Evidence Bank

overarching theme	specific theme	quotes/excerpt	explanation
HOME	determination about home	the flood “devastates their home” yet the Dear family works to rebuild their “mud spattered” humpy	despite setbacks and living on unsuitable land, the Dear family is determined to maintain the homeliness of their humpy
	contrasting ideas of home	Dolly tells Errol that “a real home is where there are people looking out for each other”	contrasting ideas of home
		when Errol offers her a “better life” in the city, she explains to him how he is “just assuming that [his] world is better”, and that her family is her home, even if “the floors are dirt”	Dolly realises the far-fetched notions of the dreams pushed upon her and chooses to settle for a reality that she feels happy in
		Errol’s view of a “real home” is a “sweet little flat with a balcony and a sitting room and a kitchen with a real stove and new-fangled Kelvinator”.	Errol subconsicously looks down on Dolly and her family’s lifestyle/social status
		The Woolthorpes’ houses are superficial in comparison, filled with “new-fangled” consumer goods and a “big fake Christmas tree”.	the Woolthorpes’ house is modern yet superficial, lacking the warmth and homeliness of the Dear family (contrast)
	weaponising the idea of “home”	Rumbalara: “small, white, featureless” concrete houses, Gladys calls them “concrete humpies”	unsuitable accomodation that erases Indigenous culture, metaphorical representation of uncaring and inflexible white council members who utterly failed in providing appropriate housing for Indigenous communities
		“They forced us to leave. Forced us to leave Cummeragunja. Our home” – Nan Dear	superiority of white colonial society, relocating the true owners of the land

 

overarching theme	specific theme	quotes/excerpt	explanation
family	Dolly’s family	The beautifully handmade ballgown the Nan makes for Dolly is a symbol of her love for her granddaughter, and her reassurance towards Dolly about her traumatic sexual assault helps to support her in learning to love her child
		Nan is exceedingly proud of Gladys’ challenge to the government councillors, exclaiming, “My Gladys! Did you hear her?” while almost “hugging the radio”.
	Errol’s family	Errol’s father’s insistence on being referred to as “sir” implies emotional distance within their familial relationship, indicating that there is little to no air of homeliness in their cold houses.	contrast with Dear family, in Errol’s family there is little room for warmth under a conservative patriarch, whereas the Dear family is supportive and run by women

 

overarching theme	specific theme	quotes/excerpt	explanation
DREAMS	fantastical dreams	Gladys: excited about Queen’s visit, searching for “white gloves” to wear, dreams that she presents the Queen with a “bouquet of flowers” that are just a “bunch of weeds” in reality	dream sequence = fantastical and merely an escape from reality, believing/hoping that she can be accepted in the future
		Gladys: dreams for Dolly, approaches the bank manager with “earnest dialogue” to promote Dolly for a bank teller job, layered over a silhouette of Dolly singing “Catch a Falling Star”	implication: impossible reality of First Nations individuals being given a job in white society
		Rumbalara: The town’s name translates to “end of the rainbow”, which Gladys says “sounds beaut”. This must be the realisation of their dreams, representing the “idyllic fantasy” that the women hold. (in reality, it is “small, white, featureless”, see category:HOME for more info)	contrast between dreams of new home and reality of unsuitable/unacceptable nature of helping from white colonial society despite genuinity
		Dolly dreams of winning the “Miss Mooroopna-Shepparton” title, but is brought back to reality when Nancy Woolthorpe announces that Dolly’s ballgown was made from discarded curtain fabric

 

overarching theme	specific theme	quotes/excerpt	explanation
GENDER	patriarchal society	Errol’s father’s insistence on being referred to as “sir”	men should be in control of the family at home
		Errol protects Dolly from Leon’s “unwelcome advances”	men should be courageous and protect women, but also demonstrates how men are commonly the perpetrator in sexual violence
		Errol’s “lousy sense of direction”	demonstrates his vulnerability in a male-dominated world, both physically(geographically) and metaphorically, his notions of traditional masculinity are broken with the example of Dolly (strong, independent)
		Papa Dear: pastor and spokesperson for his people makes him worthy of an audience with the Queen, even though his “good works” have not necessarily improved the community
	toxic masculinity	DEFINITION: toxic masculinity is the cultural norms/stereotypical view of how men should act and behave, encompasses misogynistic views of women being mere objects to satisfy demands of men
		Errol endorses male gender stereotypes by becoming a “knight in shining armour” for Dolly, attempting to rescue her from poverty and creating a “better life” in the city	implication: Dolly is stereotyped as a damsel in distress, categorising her and her family as the inferior other, who are helpless to escape their own situation
		Leon is a menacing presence as he watches, stalks, and eventually rapes Dolly.	exemplification of toxic masculinity
	views about femininity	traditional women such as Nancy and Errol’s mothers take on domestic roles, such as baking, dusting, cooking, washing (Mrs Woolthorpe is a perfect housewife who is content to “bake and dust” day after day)	traditional role of women is to maintain the household and take care of kids while the men work
		CONTRAST: Nan and Gladys do the same domestic roles but also work shifts at the Blue Moon cannery, and Gladys knows how to wield an axe to chop wood. Nan also can kill and skin a rabbit for dinner, and she is also able to transform old scraps of fabric into a “beautiful ballgown” for Dolly	demonstrates their independence and exemplifies their Indigenous heritage/culture of being able to fend for themselves despite harsh living situation
		Errol parrots his father’s notion of his mother having “funny ideas” about getting a job	subconcious reinforcement of patriarchal notion of the domestic role of women and their lack of power in such a society
		Errol’s conservative ideas about women: refers to Dolly as “a lady”	stereotypes her, expecting her to comply with patriarchal demands of “ladylike” behaviour
	male gaze: disempowering and reductive	Bank Manager looks at a photo of Dolly and observes her “very pretty face”	shapes his perception of Dolly’s worth, rather than her actual skills
		Leon: tries to force himself onto Dolly, justifying this by alleging that Dolly seems like the kind of loose woman who encourages men’s advances	male gaze warps perception of reality, seeing women as inviting or deserving of harsh treatment (taking the blame for sexual violence)
		Rent Collector is shown to look at Dolly’s “heavily pregnant” body in “disdain”	sexist assumptions that a woman should be responsible for a man’s aggressive or offensive sexual behaviour

 

overarching theme	specific theme	quotes/excerpt	explanation
DISCRIMINATION OF FIRST NATIONS PEOPLE	racial discrimination	Bank Manager argues that Dolly may not “fit in” at the bank, supposedly because of her skin colour. He continues on to question her “reliability” and capability to be suited to the work.	implication: Indigenous Australians not suitable to carry out the same tasks as white people purely based on their skin colour
		Government Inspector’s makes the connection that white sheets should be meant for white people	“others” the Dear family, emphasising his negative prejudice towards them simply because of their darker-toned skin
		Gladys and Nan are deemed fit for the hard physical labour of fruit and vegetable picking due to their lack of education and identity as Aboriginal Australians, unable to secure better jobs
	social status discrimination	Dolly faced humiliation at the hands of Nancy Woolthorpe, who announced that Dolly’s gown was made from the Woolthorpes’ discarded curtains	exacerbates the negative prejudice of her Indigenous background and lower social status
		Errol urges Dolly to move with him to an apartment in the city, which supposedly has a “real stove” and a “new-fangled Kelvinator”	Errol subconsciously looks down on Dolly and her social status
		Gladys fights against established social order, with a goal of helping Dolly achieve her “full potential”, demands for “proper schooling” for all her people

Essay 1: How does Rainbow’s End explore ideas about the “other”?

Rainbow’s End, a play by Jane Harrison, welcomes its audience into a household comprising three Indigenous women as they struggle to realise their dreams in the 1950s backdrop of Australian racial segregation. Harrison constructs a poignant bildungsroman around one of the women, Dolly, as she struggles to retain agency over herself and her dreams; her dreams are further analogised to the overarching theme of the struggle for Indigenous sovereignty. “Othering” is predominantly used in a racial context, utilised by the socially dominant group in order to mark the characteristics and customs of minority groups as separate from accepted social norms, thus effectively segregating them. Harrison clearly portrays these three women, Dolly, Gladys, and Nan Dear, as the “other”, in which both their Indigenous and feminine status deem them inferior to that of the patriarchal structure of white colonies. Harrison imbues this message through the racial and social status discrimination faced by the three women, as well as other members of society reducing them to stereotypes, effectively disempowering them and deeming them inferior. Rainbow’s End thus explores how prejudice is faced by these women at the hands of a predominantly white and male society. However, Harrison also offers some optimism to the reader through signifying the importance of family ties and determination in challenging these biases.

Themes of racial discrimination hang like a heavy cloud over the play from the beginning to the end, cementing this form of “othering” as a central theme throughout. The process of “othering” involves deeming the lifestyles and practices of minority groups as different from the social norm, thus considering them to be inferior. Harrison highlights various examples of racial discrimination faced by the three women. When Dolly applies to work at the bank, the Bank Manager argues that Dolly may not “fit in” at the bank, supposedly because of her skin colour. He continues on to question her “reliability” and capability to be suited to the work, implying his belief that Indigenous Australians were not able to carry out the same tasks and effectiveness as white people. By assuming that Dolly was incompetent because of her skin colour, the Bank Manager effectively “others” her before even giving her a chance. In a similar way, the government inspector’s connection that white sheets should be meant for white people is another form of othering Nan and Gladys, emphasising his negative prejudice towards them simply because of their darker-toned skin. This negative prejudice does not merely segregate them within society and serve as a barrier for entry, but additionally limits their future prospects. Harrison uses the example of Leon and his anger-filled lashing out against his perception of his otherness. He chooses to express his anger towards the limitations of his life with alcoholism and sexual violence, but this only effectively exacerbates his otherness in society, creating an endless cycle of discrimination that Harrison aims to impose onto readers. As such, Harrison explores the idea of the “other” through racial discrimination faced by the Indigenous characters in the play.

Apart from racial discrimination, Harrison also leans into the process of “othering” through the differences in social status and gender status of characters. First, Dolly faced humiliation at the hands of Nancy Woolthorpe, who announced that Dolly’s gown was made from the Woolthorpe’ discarded curtains, effectively othering Dolly and exacerbating the negative prejudice of her Indigenous background and lower social status. Harrison highlights how bullying and exclusion are two techniques used by dominant social groups to segregate the “other”, which is what Nancy leans into within this example. In a similar vein, Errol also implies the otherness of Dolly’s family and their lifestyle when he urges her to move with him to an apartment in the city, which supposedly has a “real stove” and a “new-fangled Kelvinator”. Whether consciously or subconsciously, Errol looks down on Dolly and her social status, and despite wanting to help her due to his infatuation, he cannot shake the prejudices within him.

Lastly, Harrison explores how gender stereotypes are used to disempower the “other” and reduce them to stereotypes. Errol parrots his father’s notion of his mother having “funny ideas” about getting a job, reinforcing the patriarchal notion of the domestic role of women and their lack of power in such a society. This suppression thus leads to his mother and women in similar positions to become trapped by patriarchal ideologies in unfulfilling domestic lives. Furthermore, Errol continues to endorse male gender stereotypes by becoming a “knight in shining armour” for Dolly, attempting to rescue her from poverty and creating a “better life” in the city. However, by doing so, he stereotypes her as a damsel in distress, effectively categorising her and her family as the inferior other, who are helpless to escape their own situation. Similarly, the Rent Collector is shown to look at Dolly’s “heavily pregnant” body in “disdain”, betraying his sexist assumptions that a woman should be responsible for a man’s aggressive or offensive sexual behaviour. Thus, Harrison highlights the patriarchal values within such a society that were used to discriminate and create the notion of the “other”, which deems women inferior and unable to escape their fate.

Throughout Rainbow’s End, Harrison creates a bleak atmosphere exploring the process of othering through racial discrimination, as well as that of social status and gender. However, she also manifests to the reader some optimism for the future through signifying the importance of family ties and determination in challenging these biases. For example, Gladys embraces her otherness and fights for her dispossessed people by publicly confronting race and class discrimination. Harrison’s choice to end the play with the happy ending between Dolly and Errol is also indicative of her belief that reconciliation may be achieved, and that the process of othering may eventually subside.

Essay 2: “A real home is where there are people looking out for each other.” How does Rainbow’s End reveal the importance of home?

“Home is where the heart is.” Jane Harrison’s play, Rainbow’s End, is a stirring and poignant exploration of the significance of home. Set against the background of 1950s Australia, where racial segregation of whites and Indigenous Australians runs rampant, Harrison closely focuses on the familial relationships between three Indigenous women and how they navigate the cruel oppression of colonial sovereignty. As a physical location, home is manifested in the contrast between the dilapidated yet comforting home of the Dears family and the modern but superficial houses belonging to the Woolthorpes. Harrison additionally explores the Indigenous understanding of home through community relationships and kinship groups. The idea of a home is tested through the harsh criticisms wrought about by the ill treatment of Indigenous individuals by the white government. Finally, Harrison ends with a sense of optimism and manifests to the reader that home can simply be where you are happy, imbuing within them the searching question about what constitutes a true home.

Home is initially illustrated through the rundown yet comfortable humpy that the Dear family lives in. Despite a devastating flood, Nan, Gladys and Dolly are shown to clean and repair their home, with Dolly finding linoleum for the floor and Gladys retrieving a “crappy old bookcase” for their new encyclopedias. Their determination to maintain a homely environment is characteristic of their domestic pride, reflecting the importance they place in their physical manifestation of a home. When the government inspector visits, he remarks on the whiteness of their sheets and compliments Nan’s masterful crocheting of her “pillow shams”. Nan and Gladys are also shown to be resourceful and efficient as they chop wood, make clothing, and use native plants for meals; as a result, their home is made as warm and homely as possible. Harrison contrasts this idea of a physical home to the houses inhabited by the Woolthorpes. These houses are superficial in comparison, filled with “new-fangled” consumer goods and a “big fake Christmas tree”, implying the superficial nature of their household and family values. Furthermore, Errol’s father’s insistence on being referred to as “sir” implies emotional distance within their familial relationship, indicating that there is little to no air of homeliness in their cold houses. Harrison is subtle in her criticism of the seeming importance placed on such types of houses, but this is revealed through the contrast of positive and negative connotations applied to them respectively. Thus, Harrison illustrates how it is not about the physical manifestation of a house, it is the warmth inside that is important in making a house into a home.

Despite Harrison’s glowing descriptions of the Dears’ home, it also reveals the unsuitability of homes provided to First Nations communities in Australia. Home may also refer to areas deemed “suitable” for “Aboriginal housing”, which include the flood plains or the tip. While the Dear family transforms their humpy into a comfortable home, it still manifests as a symbol of the appalling state of Indigenous housing and exposes the complete lack of concern for Indigenous communities by the white governments. Even genuine attempts at helping, such as the new developments at Rumbalara, are unsuitable and unacceptable. The government forces Indigenous Australian families to move into “small, white, featureless” concrete houses, which Gladys coins “concrete humpies”. Through the white, boring slabs of concrete walls, Harrison subtly creates the metaphorical representation of uncaring and inflexible white council members who utterly failed in providing appropriate housing for Indigenous communities. This notion is hammered home with the 1954 royal tour, in which a descendant of a British monarch is enthusiastically welcomed into a colonial land in which Indigenous Australians were forcefully dispossessed. In order to spare the Queen some embarrassment, the dilapidated dwellings provided to Indigenous peoples are hidden from view. Hence, Harrison explores how the notion of home can be weaponised and used as a tool of oppression from white governments unto Indigenous groups.

However, in the face of hardships and neglect, the Dear family continues to find strength in their loving family relationships, which Harrison manifests as one of the most important attributes of a home. The beautifully handmade ballgown the Nan makes for Dolly is a symbol of her love for her granddaughter, and her reassurance towards Dolly about her traumatic sexual assault helps to support her in learning to love her child. These strong values of trust and mutual support cement the foundations of a “real home”; their commitment to keeping a place at their dinner table for Papa Dear, who had not returned for three months, additionally highlights their dedication to home and family. Moreover, despite some elements of tension between Nan and Gladys over Dolly, they demonstrate mutual love and support. Nan is exceedingly proud of Gladys’ challenge to the government councillors, exclaiming, “My Gladys! Did you hear her?” while almost “hugging the radio”. The relationship between Gladys and Dolly is slightly more tense, but Dolly never once doubts her mother’s love for her. While the Dear family relationships strengthen through their various tests and hardships, Harrison once again draws a stark contrast with that of Errol’s family, in which there is little room for warmth under a conservative patriarch. The Dears’ idea of family is not only restricted to their nuclear family unit but extends to their community, thus demonstrating the Indigenous understanding of home and family as encompassing the whole community. As a result, Harrison creates a fairytale ending in which the importance of home is exhibited through the safety net of close familial relationships and extended into the community, imploring readers to find the same comfort in their social networks.

Rainbow’s End is thus a striking and poignant play about families and homes being a central aspect to the lives of characters, demonstrated best through the Dear family, while using the Woolthorpe family as a foil. Harrison is careful in her optimism regarding the future situations regarding government support and initiative towards Indigenous housing, but she is staunch in upholding the willpower and determination of the Dear family in creating a homely environment regardless of their circumstances, thus serving as a metaphor for the strength of the Indigenous community. Finally, Harrison highlights how the physical manifestation of a home is not as important as how its inhabitants live in it, allowing readers to reflect on their own lives and household relationships and create change as they move on.

Essay 3: “The dream sequences in Rainbow’s End are the characters’ only escape from the depressing reality of life.” Discuss.