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Before we look at whether James Moloney effectively uses characterisation to convey Aboriginal issues we must look at the issues themselves. In Dougy, the issue of black and white prejudice is strongly present in the plot. The stereotyping of Aborigines and white Europeans play an important role in the events and the outcome of the story, as is individuality and the breaking of the stereotypes. The book also touches on the old Aboriginal superstitions that are still believed in by some today, though one of such superstitions plays an important role in creating the mood of the resolution. These issues impact most heavily on the character Gracey. Possibly the most important factor in Dougy is the racial prejudice and stereotyping between the Aborigines and the white Europeans.
All the complications and obstacles the main characters encounter, especially Gracey, are due to these issues. In the remote country ton setting of the book, the whites all feel that the Aborigines do not do their part for society but still get more benefits from the Government than anyone else. The anger that the whites feel at this so-called unfairness that has been held back bursts free when Gracey receives a chance to compete in the state athletics championships. All the children at the local school were celebrating on the school bus the first day, but the white children divided themselves from the blacks the next, because their parents feel that Gracey had an advantage because she was Aborigine. It just didnt make sense that it all changed so quickly, over just one night Abo kids knew there was something wrong and all the time they waited for the bus, the black kids stood together in one spot and the white kids in another. From this quote we can see that the rift between blacks and whites has been widened because Gracey is talented enough to run in the state championships.
Similarly, the blacks feel dominated by the whites, who, in their minds, own everything. This concept is conveyed by the characterisation of Gracey's brother, Raymond. The stereotype is evident through his speech, White will still be in charge, tellin us what to do. Everything will still be theirs, even the footy Im fed up with being black.
I hate it. Though the stereotyping and alienation is strong in Dougy and Gracey's community they manage to break away from it. The whites feel that the Aborigines get everything free from the government and never do any work of their own, and according to the book, most of them do just this. Gracey, however, works hard on her running and truly earns her scholarship to a prestigious academic and sporting school.
Most of the conflicts and hardships in the book can be traced back to this achievement but ultimately Gracey's triumph proves to be the best thing that ever happened to her and her family. Showing to the community that the Aborigines can achieve great things. Meanwhile, Brett, the son of a white local policeman, breaks the stereotype of whites as limiting the Aborigines freedom by taking the side of Dougy, Gracey and Raymond. This shows that he does not consider the Aborigines inferior like most of the whites, but he tries to be fair to both, just as his father is revealed to be at the end of the book. Aboriginal superstition is also present in the book, though it does not appear often. It is mostly about an evil spirit that lives in the local river called the Moodagudda.
This spirit does not play much of a role in the story, though it does add to the tension in the climax of the story, when the narrator, Dougy, Gracey's younger brother, is thrown into pitch darkness when he is afraid the Moodagudda might be there waiting for him. Later on he is convinced that the Moodagudda had grabbed Gracey and pulled her into the water. Such superstition does not play much of a role in the plot of the novel, though it does show how deeply ingrained the Dreamtime is in Aborigines. Most people would take this kind of belief for nonsense but half the Aborigines in the book actually fear this monster.
Convinced absolutely of its existence. This is a remarkable thing. In Dougy, Moloney has show the many issues facing Aborigines today and their impacts directly through the character of Gracey. Therefore, he does effectively convey Aboriginal issues through characterisation.
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Research essay sample on Convey Aboriginal Issues Play Much Of A Role Aborigines
