Stolen 8 sample essay 5

Reading & Responding - Unit 1 Â

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By Jane Harrison

Sample Essay 5 PROMPT What, according to the play, has been 'Stolen'?

The 'Stolen generation' was the name given to the systematic removal of Aboriginal children from their families on the grounds they could readily assimilate into mainstream white society. It was a belief this policy would provide the children with a better opportunity in life, however history shows us this couldn't be further from the truth.

Through the collaboration of stories that make up the play, stolen by Jane Harrison, we can see the detrimental effects that occur on individuals when they are Stolen not only from there family and homes, but have their identity, freedom and innocence taken to.

The structure of 'Stolen' is depicted as being in a some what random order, which portrays the distorted lives of each individual and what is personally stolen from them. Through lighting, non linear narrative, minimalist set and various other dramatic techniques the audience is able to have an enhanced understanding of the themes and losses each individual incurs, as well as the non homogenous suffering that the aboriginal people experienced.

The repeated scenes through out the play for instance 'Line up 1', 'Line up 2' shows the repetitive ill treatment of the Aboriginal people. It is an illustration of how people in institutions were constantly sexually, emotionally and physically abused like Ruby who "promised not to tell". Ruby was beaten and raped, hence having her innocence and virginity 'Stolen' from her. She suffered abuse on many fronts, firstly physical then emotional at various points in her life. As a result she was no longer capable of independent thought and she continuously repeated the phrase 'don't want know trouble'. The emotional and physical abuse also left Ruby mentally unstable; she became a 'crazy beyond reach'.

Whilst Jimmy was also a character who 'promised not to tell' and became a victim of physical abuse, he dealt with the problem in a different way. Jimmy's character altered from a fun loving child to a 'tormented soul' as a result of his various institutionalisations and separation from his mother. "What do you do when you meet your mother for the first time in twenty-six years", when all along you have thought "your mother's dead". Jimmy is one of many aboriginal children who were denied a sense of who they really were, after being taken from their families at a very young age.

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VCE ENGLISH UNIT 1&2

1

Reading & Responding - Unit 1 Â

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His actions affected his personality immensely as he spent a lot of time in prison and to him "Prison don't make you tough, it makes ya weak, ya spirit just shrivels up inside". This and the news of his mother's death lead him to commit suicide so he can finally go and meet his mother.

Whilst Jimmy's life was ended in a horrific way due to being taken from his family and having his youth 'Stolen' from him, Shirley after being put 'on hold for twenty-seven years' and experiencing great difficulty was able to be reunited with her family and enjoy the pleasures of being a Grandmother. Shirley not only suffered as a result of herself being taken from her family as a child, but she also had to bear the burden of her own children in turn being taken from her.

Children of the 'Stolen generation' were taken from various ages and may not have found their families for extended periods of time, but either way they lost irreplaceable time with their families.

Being taken from your family also means having your heritage and culture 'Stolen' to. Similarly there is minimal use of indigenous language throughout the play, which alludes to children's removal from their culture. Anne was caught in the middle of two cultures which lead her to have an identity crisis, when her adopted white parents told her that her aboriginal mother was 'alive' and wanted to see her. This revelation put an immense emotional strain upon Anne, leading her to say "I don't even know who I am". Anne eventually overcame this stigma saying she has two mums and loves them both. Each individual forced into the white lifestyle, lost there culture which lead to a lack of a true identity.

Sandy felt the un-equal treatment that was given to Aborigine's first hand, and his 'always on the run' mentality was a direct result of this. Along with his identity stolen, he also lost a sense of place. For Sandy his links with his land and his people were two things he held so dear, "My people are from the desert. Home of the red sands." Sandy never had anywhere he truly belonged, so he was always searching for this. Sandy had "Been everywhere. Except one place. Home" and in a way he overcame this stigma when at the conclusion of the play he said "I'm going home".

Harrison's collaboration of stories from the era of the 'stolen generation' enhances our understanding of the ill treatment, loss of identity and non homogenous suffering that aboriginal people as a whole have been experiencing at the hands of white Australians since 1788. It shows how minor offences punished children and families for years if not forever. Minor offences like the "can of peas" which separated Sandy from his mother depicts the injustices in the policies set by the government. These families and children lost not just the past and irreplaceable time, but elements of a future.

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VCE ENGLISH UNIT 1&2

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