Juno of Taris

Question: Describe an important theme in the text you have studied. Explain why this theme was important to the plot of to a character. In the novel ‘Juno of Taris’ by Fleur Beale, an important theme is that power can corrupt and make people controlling. This theme is developed through many similarities between Nazi Germany and Taris. A theme that Fleur Beale could be trying to show us is that power can corrupt and become a way of controlling people. This idea is important because it shows us that too much power can corrupt the way people think and act and making them controlling. It is ok too have a little power and leadership but when given too much or wanting too much it can change your values and the reason why you wanted power in the first place. It can also make you greedy, power hungry and want to control people. It is important that Fleur Beale has shown this theme to the audience as it is important to be aware of real life situations where power corruption has occurred and how to stop it. It also shows the importance of fighting for what we believe in. One allusion that Beale has made of Taris to Nazi Germany is that they both strongly encourage/ force compliance. In Taris and Nazi Germany alike, children are taught from a young age how to be compliant. As they grow it becomes clear that there is no other option than to comply or to suffer consequences. In Taris, the consequences would vary depending on what the individual had done, ranging from being withdrawn from to ‘Unexplained’ deaths, while in Nazi Germany it would either be a harsh warning from the Gestapo or death. Also, both Taris and Nazi Germany claimed that compliance was for the greater good, rather than about an easier way to control the population. Even though both places had horrible consequences and were controlling governors, the idea of everyone complying to stop problems was initially a great idea. This links to the theme that power can corrupt because both Taris and