Rabbit-Proof Fence
Characters:
Molly – oldest girl captured leads the others in an attempt to escape (14 years old) leader, strong, courage
Daisy – Molly’s younger sister (8 years old)
Gracie – Molly and Daisy’s cousin, gets recaptured by the government at the train station (10 years old)
Neville – Keeping surveillance with all the Aboriginals in WA and sees nothing wrong with taking the half castes from their families.
Setting:
Time – 1931
Location – WA, Moore River Native Settlement, Jigalong
Plot:
3 half-caste girls have been taken by the government to stay in a camp in an attempt to breed out Aboriginals as they were under the impression that they were less advantaged and at risk being in their own communities and that they would receive a better education and a more loving, civilised upbringing in adopted white families or institutions. The girls walk all the way from Moore River back to Jigalong which is approximately 1.5miles (2.4km) long. Along the way they are faced with the danger of being caught, not getting water or food and many other things. One of the girls (Gracie) hears that she can go to her mum via the train so she leaves the other two girls in order to catch the train and find her mum, Molly warns her that this is too dangerous because she will get captured but Gracie doesn’t listen, Molly and Daisy go back for her but before they can get her she is recaptured and sent back to camp. The other girls keep walking along the rabbit-proof fence until it runs out, but they don’t lose hope, they keep walking until it continues and they can feel their home. They are then reunited with their mother and grandmother after 9 weeks of walking to get home. This is when the epilogue begins to give us details after.
Symbolism:
RABBIT-PROOF FENCE – the fence is referring to the actual fence but is very symbolic because it is built by whites and it gives the feeling of exclusion and separation (the whites are separating the Aboriginals from their families) it is also
Molly – oldest girl captured leads the others in an attempt to escape (14 years old) leader, strong, courage
Daisy – Molly’s younger sister (8 years old)
Gracie – Molly and Daisy’s cousin, gets recaptured by the government at the train station (10 years old)
Neville – Keeping surveillance with all the Aboriginals in WA and sees nothing wrong with taking the half castes from their families.
Setting:
Time – 1931
Location – WA, Moore River Native Settlement, Jigalong
Plot:
3 half-caste girls have been taken by the government to stay in a camp in an attempt to breed out Aboriginals as they were under the impression that they were less advantaged and at risk being in their own communities and that they would receive a better education and a more loving, civilised upbringing in adopted white families or institutions. The girls walk all the way from Moore River back to Jigalong which is approximately 1.5miles (2.4km) long. Along the way they are faced with the danger of being caught, not getting water or food and many other things. One of the girls (Gracie) hears that she can go to her mum via the train so she leaves the other two girls in order to catch the train and find her mum, Molly warns her that this is too dangerous because she will get captured but Gracie doesn’t listen, Molly and Daisy go back for her but before they can get her she is recaptured and sent back to camp. The other girls keep walking along the rabbit-proof fence until it runs out, but they don’t lose hope, they keep walking until it continues and they can feel their home. They are then reunited with their mother and grandmother after 9 weeks of walking to get home. This is when the epilogue begins to give us details after.
Symbolism:
RABBIT-PROOF FENCE – the fence is referring to the actual fence but is very symbolic because it is built by whites and it gives the feeling of exclusion and separation (the whites are separating the Aboriginals from their families) it is also