Rabbit-Proof Fence: Plot, Themes, and Reflection

Running Head: NURSING
Nursing
Name
Institution

NURSING 2
Nursing
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Plot...................................................................................................................................................3
Themes.............................................................................................................................................4
Home and Family.........................................................................................................................4
Strength and Determination.........................................................................................................5
Survival in the Dessert Landscape...............................................................................................6
Racism.............................................................................................................................................6
Knowledge on Aboriginal and Torres Islander for Nursing Care...................................................7
Reflection.........................................................................................................................................9
Conclusions....................................................................................................................................10
References......................................................................................................................................11

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Introduction
From the era of colonization of Australia, the association between the western settlers and
Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders has been featured by incompatible policies, which range
from isolation to removal to assimilation. The removal and segregation of the Stolen Generation
(Australian Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander) has triggered widespread reaction from the
public and policymakers in Australia than before. Whilst it has only been the outcome of debate
for many years, it is currently intensely entrenched in awareness of people of Australia, with
multiple movies/films, and academic publications motivated by this trend (Bassett & Pilkington,
2011). One of these movies is Rabbit Proof Fence, which was originally directed by Philip
Noyce, which is founded on non-fictional text Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence authored by Doris
Pilkington Garimara. This film was set in 1931 and narrates the incident of three half-caste
young girls, Gracie, Molly, beside Daisy. The three girls were forcibly separated from their
relatives and society in Jigalong where they were transferred to Moore River Native Settlement,
their consequential getaway along with three-month trip home (Bernshausen, 2010). The paper
will examine the plot and themes of the film, racism depicted in the film, the comprehending of
Aboriginals, as well as Torres Strait Islander and nursing and finally my reflection of the movie.
Plot
The “Rabbit-Proof Fence” is a 2002 fact-based, autonomously produced movie
concerning extraordinary Outback journey home of three young Aboriginal girls. The film is
based on a loosely true narrative about Molly’s mother, who belongs to the Stolen Generations.
The film follows the journey of three sisters, Molly, Daisy and Gracie who reside in Jigalong a

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city situated on the northern region of the No. 1 Fence. Thus, the movie is set in Western
Australia concerning the separation of three girls from their families to a mission school located
at Moore River Native Settlement. The film was set in 1931 in the latter phases of Australia’s
protectionist period. The full-blood Aborigines were being isolated in remote settlements and
half cast children (Caucasian and Aboriginal parents) were being separated from their families
during this era (Bassett & Pilkington, 2008). The film is narrated from the perspective of a true
story “Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence” authored by Doris Pilkington, who is amongst the three
girls who play a central function in the movie (Simpson, 2018). The movie displays the capture
of the three girls who are separated from their families and society, their life at the mission, and
the escape and journey back home along the rabbit proof fence.
Finally, the children escape the camp plus spend nine weeks following the famous
Rabbit-Proof Fence for more than 150 miles back home. The Chief Protector of Western
Australian Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders, Neville orders an Aboriginal tracker to search
for the girls; however, the girls were skilled in covering the tracks (Etowa & Keddy, 2009).
Regrettably, Gracie was tricked and recaptured on the way; however, Daisy and Molly succeed
to come back home and they hide in the desert together with their mother plus their grandmother.
In addition, the movie shows the trauma of the forced separation of the Aboriginal children, the
ideology behind their missions, as well as the attitudes of non-indigenous Australian population
towards the Aboriginal population. This film may too provide an introduction to Aboriginal
culture, languages, lifestyles, beliefs along with tracking skills (Baumeister & Bushman, 2011).
Themes