Capturing "The Rabbits"

Sarah Furlan

doi:10.5130/nesais.v5i1.1572

Abstract

The Rabbits, written by John Marsden and illustrated by Shaun Tan, is a beautifully designed yet melancholy allegory for the ‘discovery’ and subsequent colonisation of Australia. With its focus on Indigenous Australian history, Marsden has managed to summarise much of the Australian colonisation process in just 229 words. Since it was first published in 1998, the picture book has won multiple awards and continues to be a relevant text, with the issues depicted throughout still significant in Australia’s contemporary social and political spheres.

Highlights

Written from the perspective of the colonised, which are the marsupial-like native animals, both Marsden’s writing and Tan’s illustrations work together harmoniously to create an image of the two parties involved and their differing objectives
With its focus on Indigenous Australian history, Marsden has managed to summarise much of the Australian colonisation process in just 229 words
It could be said that Marsden, who is a non-Indigenous Australian, has unknowingly adopted some of these patriarchal attitudes himself

Summary

Introduction

Written from the perspective of the colonised, which are the marsupial-like native animals, both Marsden’s writing and Tan’s illustrations work together harmoniously to create an image of the two parties involved and their differing objectives. The Rabbits, written by John Marsden and illustrated by Shaun Tan, is a beautifully designed yet melancholy allegory for the ‘discovery’ and subsequent colonisation of Australia. With its focus on Indigenous Australian history, Marsden has managed to summarise much of the Australian colonisation process in just 229 words.

Results

Conclusion