Australian Rules essay Essay Example for Free

Australian Rules essay EssayAustralian rules is even off in a small rural town, where the relationships between the white townspeople and the Aboriginal people on the mission ar complex, conflicted and marred by deeply entrenched racial discrimination. The local football game game squad in many ways serves to represent the town, it reflects the conflicted relationship between the white people and the Aboriginal people- we begin to discover this as the film unfolds.Other themes inherent in the film are themes of family, love, loyalty and violence- the secrecy of house servant violence and the more overt forms of racial violence that spill protrude onto the public spheres of the football field of honor and the pub. The opening narration informs us that half the football aggroup is Aboriginal and that there would not be a football team with interpose forward the Aboriginal players, therefore we understand how the town team relies on the talents and number of the Aborigi nal players.We then attain to it the contradiction of the white and Aboriginal male childs playing side by side as team members followed by the social segregation between the members after the match. This segregation is highlighted by Blacky (a white boy from town) and Dumby (an Aboriginal boy who is the best player on the team) whose friendship transcends these borders and we also witness ways that this segregation between the white teenager and Aboriginal teenagers is culturally imposed by definite adults.In unmatched of the beginning digs, just after a football match, Dumby and Blacky want to hang divulge together, but Dumby is taken back to the mission by an older friend and Blacky toilettenot follow. Blacky, Clarence and Dumby all call out to each other Nukkin ya and this use of Aboriginal language between two Aboriginal teenagers and Blacky the white boy signifies the level of their friendship and mutual acceptance. Pickles comment to Blacky that now he even talks like one, symbolises the towns disapproval of such respect for Aboriginal culture and Aboriginal people.The character of picturesque, Dumbys older friend from the mission, plays an important role in the film. He was once a talented football player himself but no longer kicks goals for whitefellas and he is significant because he is the main character to sing that Aboriginal people are treated differently and unfairly. He is somewhat aggressive in his approach, expressing sharpness and resentment, yet it is implied that his approach is reactionary to the way he has been treated, and his statementsoverlooked by the white coach- are significant examples of ever-changing responses to uneven power dynamics.For example the white coach tells Dumby to make sure all the Aboriginal team players turn up to the next match and clean interjects stating that it doesnt work that way anymore, his metaphor of yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir, bring inly refers to the history of Aboriginal people being used as servants and points out that the coachs approach of ordering Dumby around is no longer appropriate.Unfortunately the coach does not take this message on and rather than acknowledging the Aboriginal boys as talented, valuable and indeed essential team players, he nervously treats them as unreliable boys who may destroy the teams chances by not turning up. This attitude of relying on Aboriginal talent, whilst refusing to appropriately acknowledge this talent is made explicitly clear during the award giving ceremony that takes place after the team win the finals.Pretty is made to break the ceremony after he disputes the truth of a speech about the egalitarian nature of football where you can be anyone, from anywhere, and receive the recognition you deserve. Pretty is immediately proved to be even up when the awards are given only to white boys, and Dumby, who is obviously the most talented player on the team is left completely unacknowledged. There is a direct shift in Dumbys response and he becomes more like Pretty, demonstrating anger and resentment, rather than his normal cheerful, co operative self.This gives us insight into Prettys character and how he may have developed the attitude that he has towards white people. Pretty and Dumbys break-in to the pub that very night can be interpreted as a direct response to the unfairness of the award ceremony- although there are characters, such as the coach, who are not willing to see the connection. The fact that Dumby is then murdered by Blackys father is a intricate event with many layers of meaning.The insights we have been given about Blackys father prior to the shooting is that of a man who dominates his family, puts down his sons for showing vulnerability and who physically abuses his wife. There are instances in which we can see links between the violence he demonstrates towards his family and the verbal and physical violence he feels justified in displaying towards Dumby, and then later towa rds Dumbys sister, Clarence.There is a scene in which the father physically attacks Blacky and forces Blacky to tell loyalty to him (regarding the shooting), meanwhile verbally abusing Clarence with racial slurs and ordering her to get out of his house. During this scene the camera pans onto the faces of the Blackys mother and siblings and we see how domestic and racial violence become enmeshed, that the fathers attack on Blacky for being with Clarence is an act of violence that hurts his whole family.Interestingly it is Clarence who is the least cowed in this scene, she does not show tending and walks out with dignity. In this way we can see how control and domination is a particular image in this family, but is not taken on by Clarence. In many ways, the shooting, and the following events, are catalysts for great changes, both in the town, and more specifically in Blackys family. Blacky rejects his parents demands to substantiate loyalty to his father and instead Blacky remain s loyal to his friendship with Dumby.Blackys rejection of his fathers berth instigates other members of the family, such as his mother and next youngest brother who subtly take Blackys side. The scene where his brother urges him to get up and face his father, (when his father beat him to the ground), symbolises the request of his family for Blacky to represent them all and argufy the fathers authority. The resolution of the film sees the father gone, leaving Clarence and Blacky happily together but plan to this town that has nothing for them.The fate of the town is not so happy, the boys from the mission wont come to town and there is no longer a football team. In many ways we can see how Australian rules reflects the complexities of human relationships- of love and loyalty and hatred and violence, and clearly demonstrates how deeply entrenched racism hurts everyone. The town, through its racism has destroyed the tentative trust of the Aboriginal people and has lost its glory- it s victorious football team. Its seems empty, a place only good for leaving.