The Rabbits by John Marsden

647 Words3 Pages
Essay Image is a powerful tool in today’s society and is frequently used in texts to convey meaning. The Rabbits, written by John Marsden and illustrated by Shaun Tan powerfully highlights the dramatic impact of British colonisation on Australia and it’s Indigenous inhabitants. Techniques such as colour, symbolism, page layout etc. are deliberately employed to highlight specific themes of power and control and displacement and loss and therefore give the viewer a greater appreciation of the text. Visual techniques are successfully used to convey the key theme of power and control in The Rabbits. Power and control is conveyed through the use of symbolism. The British are represented as rabbits, which imply that they are “unwanted pests”, uncontrollably multiplying and taking over. The Indigenous people are characterized as numbats, which personalises them as being susceptible, innocent and harmless. The Rabbits demonstrate their power through their more advanced technology e.g. motor vehicles, clothing, books, maps and ships. Power and control is also conveyed through the use of colour. The ship in which the rabbits arrive on is gold, which portrays the rabbits as being superior and civilised. This gives the reader a clear reminder of the wealth and power of the rabbits. The repetition of the British flag effectively conveys the notion of power amongst the rabbits and represents the establishment of control. This shows the extent of the British invasion. Another key theme in The Rabbits is displacement and loss, which is communicated through the use of effective visual techniques such as page layout. At the start of the book the land and animals are portioned to be a demanding part of the picture compared to the tiny black chimney in the corner. This later juxtaposes the progress of technological change after the Rabbits arrive, representing loss. The birds
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