In Jane Harrisons play, Stolen, the characters of Ruby, Anne and Jimmy are utilised in order to position the audience to feel sympathetic towards those affected by the Stolen Generation. Discuss.

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Paul Bao                                                                                                                                Year 11 HL English

In Jane Harrison’s play, ‘Stolen’, the characters of Ruby, Anne and Jimmy are utilised in order to position the audience to feel sympathetic towards those affected by the ‘Stolen Generation’. Through her plot Harrison is able to demonstrate the pain faced by the characters. Furthermore, through her script, she is also able to show the mental disintegration of the characters throughout time. Therefore, it is imperative to examine the ways in which she has used these particular facets of her play in order to rouse the emotions of the audience.  

Jane Harrison utilizes the script of the play ‘Stolen’ to position the audience to feel sympathy for Anne. Anne is an aboriginal female who, adopted at a young age by a white Australian family. Anne was chosen by the white couple because ‘she was by far the best’ (THE CHOSEN pg 7). Anne is seen to have a ‘good upbringing’ (THE CHOSEN pg 7) compared to the other characters in ‘Stolen’. She receives a ‘sense of security’ (THE CHOSEN pg 7) and ‘a good education’ (THE CHOSEN pg 7), but Harrison reveals to the audience that Anne has to confront problems that none of the other characters have to face. Later on in the play, Anne is confused when she asks the question ‘Am I Black or White?’ (AM I BLACK OR WHITE? pg 28).  Anne is torn between her origin and the people she has been brought up with. Harrison demonstrates this theme of ‘not belonging anywhere ‘through the script. Phrases such as ‘We’ve given you everything’ (AM I BLACK OR WHITE? pg 28) opposed to ‘But we’re your real family’ (AM I BLACK OR WHITE? pg 28). Harrison creates a binary opposition between the aboriginals, Anne’s blood and race, and the white Australians. Anne is rejected from both families, thus being rejected from everyone she knows, not belonging anywhere.  Therefore, Harrison presents her view to the audience that even though Anne was better of materially compared to the other characters she had to experience a different type of pain that the other characters in ‘Stolen’ do not have to encounter. Harrison portrays the message that all children of the ‘Stolen Generation’ suffered, physically and/or mentally.  

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Harrison uses the character Ruby to show the audience how mentally affected a child from the ‘Stolen Generation’ can be. Ruby was taken away from her family at a young age, just like many other children of the ‘Stolen Generation’. Harrison positions the audience to see that Ruby had to go through hard times as a child in the orphanage. In the scene ‘UNSPOKEN ABUSE 1’ (pg 8), Ruby has come back from a weekend away with a white family, the other children are curious and ask Ruby “What else did ya do?” (UNSPOKEN ABUSE 1, pg 8), and ...

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