Metalanguage for No Sugar

METALANGUAGE FOR ‘NO SUGAR’

Act A division of a play, each of which is composed of one or more scenes.

Action What occurs on stage during the play.

Alienation Causing the audience to feel excluded or uncomfortable, for example by using Nyoongah language.

Allusion Oblique reference to something outside the world of the text, e.g. to the Bible.

Climax The decisive moment or highest point of drama.

Drama A literary work, such as a play, that tells a story through dialogue intended to be performed by actors. In theatre, the quality of being dramatic. In modern usage, the term drama has come to denote mean the opposite of comedy (but it should not be confused with ‘tragedy’, in which the character flaws of the protagonist lead to his/her downfall).

Dialogue The lines spoken by the actors.

Naturalistic Intended to be a realistic depiction of life.

Perambulant model Technique used in drama to unsettle the audience by having multiple points of focus

Playwright The author of a play script.

Plot The sequence of incidents in a play.

Prop An object used by the actors performing in a play.

Scenes Units or ‘chapters’ of dramatic action within each act.

Set The surroundings on stage, visible to the audience.

Stage Directions Indications in a script for entrances and exits, and for movement in relation to the set within particular scene.

Split-scene - When two scenes appear on stage in front of the audience at one time.

Gesture - An action or movement a character might make.

Motif - A symbol that recurs (repeats) throughout the text.

Symbol - An image or object that stands in for an idea.

Historical context - The time in which a text was produced and the significant events that were taking place at this time.

Half-Caste - Racist term for someone who has one white and one Indigenous parent.

Mission - A camp where Aborigines were taught how to be ‘white.’

Reserve - Camps were Aborigines were gathered together – it was hoped they would ‘die out’ here.

Metalanguage - ‘Language about language’ – the devices and techniques we refer to when speaking about texts.

Social Darwinism - A pseudo-science that allowed the white authorities to proclaim superiority over the Aborigines. Soliloquy - A characters monologue (section of unbroken speech) spoken directly to the audience.

Chief Protector - The official put in charge of Aboriginal affairs.

Eugenics - The pseudo-science of attempting to ‘breed out’ Aborigines. Examples from the play…

 “No Sugar’ is based on real historical events and speeches. It is still a work of fiction but grounded in reality. Mary’s whipping was based on evidence given to a Royal Commission in 1934.

 The title refers to several aspects – the worsening living conditions can be seen from Act 1 Scene 1 (opening) when Sam generously laces the mugs of tea with Sugar to Act 4 Scene 10 (ending) where Milly gives Mary a sugar bag which has basic supplies for them to travel but no sugar. It also has an important role in the parody of the words of ‘There is a Happy Land’ Act 4 Scene 5 where the indigenous characters are defying Neville but also expressing what they have to endure.

 There is no real protagonist. Jimmy can be seen as this in the first half of the play but it switches to Joe in the second half.

 The antagonist is Neville. He was based on the real figure of Auber Octavius Neville. However the character of Neal is also an antagonist in his demands and actions.

 It does not have a classic complication and resolution. There is no real resolution. The indigenous characters endure more racism and hardship, they are not able or positioned to challenge it with any real success.

 Davis used the split scenes as a theatrical device. This is both as the classic device to show two places at once and also to juxtapose the causes and effects that decisions (Neville’s) in Perth have on indigenous characters in Northam.

 No Sugar is a four act play with a linear structure. The timeline is very long 1929-1935.

 Davis uses Nyoongah language sometimes in the dialogue of his indigenous characters. Nyoongah is a general term denoting Aborignality in the South West of Western Australia.  Australian colloquial language is used for characters who are sympathetic, such as Frank.

 The language spoken by the antagonists is pejorative (strongly negative). E.g ‘Abos.’

 The potential for tragedy because of the treatment , poverty and rations is foreshadowed when Cissie gets sick.

 There are two large motifs in the play – food and white celebrations. Both are used to symbolise and highlight the differences in resources and respect available to the white people and the indigenous people.

QUOTES connected to THEMES

Family JOE: We're all Millimurra's

Family JIMMY: That’s my grandfather’s song Family BILLY: Still your country! Not like my country, finish... finish. BILLY: Big mob, 1926, kill 'em big mob my country. Long Pause.

Family GRAN: Take them clothes down to the soak. MILLY: Tugging it off him and swapping it for a clean one.

Family GRAN: No one's takin Baby, darlin'. You're all right.

Maintaining Culture & Tradition GRAN: More better then white man's flour, no weevils in jam and wattle seeds.

Maintaining Culture & Tradition GRAN: Don't worry, we can use tjeerung bush. (when soap is cut from the rations)

Maintaining Culture & Tradition GRAN: Don't need no powder, use me own.

Maintaining Culture & Tradition Corroborree Scene: This one yahllarah! Everybody! Yahllarah. (dance, sharing of culture)

Maintaining Culture & Tradition STAGE DIRECTION: GRAN fetches some medicinal leaves.

Protest GRAN: I ain't goin on no train. I ain't goin. Protest STAGE DIRECTION: They exit laughing and hooting Nyoongah fashion.

Protest GRAN: Where? Wetjala cut all the trees down.

Protest JIMMY: Hurls the bucket against the wall.

Separatism & Protest STAGE DIRECTIONS: JOE wears a yellow shirt and black pants. CISSIE ties yellow and red ribbons in her hair MILLY: tears off the paper and it's a red dress (symbolises a form of subtle protest and separation from white culture & sheds light for the future)

Protest SATGE DIRECTIONS: The Aborigines repeat the parody even louder (after Neville tells them to stop immediately) Dramatic Irony MILLY: We go no more soap (ironic because Aborginals are criticised by White's for being dirty and unsanitary) NEVILLE: I was a little concerned to see so many dirty little noses amongst the children.

Dramatic Irony Neville as the 'Native Protector'.

JIMMY: Native Protector, couldn't protect my dog from fleas. (Nevilles actions are contrary the act of protecting Aborigines, causing harm instead).

Dramatic Irony AUS Day song "This is a Happy Land" (lyrics are contrary to what is actually happening)

Dramatic Irony In Neville's Aus Day Speech- NEVILLE: to be treated equally, not worse, not better, under the law.

Dramatic Irony NEVILLE: There will be no privileges from now on (after the Aborigines sing the parody song)

Racism & Assimilation CONSTABLE: Nigge*s department

Racism & Assimilation SISTER EILEEN: But we don't hit people to make them do God's will.

Racism & Assimilation Billy is a symbol of assimilation

Racism & Assimilation NEAL: Stone age idiot NEAL: Incompetent savage

Racism & Assimilation NEAL: A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. 'You fellas, you know why them wetjellas marchin' down the street, eh? I'll tell youse why. ''Cause them bastards took our country and them blackfellas dancin' for 'em.' (16) Jimmy Munday: dispossession, injustice, assimilation

'They can shoot our dawgs, anytime they to. Bastards. They shot Streak.' (29) Jimmy Munday: violence, injustice, dispossession

'F*k you, you white bastard, f*k you.' (33) Jimmy: Dispossession, violence, anger

'...that's why we got dragged 'ere; so them wetjalas vote for him...So he could have a nice, white little town...' (99) Jimmy: Dispossession, injustice, assimilation

'I got you a litttle Nyoongah. Now I cut your cord...Now cover you in ashes. More better than Johnson's Baby Powder, eh? (102) Gran: Family, Culture, Tradition

'Chergeant, I'm not leavin' Wow Wow behind. If i can't take him, I'm not goin'.' (51) Gran: Family, Homeland, Tradition

'Here's twopence, you can buy an apple each for lunch.' (16) Milly: Family, survival

'Don't wake the kids. Less they know the better.' (71) Milly: Family, dispossession

'I wanna call him Jimmy.' Joe: Family, dispossession, homeland

'I don't care. You can belt me if you like, I'm not workin' in the hospital...Go to hell!!F**k youse! (92) Mary: Violence, standing up to authority

'You're not havin' my baby, leave him alone!' (103) Mary: Violence, standing up to authority, family

'(poking his whip) You shut up now.' (59) Billy: Violence, indigenous identity

'Big mob gudeeah. Big mob politjmans, and big mob from stations, and shoot 'em everybody mens, koories, littly yumbah.' (67-68) Billy: Violence, Injustice, Identity, colonisation

'...if you provide the native the basic accouterments of civilisation you're halfway to civilising him.' (24) A.O Neville: Indigenous Identity, Possession/Dispossion, protectionism, eradication of culture 'I'm appalled by this disgraceful demonstration of ingratitude...There will be no privileges from now on...And there will be no Christmas this year!' (98) A.O Neville: Indigenous Identity, Possession/Dispossion, protectionism, eradication of culture

'You bloody incompetent savage.' (76) Superintendent Neal: Indigenous Identity, Possession/Dispossession, protectionism, eradication of culture, racism

'Millimurra seems to have learnt her well. Well, I'm going to unlearn you.' (93) Superintendent Neal: Indigenous Identity, Possession/Dispossession, protectionism, eradication of culture, racism, violence

'I think she was scarred of the living' (73) Matron Neal: Indigenous Identity, standing up to authority, violence/sexual abuse

'Take it from me, I been dealin' with 'em for years. I got nothin' against 'em, but I know exactly what they are like.' (18) Sergeant Carrol: Indigenous Identity, Possession/Dispossession, protectionism,

'You been behavin' yourself Gran' Sergeant Carrol: Indigenous Identity, Possession/Dispossession, protectionism,

'It's been decided to transfer the entire native population to the Moore River Settlement.' (47) A.O. Neville: Indigenous Identity, Possession/Dispossession, protectionism,

'I ain't goin' on no train. I'm goin' with Sam and Milly' (51) Gran: Indigenous Identity, Possession/Dispossion, protectionism, Family