No Sugar Jack Davis Analysis

The prejudiced nature of our society in history towards the native keepers of Australia is an everlasting force that is still prevalent in today’s context. No Sugar by Jack Davis decisively engages with the audience, making them create their own connections and observations with the play about the discriminative behaviour the white people displayed towards the indigenous Australians in the early 20th century. The use of repetitive othering and character development techniques allows the message to be concisely observed throughout the text with the addition of intertextual connections to elevate the understanding of the play. This is to elaborate on the pivotal theme of the Aboriginal people’s survival and protest towards their severe mistreatment
The construction of Mr Neville is regarded as the most obvious creation of prejudice through the use of irony. Mr Neville, the supposedly Protector of Aborigines suggests that the budget of the Aboriginal peoples rations should be cut by depriving the people of soup and meat which contain essential nutrition for the human body. This is after revealing the fact that the “native weekly ration currently costs [the] Department two shillings and four pence per week” compared to the “sustenance paid to the white unemployed which [he] believes is seven shillings per week” which in contrast is dramatically inequitable. Mr Neville’s apathy attitude towards the Aboriginals welfare and his extremely tendentious favouring of the already overpowering white controlled government, develops his character into being the most prejudice and unjust of Aboriginal people. The construction of the Aboriginal characters of the text especially Jimmy also allow the audience to create the connection of the discrimination towards the natives. Although Jimmy is seen as a rule breaker and trouble maker within the text towards the whites, his sense of cheekiness and aggressive behaviour against the oppression of the whites towards him highlights the difficulties that have been imposed upon the Aboriginal people and what they had to overcome and create resilience towards. Jimmy’s actions in the prison cell in act one scene four first come off humorous and rightfully so but after realisation by the audience which have connected with the character development they see his alcohol abuse is due to the frustration he feel being oppressed by the whites. This later educes sympathy from the audience once Jimmy falls to his death due to the countless and fierce protests against the oppression. The concise