No Sugar- A Response Samples for Students †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the No Sugar- A Response. Answer: Jack Davis is an eminent twentieth-century poet and playwright of Australia. He is also known as a campaigner of the indigenous people who resided in Australia. the playwright was a member of the Noongar aboriginal community that is found to be residing in the south-western region of the Western Australia. The majority of the literary work that was produced by the author was based on the experiences that he had with the indigenous Australian people. No Sugar is one of the most famous plays composed by the eminent playwright, Jack Davis. The following essay further discusses the themes of the freedom that are depicted within the composition of the play. The play No Sugar was composed by Jack Davis against the backdrop of the Great Depression that had struck the areas of Moore River Native Settlement, Perth and Northam, Western Australia. The play throws major light on a family who belong to the aboriginal Australians and tends to throw light on the attempts made by the family for their subsistence. The play in discussion, No Sugar, discusses the marginalization of the aboriginal inhabitants of the Australian origin who had been under the jurisdiction of the whites during the time span that expired during the 1920s to the 1930s (Davis MacDonough, 1986). The major themes discussed within the essay are the themes pertaining to the superiority or the empowerment of the whites and the racism that existed in the then society. The play also discusses the themes that pertain to the disempowerment of the Aboriginals, the dependency of the Aboriginals on their white counterparts, the materialistic values that were upheld by the white Austral ians and the values that were upheld by the families of the Aboriginal members of the society. The theme that is majorly profound in the play is the search for the freedom by the members of the poverty-stricken Aboriginals who have been residing in the land. The author metaphorically points out the fact that these people would attain the hugely sought-after freedom only through the ultimate way of Death. The play puts forth the fact that the freedom that has been granted to the young couple is based on the terms and the conditions that are set out by the law enforcement head of the concerned area. The story revolves round the experiences of the members of the Aboriginal tribes residing in the Northam and the Moore River Settlement Areas. The author puts forth the scenario that states that the poverty is a very common issue in the concerned areas and that the families that have been central to the story line of the play. The story is set under the conditions wherein the ration that needed to be provided to the Aboriginal residents faced a further cut down under the instructions of the Chief Protector of the Aborigines, Neville. The play is set rolling when one of the central characters of the play, Jimmy Munday is arrested by the law enforcement officers on the basis of his acceptance of the alcohol that was supplied to him by one of his newly-found white friend, Frank. Jimmy is awarded a sentence of three months for the crime that he had committed by accepting the gift of alcohol. As a response to this incident the other enforcement officers are issued orders for the forceful exile of the residents of the Government Well Reserve to the Moore River Settlement. The government had cited the fact that there has been anticipation of the spread of the rabies within the settlement which h is why the residents were being asked to undertake the relocation to the Moore River Settlement. The play further proceeds to put forth a love story that blooms in the midst of this gloomy atmosphere. The young couple Joe and Mary also have to endure the ill practices of the then society in Australia. The young underage girl was asked to serve at the hospital which might have given the Superintendent Neal with the ample amount of the opportunity and scope to molest the young girl. On having a hint of the actual scenario, the young couple plan to escape back to the Government Well Reserve. The duo does get caught at the Government Well Reserve wherein the young man is arrested and the then pregnant girl was sent back to the Moore River Settlement where she was again asked to work at the hospital. The superintendent misbehaves with the girl and even hits her with the whip when she is unable to perform her duties properly. The young girl escapes again in order to reside with the family of the boy. Joe puts forth a demonstration of the lack of freedom among the Aboriginals when he says that he wishes to seek Marys hand for marriage but must first seek the permission of the concerned officers who have been entrusted with the job of permitting the concerned Aboriginals. We are getting married when I get out. If the Aborigines Department give us permission Joe (Act IV; Scene III) (Davis MacDonough, 1986) The Aboriginals are robbed of the basic freedoms that they should be granted by their white counterparts. The Aboriginals are left with no control over their own lives due to this invasion by the white counterparts of the Aboriginal members of the Australian society. In the play is observed the various categories that deal with the freedom of the concerned aboriginals in terms of their political freedom based on the land wherein they do live. The speech of Mr. Neville hints at the fact that the aboriginals are not free to call themselves to be Australian citizens in the correct sense of the term. It doesnt hurt to remind yourselves that you are preparing yourselves here to take your place in Australian society, to live as other Australians live, and to live alongside other Australians; to learn to enjoy the privileges and to shoulder the responsibilities of living like the white man, to be treated equally, not worse, not better, under the law. Mr. Neville (Act V; Scene IV) (Davis MacDonough, 1986) There had been the instances of merry making amongst the white men in relation to the celebration of Australia day and they have been practicing and rehearsing for the same. The Aboriginals who have been imprisoned by the colonizers are also forced to participate in the celebrations though the celebration almost marks the end of the Aboriginal culture in the country. The behavior of the Aboriginal people depicts the fact that they are tired of keeping up the false sense of the happiness. During the celebrations the Aboriginals are asked to sing a song that demonstrates the happiness that they feel while residing in the colony that is ruled by the Europeans. The prisoners are observed to have developed a parody version of the hymn that ends on a really sad note that says thats why we are gradually fading away (Davis MacDonough, 1986). This threw light on the fact that the white society had been oppressing the Aboriginals and thereby taking away their freedom. The play nears its end with the return of Joe to his family including his wife and their child. Joe depicts the honor that he had for Jimmy by naming his own child after Jimmy. The young couple then decide to put forth the request for the permission to leave the land on a permanent basis to which the superintendent agrees. The play ends on a happy note with the departure of the young family amidst the happy songs and gifts. Thus, from the above essay, it might clearly be noted that the freedom gained by the Aboriginal members of the Australia is clearly at decided by their white counterparts who were considered to be superior to them. These white members of the Australian society tended to oppress the Aboriginal members and subject them to torture of various patterns without the display of even the tiniest bit of consideration for their present conditions. Therefore, it might safely be said that Jack Davis has wonderfully depicted the idea that the cost that is paid for the earning of the concerned freedom is worthy in terms of the freedom that is earned by the members against the oppressions of the white members of the then Australian Society. References Davis, J., MacDonough, T. (1986).No sugar. Currency Press.