Rainbows End Jane Harrison Analysis

Throughout life evolution is an unstoppable force. Evolution created through the traveling of time and interaction in the world creates the countless possibilities to enrich or challenge a community or group. This form of belonging is clearly evident in the play ‘rainbows end’ by Jane Harrison and how the aboriginal community have a sense of belonging in their small community and a large sense of not belonging with the white society, this sense of inclusions is also evident in the poem ‘l gave myself to him’ by Emily Dickinson, which explores a women’s wanting of acceptance from her husband and her constant feeling of an object rather than a human.

Throughout people’s lives not belonging causes people to change and alter one perception.
This is seen in rainbows end when the white community hide the indigenous houses with hessian in order to elude the queen from what’s truly there; this is evident through the symbolism in the play where there is distinct separation between the indigenous community and the white community. This act by the white society helps shapes the indigenous community’s sense of belonging, through the separation between communities resulting in a build-up of emotions towards the white people this is seen on page 162 when Dolly yells at her mother about how she is shamed by the white society ‘it’s me that gets stones thrown at her when l walk down the street’.

There is a strong sense of disappointment and inadequacy in the poem, the persona fears of the disillusionment and discontent through the loss of passion due to the mundane routine, reality and familiarity.
The persona appears fatalistically reigned and stoically accepting of a dependent servile position. This is seen through the religious overtones that are limited to two nuanced words, ‘solemn and vision’. These words are challenged by language that is not only worthy but also demotive while suggestive of different readings. By the inclusion of these expressions through words it instils the reader or Emily’s emotions of how she feels that she is lesser than her partner creating a distinct separation between each
other.

At the end of act 1 the use of the storm sound effects, thunder, rain darkness and the offstage voices add tension to create a distinct mood by highlighting the tragic incident of dolly being raped. It is the climax and end of the act that complicates the plot creating tension and drama in the scene leaving the audience question what will happen to dolly, her future and her sense of belonging. This is evident on page 174 when Gladys yells out to Dolly ‘what is it oh my god what has happened to you’ the forceful tone emphasises the horror towards what has just occurred. This quote also emphasises the deep relationship this is seen by the use of ‘oh my god’ it creates a distinct connection between Gladys and Dolly and how Gladys was in deep shock when she discovered what has happened.

Economic commodification’s becomes obvious with the terminology ‘took himself, for pay, contract, merchant buy, cargo’. This creates an image where Emily is seen as an object which is owned by a merchant. Even the couple’s love is portrayed in possessive terms of ‘and took himself, for pay’ and ‘daily own of love’. This shows how her marital submission is nothing more than debt that she must pay each night to her husband, but when noon comes a new debt becomes due. ‘The value might disappoint’ creates an intimate neediness through blunt, direct self-expressions and how she enjoys her solitude and individuality but reveals a suffocated sensitive feeler and how there is a desire for acknowledgment if not acceptance. This sense of acceptance is also explored in a similar way to Jane Harrison’s play rainbows when Gladys speaks her voice towards the council ‘I’m not an interloper, l belong here - this is my land’ Gladys stresses her point that she belongs to be here, revealing her true emotions which is wanting to be accepted by the whites to be able to live without racial discrimination between the white and indigenous.

In the text rainbows end belonging to place is shown through the various techniques used by the composer. The use of props such as the encyclopedia displays the lack of belonging of the aboriginal people to white society. For Gladys the encyclopedias represent an education for her daughter dolly and also highlight the lack of education in the aboriginal community as seen when Nan dear calls them “encyclops”. The encyclopedias also show the family’s segregation from the town as they are seen telling Errol “those aren't for the likes of us” and give him instructions to where he should be selling them. It is clear when time passes change is a constant this has been explored through both the poem by Emily Dickinson and the play by Jane Harrison. They both portray the deep emotional impact of wanting to be accepted whether it’s by your partner of a different culture, while still belonging to something how the aboriginals have a unique bond with each other strengthening what belonging is for them and how Emily is married to her husband creating a sense of belonging. In conclusion it is clear through the traveling of time and interaction with others in the world a person’s sense of belonging changes forever.

Text 1
Within text 1 there is a clear sense of not belonging this is evident in the image due to multiple scenarios. When u take a closer look at the photo there is lightly faded words such as exile, alone, outcast… these words reaffirm how they lady doesn’t have a sense of connection this is also evident by her facial expression and how she is hunched forward while looking towards the middle of the train while portraying a saddened expression on her face this starts to create an image for the person examining the photo which is that of a lonely elderly lady sitting alone on a train. Isolation from wider community.

Text 2

There is a clear example of repetition throughout the lyrics this is seen through the constant reoccurrence of the word subdivision throughout the chorus of the song.
Through the repetition of this single word it helps portray how people are narrow minded and judgmental when people stick to certain groups, an example of this is when the lyrics state how there is subdivision throughout the world and how when someone doesn’t meet a certain standard you are basically pushed aside.

Anaphora is evident throughout the chorus of the song this is seen through the repeating words ‘in the’ throughout the beginning of the phrases. Due to the anaphora it creates an emphasis on the small phrase ‘in the’ creating effects for the reader. Effects such as emphasising the main message across to the listener as well as to make evident how there is so much division between people throughout the world.
Antithesis is evident in the song by Neil peart through the small passage ‘conform or be cast out’. This establishes a link between the two ideas to either be cast out or follow. Because of this it also creates juxtaposition this is seen through the comparing of the ideas of belonging to something and not belonging at
all.

Text 3
The small text by Kenneth Rosen aims to express how much of an impact something people interact with everyday affects people’s sense of belonging and not belonging. Throughout the short text she talks about how people belong to certain communities such as Facebook and how it hurt when something so small as to unfriend someone can really hurt people making them feel like they don’t belong.
Hypophora is evident near the bottom of her small article this is seen through ‘why does this matter so much? “l think it’s a testament to how important our Facebook identity is”’ by Rosen using Hypophora it creates an intriguing rhetorical device, this is seen through asking an appropriate question then proceeding to answer it helping to maintain curiosity and interest for the reader.
Personal pronouns – the use if ‘I’ and ‘we’
Through the use of diction and tone

Text 4 Metaphor in the beginning of the text Travelling in a crowded train – it Emotive words – contempt, arrogance, snobbishness, irritation, rudeness …