No Sugar: Scene- By-Scene Analysis

No Sugar: Scene- by-scene analysis

Act Four:
Resolution / Events / Questions
Scene One:
Moore River Settlement
/ Cissie and David attend Sunday School to get sweets.
Key Scene:
This is the primary scene n the play that shows the dealings of religious people and missionaries with Indigenous Australians. The Church is shown as caring and benign but blindly optimistic. / What does this scene show about the role and place of religion in some Indigenous communities?
Scene Two:
Moore River Settlement
/ Mary is brought into Neal’s office; we find out she is pregnant; she refuses to obey Neal, and is whipped by him. / What is the significance of Billy holding down Mary while Neal beats her?
Scene Three:
Moore River Settlement
/ Mary goes to stay with Joe’s family and is embraced as one of the family. / How is a sense of renewal and hope evident in this scene?
Scene Four:
Moore River Settlement
/ Sister Eileen visits Neal in his office to discuss the preparations for the Australia Day celebrations in Moore River. / How and why does Davis encourage us to relate to Sister Eileen’s attitudes more than to Neal’s?
Scene Five:
Moore River Settlement
/ At the Australia Day celebrations, Mr Neville gives a speech; the Indigenous inhabitants parody the hymn; Jimmy speaks out about the reality facing his people and then has a heart attack.
Key Point:
This can be seen as the climax of ‘No Sugar’ since it brings together most of the worlds of the play – Mr Neville’s, Mr Neal’s and Sister Eileen’s, as well as the world of the Millimurra family and Jimmy Munday: Indigenous people who have faced starvation, forced removal and even gaol but still live in dignity. / Q How does bringing together the worlds of the different characters give the climactic events in this scene more dramatic impact?
Q Some critics see the singing of the parody verse of the hymn ‘ There is a Happy Land’ as indicating a moment of defiance, whereas others see it as an act of resignation. Which do you think it is, and why?
Scene Six:
Moore River Settlement
/ Jimmy has died and Neal shows little sympathy for the Millumurra family. / Why at the end of the scene does Milly appeal to Matron for a proper coffin for Jimmy?
Scene Seven:
Moore River Settlement
/ Mary goes into labour and Gran safely delivers the baby boy. / What is the significance of Mary’s boy delivered by Gran?
Scene Eight:
Moore River Settlement
/ Joe arrives back two weeks early from gaol; he names his baby son Jimmy after his uncle; Joe sees that Mary has whip marks and they decide to seek permission to leave Moore River. / What are the message put forward by the events in this scene?
Scene Nine
Moore River Settlement
/ Neal agree to allow Joe and Mary to leave the settlement. / Billy says to Joe, ‘That your country. You back sit down that place’. What is the significance of Billy saying this and giving Joe the whip as a parting gift?
Scene Ten:
Moore River Settlement
/ Joe and Mary leave for Northam. The Millimurras give them parting gifts and they leave with Gran singing a song in her traditional language. / Q What is the symbolism of Joe and Mary being given a sugar bag that is filled with supplies rather than sugar?
Q What is the significance of Gran singing a song in an old language as Joe and Mary set off to seek a new life in Joe’s homeland?