Analysis of Good vs Evil in Australian Pop Culture: Rabbit Proof Fence

This essay examines the concepts of good and evil within Australian pop culture, using the film 'Rabbit Proof Fence' and Archie Roach's song as primary examples. The analysis explores how these texts represent heroes and villains, and how they reflect and shape Australian identity, particularly concerning Indigenous culture and the impact of historical events. The essay delves into the use of language techniques, such as simile and listing, to convey messages of discrimination and the loss of traditional culture. It also discusses the rejection of stereotypes, the importance of role models, and the evolution of heroic narratives in contemporary Australian storytelling. The conclusion emphasizes the need to find heroes in everyday life to enrich popular media content.

Australian POP CULTURE
RABBIT PROOF FENCE

WHAT IS GOOD AND EVIL
 Good means the ability to empathize with other people, to feel compassion for them, and
to put their needs before own.
 Evil means who are unable to empathize with others. They are selfish, self-absorbed.
 They are represented in text as it describe to identify that what is good and evil in person.
Besides that, it also describe characteristics of aboriginal people in text.

AUSTRALIAN IDENTITY
 In Australia, pop culture is rising to a great extent. Usually, pop culture is recognised by society as
practices, beliefs, etc. that dominate in specified time period. In movie and song there are different pop
culture character that is determined. These can be either villain or hero. It is easy to differentiate them.
In this it will be explained about two popular Australian culture text that is Rabbit proof fence movie
and took the children away song by Archie roach.

RABBIT PROOF FENCE
 In the movie Rabbit proof fence it has been found that a 14 year old indigenous girl is
stolen from her family. They were living in western Australia. However, she was brave and
in such harsh times escort her half sister and cousin from home with rabbit fence. Thus,
she is like a hero, brave, strong, etc. so, it can be observed that young girl having piggy
backing another with fence line under a sun. and in the song the character is represented as
good identify.

CONT.
 Besides that, in both movie and song the position of hero and villain is shown. The song by
Roach has few language techniques such as use of simile ‘fenced us in like sheep’. It has
beautifully explained the situation of act and discrimination against the Aborigines.
 Also, the listing is also applied and used in ‘taught u to read, to write and pray’ that
depicted loss of their traditional culture due to intervention of a white. Similarly the movie
also depicted through clear language and text usage that helped the audience to know who
was the villain and the heroes in the form of those three girls who had such a brave
journey.

SONG CHOICE
 The message of this song is to show how the English settlers were unfair to the aborigines
by taking their children away from them to teach them their ways lying to them as well.
Archie Roach was one of the children who were taken away. Roach used many language
techniques through the song. He uses the simile fenced us in like sheep to show the
audience what a cruel nature of the act and to explain them in an easy way.
 The listing used in taught u to read, to write and pray shows the loss of their traditional
culture for the dominant white one. But a young girl is not a strong hero of our times. No
because ordinary people does not see extra ordinary things that has been done in stories
and films. Therefore, Mully crag is more real character than mick Dundee.

CONT..
 In this another example that can be taken of rejection of stereotype in both song
and movie. Here, it can be found that there is difference in sub urban and inner city culture.
The role model and inspiration is necessary in narration of hero.
 Basically, hero character is person who is strong, bold, courage, etc. and face
challenges. So it is generally associated with good guy. In Australian heroes people do
great things but we don’t. it is because we are bounded by stereotype. The present times
stories are more complex and richer than as compared to past Australian times.

LOOK INTO THE FUTUTE
 Therefore, in popular media content creator whether it is story, poem, song, etc. there must
need to look for heroes in every day life. This will help in finding out Australian context
heroes and character in it.

THANK YOU