave. They forced us to leave Cummerangunja. Our home.” The repetitive statement of “forced us to leave” highlights her reluctance to leave and her sense of connection with the place of her birth. Furthermore, the choice of the…show more content…
The text reflects a half aborigine girl’s (Koorine) search for belonging. The barrier between the black and white communities is symbolized by a fence, which prevents Aborigines’ entry to the town pool. The fence also acts as a physical barrier, which prevents physical connection between the races. The scene is shot from Koorine’s point of view and the panning shot emphasises the juxtaposition between the care-free antics of the white children and the restrictions placed upon the aboriginal children. When Koorine confesses her dream about being a swimmer, her mum states, “Ever see black champions walking around? Swimming’s a white fella’s sport.” The confrontational use of black and white emphasizes the racial differences in appearance and how that is a premise for discrimination. In the cinema scene, the composition of the shot where aborigines were placed at the bottom of the theater emphasises the superiority of the white children who were placed at the top of the theater. This is emphasized through the use of low angle shot. Thus, the aborigines were excluded from the majority (white) due to their different skin colour. This example of exclusion based on race infuriates me as I am also an immigrant and am of a different race, allowing me to empathise with…show more content…
The exclusion of Aborigines from mainstream white society is evident in scene ten. The negative attitude of the bank manager towards Dolly’s application for the teller‘s position is demonstrated through his dismissive reaction “I don’t think so.” This harmful social policy of racial discrimination is visually represented through the use of stagecraft where we are presented with Dolly picking fruit in an orchard - her designated role in life. Also, the stage directions which reveal that “he pours a cup of tea himself but doesn’t offer one to Gladys” highlights the popular automatic assumption that black people were considered to be inferior and thus the normal rules of courtesy do not apply. The choice of the word “reliability” in the statement “in a job like this, reliability is important”, emphasises the white’s stereotypical way of thinking that the Aborigines are not reliable, again revealing his inherent prejudices. He also wonders “how she’d fit in” which describes widespread belief that black people could not mingle with white society. The text has demonstrated clearly that race can be an obstacle on the road to acceptance. Although set in the 1950s, I feel that this story of the alienation of the Aborigines is still relevant today. It infuriates me that despite the freedom rides of 1965 where Aborigines protested for equal rights and

More about Rainbow's End Belonging Analysis

Open Document