The conditions in which the aboriginals lived were also alarming to the viewers. Through the use of characterisation language and stage directions the poor quality of the aboriginals living conditions is explored. An example is page 16, scene 1 when Cissie and David are going to school and Millie is giving them twopence to buy an apple each, “David: aw, can’t I have enough for a pie? Millie: it’s all the money I got. Cissie: Aw mum, old tony the ding always sells us little shrivelled ones and them wetjala kids big fat ones.” Another example on page 16 is when Millie is telling Cissie and David to go straight to the soak after school, and she tells the boys to hunt for rabbits as they have no meat for their dinner. These examples portray the poor living conditions in which aboriginals lived. They were constantly treated unfairly because of their race, and having to go out and collect their own food because the government doesn’t provide them with them, again because of their culture. It positions the viewer to feel sympathy towards the aboriginals as the unjust way the whites treat them. It makes us realise that we take most of our essential things such as food water and clean clothes for granted, and aboriginals worked hard to get these crucial items. And even now they aren’t 100% equal with the rest of society.
The Whites superior attitude over aborigines is another idea depicted by Jack Davis in No Sugar through the narrative convention Language, and drama element stage directions. An example is on page 76 Act 2 Scene 10, when Neal is speaking to Billy. He says things including ‘I know that you blithering stone aged idiot’ and ‘you incompetent savage.’ The Language Mr Neal is using ‘incompetent savage’ creates him to appear intelligent, especially in comparison to Billy the aboriginal he is talking to who says things such as ‘Dunno boss...that one he bin-‘ and ‘They bin run along the train line. Train comin’ Whoo whoo!’ when you compare the two together it is clear that whites superior position over aborigines is extreme. The whites used their intellectual abilities to manipulate the aboriginals and possess authority above them. The audience is positioned to feel sympathetic towards the aboriginals as they cannot afford to gain this education so the whites continue to marginalise the aboriginals. As I have an education and speak fluent English I do not associate the whites as being intelligent as such, but more fortunate to be able to acquire this education and aboriginals as less fortunate as they do not have access to the facilities to obtain this knowledge therefore, speak broken English and are constantly manipulated with a language they do not entirely understand. Giving the whites superior attitude over aborigines.
Throughout No Sugar the aboriginals are constantly controlled by the government, and by white people. Using the narrative convention plot and drama element stage directions the price of freedom is explored. Joe and Mary have fought for the right to love one another and to leave the Moore river settlement. They finally receive permission to do so but the super intendent says they can’t go back to Joe’s home town. Although they have been given this freedom they have to leave their family behind, and will face great hardship in the future. So freedom comes with consequences. Another example is on Australia day Act four Scene five when they are having the Australian ceremony and Jimmy has a heart attack and unfortunately dies. The fact that Jimmy had to give up his life for his freedom clearly proves the price aboriginals are willing to pay. With jimmy dying it ends all hope in freedom as he was always the one that stood up and rebelled against the white people, he wasn’t afraid of sticking up for his culture. Now he is no longer there it’s almost as if the hope of ever being free and freedom itself has also died with him. Living in a democratic environment and only being controlled by my parents I find it difficult to understand how they are willing to give up so much to be free, it challenges my beliefs but being given this information it has helped me to better understand how aboriginals were treated and the lifestyle they had, and the fact that they were willing to give up their family, and even their lives to have freedom makes me appreciate how the society is now.
Jack Davis’ No Sugar is a critique of the violence and cultural destruction caused by British colonialism. Davis explores the absorption, dispossession and marginalisation of the noongar peoples of Australia. Through the use of narrative conventions including, plot characterisation and language, and the function of drama elements such as lighting and stage directions. The degradation of aboriginal culture is effectively communicated in terms of the treatment of women, white’s superior attitude over aboriginals, the price of freedom and the poor lifestyle conditions of the Millimurra family in government well.