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GROUP ACTIVITIES

 

There are multiple options below. Try and do as many as you can; however you will only need to present one to the group next week.

 

You can work in groups of 2 or 3.

 

Try and ensure each activity is covered by at least one group.

 

 

CHARACTER JOURNEYS

 

  1. Groups of 2 or 3

  2. Locate and highlight Perth, Northam and Moore River

  3. Create a mud map showcasing the journey of at least 3 of the characters over these locations

  4. Map where they travelled and what significant moments occured at each place

  5. You can use words and images to develop your mud map

 

 

 

A.O NEVILLE

 

  1. Investigate A. O. Neville’s views by reading his speech to the Western Australian Historical Society and then look at some of the historical accounts about Neville as a government official.

  2. It might also be helpful to look up the terms segregation, assimilation and paternalism.

  3. After this, consider the representation of Neville in No Sugar.

  4. Write a summary of which of Neville's views and actions of postcolonial thinkers would object to and why someone like Davis would choose to present the character as he does in No Sugar.

 

 

 

 

HUMOUR AND PATHOS

 

In this play Davis combines the funny side of life with the tragic. This is a common literary construction to communicate the complexity of the human condition. In Davis’ work the comic is often the result of Aboriginal characters’ mimicry of bureaucratic figures or processes, or even parodies of white practices. Embedded within such scenes is the tragedy and absolute opposition that is part of the colonial predicament.

 

Locate examples of such scenes and look closely at how language and stage devices create humour and pathos in Act 4 Scene 5.

 

 

 

 

LANGUAGE AND POWER

 

This play demonstrates how important language can be to demonstrating social power. In many scenes in this play language is used to dismiss, intimidate and dehumanise people, and take away their rights and possessions. This is the process of 'othering' – making it clear that some people are part of the dominant society while some are 'other', different, not of that same group.

 

Read Act 1 Scene 7 and make a list of language used by each character to dismiss or diminish others.

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