No Sugar Themes

Contrast the way that two texts you have studied are constructed to appeal to particular audiences.

Both plays and films, although different genres, can be effective in bring an issue into focus by appealing to particular audiences. No Sugar, written by Jack Davis in 1985 is a social realist play that depicts the isolation and disempowerment of Aborigines during the 1930’s. Various dramatic conventions have been employed to highlight the negative effect of the Eurocentric, hypocritical and dominant ideologies of the Anglo-Saxon society on the Indigenous population. It depicts the struggle and discrimination that is shown to the Aboriginals during this time and sets out to appeal to the audiences of the 1980s who have just experienced a paradigm
During the 1930’s, racism against Indigenous Australians was normalised which becomes evident in the powerful characterisation of the Sergeant. His Eurocentric and hypocritical values are highlighted when he tells Frank: "Take it from me, I been dealin' with 'em for years. I got nothin' against 'em, but I know exactly what they're like." By stereotyping the Aboriginals, this racist statement is used to justify the standard, oppressive treatment used towards them during this time. He then goes on to explain how: “Natives are best kept to themselves.” This hypocrisy just shows how the government controls every aspect of Aboriginals lives until the Aboriginal actions don’t line with European, paternal values. Comparatively, The Help is a film also conveying the issue of racism. After the bus scene in which Abileen, one of the black maids, runs home to learn that civil rights leader Medgar Evers has been shot and killed by the KKK. In a dimly lit dining room scene Minny is speaking to her about the ordeal that has just shaped the nation. The dim lighting symbolises the dark period in history as a glimmer of light for the African American race is dampened. A distraught Minny explains: “We living in hell. We trapped. Our kids are trapped.” Her poor use of syntax symbolises the lack of education that she, as a black woman, receives and shows the unfairness
They both convey the issues of racism and disempowerment among minority groups such as Aboriginals or African Americans between the 1930s to the early 1960’s. No Sugar highlights the negative effects of paternalistic and Eurocentric ideologies on the Indigenous population and depicts the cruelty shown to them if they don’t conform. Similarly, The Help encourages the audience to empathise for the ill-treated and objectified Negro women. These two texts are constructed to contain various dramatic and film conventions to highlight the issues presented. As shown, plays and films can both be effective mediums in presenting a particular issue to different