No Sugar essay. Please mark!

[rachid.kam]

Hiiii!!!
I actually don't remember much about the novel and haven't re-read it yet either, but I just attempted a practice prompt for it. Thoughts anyone? Text response is attached.

[Calebark]

Whenever I try to open the document, it appears blank. Is anyone else having this issue? Could you please try reuploading it? I'll be able to provide some input after that

[rachid.kam]

Whenever I try to open the document, it appears blank. Is anyone else having this issue? Could you please try reuploading it? I'll be able to provide some input after that

Okay, I'll just post it up here.
‘It​ ​is​ ​the​ ​women​ ​of​ ​No​ ​Sugar​ ​who​ ​show​ ​the​ ​greatest​ ​strength​ ​and​ ​aptitude​ ​to​ ​survive.’  Discuss.

 “No​ ​sugar”,​ ​written​ ​by​ ​renowned​ ​playwright​ ​Jack​ ​Davis,​ ​is​ ​a​ ​naturalistic​ ​postcolonial​ ​play exploring​ ​the​ ​daily​ ​lives​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Millimurra-Mundays​ ​and​ ​their​ ​struggles.​ ​Set​ ​during​ ​the​ ​Great Depression​ ​in​ ​the​ ​1930’s,​ ​the​ ​Aboriginals​ ​are​ ​forced​ ​to​ ​make​ ​do​ ​of​ ​what​ ​little​ ​they​ ​have physically.​ ​While​ ​the​ ​play​ ​examines​ ​the​ ​destructive​ ​consequences​ ​of​ ​marginalisation​ ​and​ ​the enforcement​ ​of​ ​racist​ ​governmental​ ​policies,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​ultimately​ ​about​ ​a​ ​story​ ​of​ ​survival​ ​while​ ​living under​ ​an​ ​oppressive​ ​regime.​ ​In​ ​particular,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​the​ ​women​ ​in​ ​No​ ​Sugar​ ​who​ ​have​ ​the​ ​ability​ ​to ensure​ ​not​ ​only​ ​their​ ​survival,​ ​but​ ​the​ ​survival​ ​of​ ​others​ ​around​ ​them.​ ​Women​ ​such​ ​as​ ​Millie, Gran​ ​and​ ​Mary​ ​display​ ​the​ ​greatest​ ​to​ ​survive​ ​and​ ​resist​ ​the​ ​oppressive​ ​authorities,​ ​unafraid​ ​to voice​ ​their​ ​opinions​ ​in​ ​the​ ​face​ ​of​ ​injustice.​ ​However,​ ​not​ ​all​ ​the​ ​women​ ​of​ ​No​ ​Sugar​ ​are​ ​shown to​ ​possess​ ​such​ ​feats​ ​of​ ​strength. 

 Being​ ​the​ ​matriarch​ ​of​ ​her​ ​family,​ ​Gran​ ​shows​ ​the​ ​greatest​ ​strength​ ​in​ ​maintaining​ ​and preserving​ ​her​ ​family’s​ ​indigenous​ ​cultural​ ​roots.​ ​She​ ​can​ ​be​ ​seen​ ​as​ ​an​ ​individual​ ​who​ ​finds fortitude​ ​in​ ​her​ ​traditional​ ​knowledge​ ​and​ ​practices.​ ​Her​ ​speech​ ​is​ ​peppered​ ​with​ ​native Aboriginal​ ​terms​ ​such​ ​as​ ​“gnumarri”​ ​reinforcing​ ​not​ ​only​ ​the​ ​extent​ ​of​ ​Indigenous​ ​marginalisation from​ ​‘white’​ ​culture,​ ​but​ ​also​ ​the​ ​strength​ ​with​ ​which​ ​she​ ​holds​ ​to​ ​preserve​ ​her​ ​culture.​ ​This​ ​is best​ ​encapsulated​ ​by​ ​the​ ​delivery​ ​of​ ​Mary’s​ ​baby​ ​(A3,S5).​ ​In​ ​this​ ​scene,​ ​Gran​ ​is​ ​shown​ ​to​ ​be proud​ ​of​ ​bringing​ ​many​ ​“koolangah​ ​into​ ​this​ ​world”​ ​and​ ​quickly​ ​refers​ ​back​ ​to​ ​her​ ​traditional practices​ ​to​ ​ensure​ ​the​ ​survival​ ​of​ ​the​ ​baby​ ​by​ ​using​ ​‘ashes’,​ ​refusing​ ​any​ ​‘baby​ ​powder’​ ​from Matron.​ ​Despite​ ​her​ ​old​ ​age,​ ​Gran​ ​finds​ ​the​ ​willpower​ ​to​ ​travel​ ​on​ ​foot​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Moore​ ​River Settlement​ ​after​ ​they​ ​are​ ​forcibly​ ​evicted​ ​from​ ​Northam.​ ​The​ ​fact​ ​that​ ​she​ ​refuses​ ​the​ ​train​ ​ticket and​ ​does​ ​not​ ​want​ ​to​ ​leave​ ​‘Millie​ ​an​ ​the​ ​kids’,​ ​given​ ​it​ ​could​ ​possibly​ ​be​ ​her​ ​‘funeral’,​ ​signifies the​ ​extents​ ​she​ ​will​ ​go​ ​to​ ​be​ ​be​ ​with​ ​her​ ​family.​ ​Her​ ​persona​ ​starkly​ ​contrasts​ ​that​ ​of​ ​her​ ​own son’s,​ ​Jimmy.​ ​Gran​ ​knows​ ​how​ ​to​ ​get​ ​her​ ​way,​ ​careful​ ​not​ ​to​ ​cross​ ​the​ ​limits​ ​unlike​ ​Jimmy.​ ​Even towards​ ​the​ ​end​ ​of​ ​the​ ​play​ ​when​ ​Jimmy​ ​dies​ ​‘clutching​ ​the​ ​flagpole’,​ ​Gran​ ​is​ ​shown​ ​to​ ​lament bitterly​ ​over​ ​the​ ​death​ ​of​ ​her​ ​son.​ ​However,​ ​despite​ ​his​ ​death,​ ​she​ ​continues​ ​to​ ​thrive.​ ​She effectively​ ​ensures​ ​the​ ​continuation​ ​of​ ​her​ ​family’s​ ​connection​ ​to​ ​their​ ​heritage​ ​and​ ​their​ ​sense of​ ​identity​ ​as​ ​Indigenous​ ​Australians.​ ​Hence,​ ​her​ ​ability​ ​to​ ​quickly​ ​resort​ ​back​ ​to​ ​cultural methods​ ​to​ ​gather​ ​resources​ ​underscores​ ​her​ ​aptitude​ ​to​ ​survive.
 
Like​ ​her​ ​mother,​ ​Millie​ ​is​ ​another​ ​prominent​ ​female​ ​character​ ​which​ ​Davis​ ​utilises​ ​as​ ​a​ ​vehicle​ ​to represent​ ​the​ ​resilience​ ​associated​ ​with​ ​motherhood.​ ​Within​ ​the​ ​first​ ​few​ ​scenes​ ​of​ ​the​ ​play,​ ​the audience​ ​see​ ​Millie​ ​as​ ​composed,​ ​dignified​ ​and​ ​forthright​ ​under​ ​duress.​ ​Her​ ​care​ ​of​ ​hygeine​ ​for the​ ​children​ ​is​ ​best​ ​embodied​ ​when​ ​soap​ ​has​ ​been​ ​excluded​ ​from​ ​the​ ​rations,​ ​and​ ​she​ ​becomes frantic​ ​on​ ​how​ ​she​ ​will​ ​‘keep​ ​[her]​ ​kids​ ​clean’.​ ​This​ ​serves​ ​to​ ​discredit​ ​the​ ​perception​ ​of Aboriginals​ ​as​ ​being​ ​uncivilised.​ ​However,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​not​ ​until​ ​the​ ​family​ ​are​ ​forcibly​ ​relocated​ ​that​ ​the audience​ ​begin​ ​to​ ​notice​ ​the​ ​change​ ​in​ ​Millie.​ ​As​ ​the​ ​play​ ​progresses​ ​she​ ​is​ ​portrayed​ ​as becoming​ ​more​ ​active​ ​in​ ​a​ ​political​ ​sense,​ ​especially​ ​after​ ​the​ ​death​ ​of​ ​her​ ​brother​ ​Jimmy.​ ​She
finds​ ​it​ ​in​ ​herself​ ​to​ ​stand​ ​up​ ​against​ ​authority​ ​figures​ ​and​ ​defy​ ​the​ ​unjust​ ​regulations​ ​imposed upon​ ​her.​ ​This​ ​is​ ​clearly​ ​evident​ ​during​ ​A4,S1​ ​when​ ​Millie​ ​confronts​ ​Superintendent​ ​Neal​ ​and insists​ ​that​ ​Jimmy​ ​have​ ​a​ ​‘proper​ ​burial’.​ ​It​ ​is​ ​the​ ​very​ ​fact​ ​Millie​ ​‘struggles​ ​against​ ​Sam’​ ​who​ ​is trying​ ​to​ ​lure​ ​her​ ​away​ ​that​ ​portrays​ ​her​ ​willingness​ ​to​ ​put​ ​up​ ​a​ ​fight.​ ​This​ ​feat​ ​of​ ​courage sharply​ ​contrasts​ ​that​ ​of​ ​her​ ​own​ ​husband​ ​Sam.​ ​Through​ ​the​ ​development​ ​of​ ​No​ ​Sugar​ ​Sam​ ​is depicted​ ​as​ ​becoming​ ​more​ ​and​ ​more​ ​passive,​ ​and​ ​becomes​ ​even​ ​more​ ​terrified​ ​of​ ​anyone standing​ ​up​ ​against​ ​authority​ ​figures​ ​after​ ​Jimmy’s​ ​death.​ ​Hence,​ ​Millie​ ​in​ ​this​ ​case​ ​can​ ​be​ ​seen as​ ​an​ ​influential​ ​political​ ​figure​ ​in​ ​her​ ​children’s​ ​lives,​ ​teaching​ ​them​ ​to​ ​find​ ​the​ ​strength​ ​and power​ ​to​ ​stand​ ​up​ ​for​ ​themselves.​ ​Such​ ​skills​ ​are​ ​required​ ​in​ ​order​ ​for​ ​them​ ​to​ ​survive​ ​in​ ​a discriminatory​ ​‘White’​ ​society. 

 Additionally,​ ​Mary​ ​Dargurru​ ​is​ ​a​ ​character​ ​whom,​ ​through​ ​her​ ​relationship​ ​with​ ​Joe,​ ​finds​ ​the capacity​ ​to​ ​face​ ​her​ ​adversaries​ ​despite​ ​the​ ​consequences​ ​her​ ​actions​ ​entail.​ ​Her​ ​ability​ ​to resist​ ​the​ ​sexual​ ​and​ ​immoral​ ​advances​ ​of​ ​Neal​ ​signify​ ​the​ ​end​ ​to​ ​her​ ​life-long​ ​silence​ ​of oppression.​ ​Finding​ ​the​ ​courage​ ​to​ ​openly​ ​criticise​ ​and​ ​refute​ ​Neals​ ​instructions​ ​to​ ​‘work​ ​in​ ​the nurses​ ​headquarters’,​ ​Mary​ ​spontaneously​ ​fires​ ​back​ ​‘fuck​ ​youse,​ ​go​ ​to​ ​hell!’.​ ​She​ ​was​ ​well aware​ ​of​ ​the​ ​cat-o-nine​ ​tails​ ​Neal​ ​carried​ ​around,​ ​a​ ​symbol​ ​of​ ​oppression​ ​and​ ​corruption.​ ​Being ‘7​ ​months​ ​​Bootjarri’,​ ​Mary​ ​was​ ​in​ ​no​ ​fit​ ​state​ ​to​ ​bear​ ​the​ ​punishment​ ​inflicted​ ​upon​ ​her​ ​either. Davis​ ​dramatises​ ​this​ ​through​ ​the​ ​use​ ​of​ ​a​ ​blackout,​ ​making​ ​the​ ​audience​ ​far​ ​more​ ​receptive​ ​of the​ ​scream​ ​to​ ​follow.​ ​This​ ​technique​ ​effectively​ ​conveys​ ​the​ ​utter​ ​harshness​ ​and​ ​pain​ ​which​ ​is only​ ​but​ ​imaginable​ ​for​ ​the​ ​audience.​ ​Despite​ ​this,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​the​ ​love​ ​for​ ​Joe​ ​and​ ​her​ ​newly​ ​found family​ ​that​ ​allows​ ​her​ ​to​ ​come​ ​the​ ​ordeal.​ ​This​ ​event​ ​testifies​ ​to​ ​her​ ​amazing​ ​feat​ ​of​ ​strength. Once​ ​she​ ​and​ ​Joe​ ​plan​ ​to​ ​return​ ​to​ ​Northam,​ ​Gran​ ​is​ ​confident​ ​in​ ​the​ ​fact​ ​that​ ​Mary,​ ​although being​ ​a​ ​first-time​ ​mother,​ ​will​ ​take​ ​care​ ​of​ ​the​ ​baby​ ​as​ ​she​ ​is​ ​a​ ​‘good​ ​milker’.​ ​She​ ​is​ ​able​ ​to calmly​ ​dissuade​ ​impulsive​ ​Joe​ ​from​ ​going​ ​to​ ​‘kill’​ ​Neal,​ ​as​ ​it​ ​is​ ​of​ ​paramount​ ​importance​ ​that​ ​she keeps​ ​her​ ​family​ ​together​ ​to​ ​ensure​ ​their​ ​best​ ​chances​ ​of​ ​survival.​ ​Thus,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​the​ ​power​ ​in​ ​her family​ ​and​ ​the​ ​capacity​ ​to​ ​withstand​ ​pain​ ​that​ ​demonstrates​ ​her​ ​ability​ ​to​ ​thrive. 

 However,​ ​not​ ​all​ ​the​ ​women​ ​of​ ​No​ ​Sugar​ ​are​ ​shown​ ​to​ ​be​ ​capable​ ​of​ ​such​ ​feats​ ​of​ ​strength. Matron​ ​Neal,​ ​despite​ ​her​ ​sympathy,​ ​is​ ​unable​ ​to​ ​find​ ​the​ ​strength​ ​to​ ​stand​ ​up​ ​against​ ​her​ ​violent husband.​ ​Although​ ​she​ ​is​ ​able​ ​to​ ​survive​ ​within​ ​a​ ​physical​ ​context,​ ​her​ ​sense​ ​of​ ​identity​ ​and morality​ ​is​ ​unable​ ​to​ ​survive.​ ​Matron​ ​doe​ ​not​ ​actively​ ​challenge​ ​Neal​ ​to​ ​cease​ ​his​ ​immoral​ ​acts, even​ ​though​ ​she​ ​openly​ ​acknowledges​ ​the​ ​power​ ​Neal​ ​has​ ​over​ ​the​ ​girls​ ​in​ ​his​ ​power,​ ​choosing to​ ​‘help​ ​[himself]’.​ ​This​ ​also​ ​applies​ ​to​ ​Sister​ ​Eileen.​ ​A​ ​caring​ ​and​ ​devout​ ​Christian,​ ​Sr​ ​Eileen seeks​ ​to​ ​enhance​ ​the​ ​lives​ ​of​ ​displaced​ ​Aboriginals.​ ​But​ ​her​ ​plan​ ​to​ ​build​ ​a​ ​library​ ​of​ ​‘donated, good​ ​books’​ ​is​ ​simply​ ​dismissed​ ​by​ ​Neal.​ ​While​ ​she​ ​does,​ ​to​ ​a​ ​limited​ ​extent,​ ​try​ ​to​ ​persuade him,​ ​she​ ​can​ ​only​ ​accept​ ​his​ ​decision​ ​and​ ​to​ ​abide​ ​by​ ​it.​ ​Both​ ​Matron​ ​and​ ​Sr​ ​Eileen​ ​can therefore​ ​be​ ​seen​ ​as​ ​tragic​ ​figures​ ​whom,​ ​because​ ​of​ ​the​ ​restrictions​ ​of​ ​patriarchy​ ​at​ ​the​ ​time, are​ ​unable​ ​to​ ​find​ ​inner​ ​strength​ ​and​ ​initiate​ ​change.​ ​Davis​ ​thoroughly​ ​explores​ ​the​ ​notion​ ​of strength​ ​between​ ​the​ ​‘white’​ ​Australians​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Indigenous​ ​women.​ ​While​ ​racist​ ​policies​ ​may​ ​at times​ ​hinder​ ​the​ ​Aboriginal​ ​women,​ ​they​ ​ultimately​ ​have​ ​a​ ​greater​ ​sense​ ​of​ ​freedom​ ​than​ ​their ‘wetjala’​ ​counterparts.​ ​The​ ​indigenous​ ​women​ ​are​ ​depicted​ ​as​ ​making​ ​decisions​ ​not​ ​only​ ​for themselves,​ ​but​ ​for​ ​others​ ​as​ ​well.​ ​On​ ​the​ ​other​ ​hand,​ ​the​ ​‘white’​ ​women​ ​are​ ​unable​ ​to​ ​express
themselves​ ​so​ ​freely.​ ​They​ ​were​ ​expected​ ​to​ ​not​ ​diverge​ ​from​ ​their​ ​roles​ ​and​ ​were​ ​to​ ​be submissive​ ​to​ ​the​ ​will​ ​of​ ​men.​ ​Thus,​ ​Davis​ ​concludes​ ​that​ ​strength​ ​is​ ​not​ ​defined​ ​by​ ​authority​ ​or race,​ ​but​ ​is​ ​defined​ ​by​ ​the​ ​ability​ ​to​ ​decide​ ​for​ ​oneself​ ​and​ ​the​ ​power​ ​to​ ​initiate​ ​change. 
 
 While​ ​No​ ​Sugar​ ​represents​ ​the​ ​continuous​ ​battle​ ​of​ ​a​ ​people​ ​and​ ​a​ ​family​ ​to​ ​thrive​ ​in​ ​an Apartheid​ ​society​ ​where​ ​individuals​ ​are​ ​marginalised​ ​on​ ​the​ ​basis​ ​of​ ​their​ ​skin​ ​colour,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​the capacity​ ​of​ ​Indigenous​ ​females​ ​which​ ​is​ ​most​ ​apparent.​ ​Such​ ​women​ ​not​ ​only​ ​find​ ​the​ ​physical strength​ ​to​ ​survive,​ ​but​ ​also​ ​find​ ​familial,​ ​emotional​ ​and​ ​cultural​ ​strength​ ​in​ ​times​ ​of​ ​extreme hardship.​ ​This​ ​ensures​ ​the​ ​survival​ ​of​ ​not​ ​only​ ​themselves,​ ​but​ ​of​ ​their​ ​family​ ​and​ ​their​ ​entire culture.