"In Rabbit Proof Fence, white society is presented as ignorant and narrow-minded" Discuss.

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“In Rabbit Proof Fence, white society is presented as ignorant and narrow-minded” Discuss.

Phillip Noyce’s film as text Rabbit Proof Fence explores the concept of the political and racial debate of the stolen generation, where the Australian Government implemented a policy which allowed half-caste children to be removed from their parents and trained to be domestic servants and farm laborers. The stolen generation policy was enforced in Australia from the early 1900’s to 1970 and aimed to “breed out the Aboriginality” in half-caste children and thus remove a “third unwanted race”. In the film, we witness the true epic journey of “three half-cast children; Molly, Daisy and their cousin Gracie” who in 1931 were removed from their mothers and “transported to Moore River Native Settlement”. The girls, however, escape Moore River and defying all odds return to their family 1500 miles away using only Australia’s continent spanning rabbit proof fence as a guide. Phillip Noyce is highly critical of the policy and through the use of music and various camera angles he highlights the ignorance and narrow mindedness of the policy and the suffering it caused to the Aboriginal people.

Mr A.O Neville, who is ironically the “Chief Protector of Aboriginals,” is not portrayed as our traditional stereotypical villain, but rather as a man of his time who is clouded by ignorance. He truly believes that taking half-caste children is in their best interests. Mr Neville even says to the Perth Woman’s Guild that “in spite of themselves, the native must be helped.” This statement along with the accompanying medium shot of Mr Neville expressing compassion portrays him as a good man that’s blinded by his own good will. What he fails to recognize is that for the half-castes the white ways aren’t necessarily the best way.

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The final scenes in which Mr Neville dictates a letter to his secretary shows the full extent of the white ignorance. He says in a clearly frustrated tone and expression. “If only they would try understand what we are trying to do for them.” This statement is quite ironic as the Aborigines do understand, but they also understand that it’s actually not the best course of action. The Aborigines have experienced both ways of life, the native ways and the white ways and they choose to live in their traditional ways with the incorporation of some white ways. Noyce ...

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