Abstract
The main goal of this paper is to depict the struggle for cultural existence in Rabbit Proof Fence . It also reflects the cultural conflict represented in the three aboriginal girls’ characters which is due to their rejection and resistance for the colonialists’ culture. Besides, the paper presents the cognitive analysis of the cultural struggle and resistance in Molly’s character, and it tackles the cultural resistance in Rabbit Proof Fence from a postcolonial point of view. Additionally, the semiotic dimension, which is based on a socio-cultural basis, is introduced in this paper. Keywords : cultural existence, postcolonial, Australian Aboriginals, culture, national identity, colonizer, colonized, semiotic
Highlights
Cultural identity or existence, which can be defined as the sense of belonging and conformity to a society or a culture, in which there is socially shared knowledge among all the members of a group or a culture, is quite obvious in the Australian aboriginal literature
When the colonizers came to Australia and occupied the lands of the native people, the indigenous people suffered from the colonizers' discriminating and racial policies against them which led to the devastation of their society and cultural identity
Pilkington in Rabbit Proof Fence is highly related to the postcolonial notion which deals with the cultural studies and literature of colonized countries which reflect the issues of cultural identity crisis, racism and exploitation, gender and ethnicity, the inferiority of the colonized culture and the superiority of the colonizers’ culture ( “Postcolonial theory” Encyclopedia of Literary Theory)
Summary
Cultural identity or existence, which can be defined as the sense of belonging and conformity to a society or a culture, in which there is socially shared knowledge among all the members of a group or a culture, is quite obvious in the Australian aboriginal literature. Pilkington’s novel Rabbit Proof Fence (1996) which is realistic story of three aboriginal girls who were separated from their families by the government policy in order to devastate the existence of black race in Australia is clear evidence of the cultural struggle from which most Australian aboriginals suffer This struggle is due to the white colonialists’ acts against the aboriginal people. Australian aboriginal literature reflects the culture of “Diaspora” which refers to the people who are obliged by the colonizers to leave their native homeland and cultural heritage This is clear from the fiction works of most Australian indigenous writers, such as Pilkington who try to reflect in their writings their cultural and ethnic identities as a reaction to the colonizers' policies which aim at devastating these identities. The issues of cultural struggle, racism, stolen generations, cultural assimilation, and identity are the main characteristics of the Australian Aboriginal literature
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call