Kim Sangwin
In Rabbit-proof Fence, the outsiders are people who do not fit in because of their race, and while the existence of this boundary is wrong, it is a real example of what it means to belong.
“Othering,” in this film is prevalent, as Mr .Neville works to “absorb” the half-caste children back into white culture. Most notably, Molly and her sisters feel like outsiders during their time at Moore's. Because they were new, they still belonged to the Aborigine culture, so their language, appearance, and religion set them apart from the group. The other girls had already adjusted to the culture presented to them, so when they all woke up in the morning, they knew the schedule and made their beds, took out the bucket, and stood before breakfast for prayer. Molly, Gracie, and Daisy were apart of a different culture, and therefore, were outsiders at the institution. Another person who didn't belong was the tracker. He was forced to work for the whites at Moore's, and, in a way, betrayed his own people to do so. At the same, he was not accepted by the whites because he was an Aborigine. They only kept him there because they needed his skills. If they really cared about him, they would have listened to him when he asked to leave.
The whole process of keeping the natives out or in white culture is a perfect example of what outsiders and insiders really are. The whites excluded the Aborigines because their native appearance and lifestyle did not meet their standards. This is the basic justification behind any instance of “othering.” For whatever reason, an outsider fails to meet some standard within a group. This is made even more clear in the film, as Mr. Neville explains his duties. He believed that through correct marriages, the half-caste bloodline could be “elevated” to that of a white person. He showed a picture of acceptable white people and explained that the native blood could be “stamped out,” meaning his intention was to keep the natives under control until they were white enough to meet the community's standards. His attitude isn't much different than a popular teenage girl, judging her peers for worthiness. Of course, the standard doesn't have to be something as shallow as appearance. Even within a family, the insiders are together because of their compliance with family standards. Some members could be shunned due to lying or unacceptable actions.
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In Rabbit-proof Fence, the outsiders are people who do not fit in because of their race, and while the existence of this boundary is wrong, it is a real example of what it means to belong.
“Othering,” in this film is prevalent, as Mr .Neville works to “absorb” the half-caste children back into white culture. Most notably, Molly and her sisters feel like outsiders during their time at Moore's. Because they were new, they still belonged to the Aborigine culture, so their language, appearance, and religion set them apart from the group. The other girls had already adjusted to the culture presented to them, so when they all woke up in the morning, they knew the schedule and made their beds, took out the bucket, and stood before breakfast for prayer. Molly, Gracie, and Daisy were apart of a different culture, and therefore, were outsiders at the institution. Another person who didn't belong was the tracker. He was forced to work for the whites at Moore's, and, in a way, betrayed his own people to do so. At the same, he was not accepted by the whites because he was an Aborigine. They only kept him there because they needed his skills. If they really cared about him, they would have listened to him when he asked to leave.
The whole process of keeping the natives out or in white culture is a perfect example of what outsiders and insiders really are. The whites excluded the Aborigines because their native appearance and lifestyle did not meet their standards. This is the basic justification behind any instance of “othering.” For whatever reason, an outsider fails to meet some standard within a group. This is made even more clear in the film, as Mr. Neville explains his duties. He believed that through correct marriages, the half-caste bloodline could be “elevated” to that of a white person. He showed a picture of acceptable white people and explained that the native blood could be “stamped out,” meaning his intention was to keep the natives under control until they were white enough to meet the community's standards. His attitude isn't much different than a popular teenage girl, judging her peers for worthiness. Of course, the standard doesn't have to be something as shallow as appearance. Even within a family, the insiders are together because of their compliance with family standards. Some members could be shunned due to lying or unacceptable actions.
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In Rabbit-proof Fence, the outsiders are people who do not fit in because of their race. While the existence of this boundary is wrong, it confirms how belonging really works.
“Othering,” in this film is prevalent, as Mr .Neville works to “absorb” the half-caste children back into white culture. However, certain people at Moore's were out of place in the white culture. Most notably are Molly, Gracie, and Daisy. Because they were new, they still felt a part of the Aborigine culture, so their language, appearance, and religion set them apart from the group. The other girls had already adjusted to the culture presented to them, so when they all woke up in the morning, they knew the schedule and made their beds, took out the bucket, and stood before breakfast for prayer. Molly, Gracie, and Daisy were unfamiliar with this. They were apart of a different culture, and therefore, were outsiders at the institution. Someone else who didn't belong was the tracker. He was forced to work for the whites at Moore's, and, in a way, betrayed his own people to do so. At the same, he was not accepted by the whites because he was an Aborigine. They only kept him there because they needed his skills. If they really cared about him, they would have listened to him when he asked to leave.
The whole process of keeping the natives out or in white culture is a perfect example of what outsiders and insiders really are. The whites excluded the Aborigines because their native appearance and lifestyle did not meet the whites' standards. This is really the justification behind any instance of “othering.” For whatever reason, an outsider fails to meet some standard within a group. This is made even more clear in the film, as Mr. Neville explains his duties. He believed that through correct marriages, the half-caste bloodline could be “elevated” to that of a white person. He showed a picture of acceptable white people and explained that the native blood could be “stamped out,” meaning his intention was to keep the natives under control until they were white enough to meet the community's standards. His attitude isn't much different than a popular teenage girl, judging her peers for worthiness of friendship. Of course, the standard doesn't have to be something as shallow as a clique. Even within a family, the insiders are together because of their compliance with family standards. Some members could be shunned due to lying or unacceptable actions. The overall rule is that meeting the standards grants acceptance, and failing to do so causes exclusion. This basic system is affirmed entirely in “Rabbit-Proof Fence.”
The movie has prime examples of what it means to be an outsider, and these examples line up perfectly with the truth. Molly and her family as well as the tacker are outsiders at Moore's because they belong to their original culture, but live in the midst of another. Their culture does not meet standards, and therefore they do not belong. This system can be expanded and seen all throughout human culture. In general, if a person or group are not good enough for the local majority, then they are cast out.
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