No Sugar: Freedom and Oppression in Jack Davis's Play

This essay examines Jack Davis's play, 'No Sugar,' set against the backdrop of the Great Depression in Western Australia, focusing on the struggles of Aboriginal Australians. The essay explores the themes of freedom, oppression, racism, and marginalization, highlighting the power dynamics between the Aboriginal community and white society. It delves into the characters' experiences, including Jimmy Munday's arrest, the forced relocation of Aboriginal residents, and the challenges faced by the young couple, Joe and Mary. The essay analyzes how the Aboriginals are denied basic freedoms and the impact of white dominance, including the forced participation in celebrations that undermine their culture. It concludes by emphasizing the cost of freedom and the importance of Davis's depiction of the Aboriginal experience in Australia. The play shows how the white society controlled the lives of the Aboriginals, leading to a fight for their rights and freedom.

Running head: NO SUGAR – A RESPONSE
NO SUGAR – A RESPONSE
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1NO SUGAR – A RESPONSE
Jack Davis is an eminent twentieth-century poet and playwright of Australia. He is
also known as a campaigner of the indigenous people who resided in Australia. the
playwright was a member of the Noongar aboriginal community that is found to be residing
in the south-western region of the Western Australia. The majority of the literary work that
was produced by the author was based on the experiences that he had with the indigenous
Australian people. No Sugar is one of the most famous plays composed by the eminent
playwright, Jack Davis. The following essay further discusses the themes of the freedom that
are depicted within the composition of the play.
The play No Sugar was composed by Jack Davis against the backdrop of the Great
Depression that had struck the areas of Moore River Native Settlement, Perth and Northam,
Western Australia. The play throws major light on a family who belong to the aboriginal
Australians and tends to throw light on the attempts made by the family for their subsistence.
The play in discussion, No Sugar, discusses the marginalization of the aboriginal inhabitants
of the Australian origin who had been under the jurisdiction of the whites during the time
span that expired during the 1920s to the 1930s (Davis & MacDonough, 1986). The major
themes discussed within the essay are the themes pertaining to the superiority or the
empowerment of the whites and the racism that existed in the then society. The play also
discusses the themes that pertain to the disempowerment of the Aboriginals, the dependency
of the Aboriginals on their white counterparts, the materialistic values that were upheld by
the white Australians and the values that were upheld by the families of the Aboriginal
members of the society.
The theme that is majorly profound in the play is the search for the freedom by the
members of the poverty-stricken Aboriginals who have been residing in the land. The author
metaphorically points out the fact that these people would attain the hugely sought-after
freedom only through the ultimate way of Death. The play puts forth the fact that the freedom

2NO SUGAR – A RESPONSE
that has been granted to the young couple is based on the terms and the conditions that are set
out by the law enforcement head of the concerned area.
The story revolves round the experiences of the members of the Aboriginal tribes
residing in the Northam and the Moore River Settlement Areas. The author puts forth the
scenario that states that the poverty is a very common issue in the concerned areas and that
the families that have been central to the story line of the play. The story is set under the
conditions wherein the ration that needed to be provided to the Aboriginal residents faced a
further cut down under the instructions of the Chief Protector of the Aborigines, Neville. The
play is set rolling when one of the central characters of the play, Jimmy Munday is arrested
by the law enforcement officers on the basis of his acceptance of the alcohol that was
supplied to him by one of his newly-found white friend, Frank. Jimmy is awarded a sentence
of three months for the crime that he had committed by accepting the gift of alcohol. As a
response to this incident the other enforcement officers are issued orders for the forceful exile
of the residents of the Government Well Reserve to the Moore River Settlement. The
government had cited the fact that there has been anticipation of the spread of the rabies
within the settlement which h is why the residents were being asked to undertake the
relocation to the Moore River Settlement.
The play further proceeds to put forth a love story that blooms in the midst of this
gloomy atmosphere. The young couple Joe and Mary also have to endure the ill practices of
the then society in Australia. The young underage girl was asked to serve at the hospital
which might have given the Superintendent Neal with the ample amount of the opportunity
and scope to molest the young girl. On having a hint of the actual scenario, the young couple
plan to escape back to the Government Well Reserve. The duo does get caught at the
Government Well Reserve wherein the young man is arrested and the then pregnant girl was
sent back to the Moore River Settlement where she was again asked to work at the hospital.

3NO SUGAR – A RESPONSE
The superintendent misbehaves with the girl and even hits her with the whip when she is
unable to perform her duties properly. The young girl escapes again in order to reside with
the family of the boy.
Joe puts forth a demonstration of the lack of freedom among the Aboriginals when he
says that he wishes to seek Mary’s hand for marriage but must first seek the permission of the
concerned officers who have been entrusted with the job of permitting the concerned
Aboriginals.
“We are getting married when I get out. If the Aborigine’s Department give us
permission”
– Joe (Act IV; Scene III) (Davis & MacDonough, 1986)
The Aboriginals are robbed of the basic freedoms that they should be granted by their
white counterparts. The Aboriginals are left with no control over their own lives due to this
invasion by the white counterparts of the Aboriginal members of the Australian society.
In the play is observed the various categories that deal with the freedom of the
concerned aboriginals in terms of their political freedom based on the land wherein they do
live. The speech of Mr. Neville hints at the fact that the aboriginals are not free to call
themselves to be Australian citizens in the correct sense of the term.
“…It doesn’t hurt to remind yourselves that you are preparing yourselves here to
take your place in Australian society, to live as other Australians live, and to live
alongside other Australians; to learn to enjoy the privileges and to shoulder the
responsibilities of living like the white man, to be treated equally, not worse, not
better, under the law.”
– Mr. Neville (Act V; Scene IV) (Davis & MacDonough, 1986)

4NO SUGAR – A RESPONSE
There had been the instances of merry making amongst the white men in relation to
the celebration of Australia day and they have been practicing and rehearsing for the same.
The Aboriginals who have been imprisoned by the colonizers are also forced to participate in
the celebrations though the celebration almost marks the end of the Aboriginal culture in the
country. The behavior of the Aboriginal people depicts the fact that they are tired of keeping
up the false sense of the happiness. During the celebrations the Aboriginals are asked to sing
a song that demonstrates the happiness that they feel while residing in the colony that is ruled
by the Europeans. The prisoners are observed to have developed a parody version of the
hymn that ends on a really sad note that says “that’s why we are gradually fading away”
(Davis & MacDonough, 1986). This threw light on the fact that the white society had been
oppressing the Aboriginals and thereby taking away their freedom.
The play nears its end with the return of Joe to his family including his wife and their
child. Joe depicts the honor that he had for Jimmy by naming his own child after Jimmy. The
young couple then decide to put forth the request for the permission to leave the land on a
permanent basis to which the superintendent agrees. The play ends on a happy note with the
departure of the young family amidst the happy songs and gifts.
Thus, from the above essay, it might clearly be noted that the freedom gained by the
Aboriginal members of the Australia is clearly at decided by their white counterparts who
were considered to be superior to them. These white members of the Australian society
tended to oppress the Aboriginal members and subject them to torture of various patterns
without the display of even the tiniest bit of consideration for their present conditions.
Therefore, it might safely be said that Jack Davis has wonderfully depicted the idea that the
cost that is paid for the earning of the concerned freedom is worthy in terms of the freedom
that is earned by the members against the oppressions of the white members of the then
Australian Society.

5NO SUGAR – A RESPONSE
References
Davis, J., & MacDonough, T. (1986). No sugar. Currency Press.