Sense Of Belonging In Rainbow's End By Jane Harrison

In rainbow’s end, the author Jane Harrison uses different types of technique to explore the sense of belonging about Aboriginal People.

Stage direction is used to show the actors action and reaction. For example, in the bank manager’s office, through 5 stage directions to show Gladys determined to give her daughter a better life. “Gladys who’s all dressed up” “she pulls out of her bag a special certificate for punctuation” “she stares him down” all her action in response to Bank manager’s concerns about Dolly getting to work. This event shows Gladys hopes Dolly can be accepted by white society. It reflects Gladys desires to belong to Aboriginal society and white society.

The barriers of belonging to white society through the imagery strongly show to the audiences. When Gladys uses imagery in her speech, she highlights Aboriginal People are in low level social class and the barriers that Aboriginal People couldn’t accept by white society. “we’re watched over like a bunch of cheeky kids.” It shows the Aboriginal People lack of citizenship and they don’t belong to white society.
The dream sequence and the constant to mirror characters’ dream and reality sense of belonging.
Gladys dressed up for the Queen’s visit. In her dream, she hopes she can give her bunch of flower to the Queen and the Queen can give her a hug. It mirrors Gladys wishes symbolic that she desires to be accepted and respected by white people. She hopes the white society can change their situation that Aboriginal People can have a better life. In reality Gladys doesn’t belong to white society and Gladys feels embarrass, “but hessian! Like a band-aid over a sore.” She hopes that condition can be change. “if they can give us better houses.” It reflects the barriers that Aboriginal People faces up, this barrier that make Aboriginal People can’t be accepted by white
people.

Symbolism is uses in this play to identify the concept of belonging. The book in this play symbolic knowledge, possibility to have a better life for Aboriginal People and its social mobility to improve Aboriginal People social state and enhanced sense of belonging to more than one social group.

The music can reflect the emotions and situation of the characters and shows the atmosphere of one scene. In the beginning of the song “Que Sera Sera”: “whatever will be will be/ the future’s not ours to see” It reflects the sadness of the aftermath----the nature disaster, flood destroy their humpy, they family live condition become worse. However, it also mirrors their stoic, their inner strength that they still have a hope in their heart. The family bonds together, their stoic sense of belonging of a family.

Overall, different types of technique are used to help to develop the sense of belonging of Aboriginal People.