Set in 1931, rabbitproof fence brings to the screen the horrific consequences of a british policy that removed australian children who were of mixed whiteaboriginal background from their homes a practice that continued until the 1970s. The woman whose 1,000mile childhood trek across the australian outback inspired the 2002 film rabbitproof fence has died in the countrys far northwest. Rabbit proof fence is a contemporary drama about the struggle of three aboriginal girls from western australia. It wasnt until i did research for follow the rabbit proof fence that i read how government policies were implemented, how children were removed under ministerial warrants and their mothers had no say in the matter. While my sister and i didnt come under ministerial warrants, the government did it in a rather cunning sort of way. Molly and the girls must then elude the authorities on a dangerous 1,500mile adventure along the rabbit proof fence that bisects the continent and will lead them home. Noyces film is based on the book follow the rabbit proof fence by the late doris pilkington nugi garimara, which tells the story of her mother, molly.
Rabbit proof fence doris pilkington garimara retold by jennifer bassett. Apr 02, 2009 i need to know all the differences from the rabbit proof fence book and movie what was different between the to. Because of their long walks, they have gotten scratches at their legs which get infected. It is loosely based on a true story concerning the authors mother molly, as well as two other mixedrace aboriginal girls, daisy kadibil and gracie, who escape from the moore river native settlement, north of perth, western. Martha shows the girls the ropes and attempts to make them feel at homeor at least a little betterbut mollys mind is made up. They try to solve the problem by carrying each other in turns. Rabbit proof fence comparison between movie and book essay sample. Rabbit proof fence, originally a book written by doris pilkington but also a movie, is a true. Daisy kadibil, whose life story inspired the awardwinning film rabbit proof fence, has died at the age of 95. In addition to rabbitproof fence, pilkington garimaras family trilogy includes caprice. Rabbit proof fence comparison between movie and book essay. Neville kenneth branagh, a man so intransigently certain of its ultimate benefit to everyone involved that he. In follow the rabbit proof fence pilkington recalls with a searing irony one of the more farcical projects of land management in the newly federated states of australia. Follow the rabbitproof fence by doris pilkington, nugi.
Two of her adaptations, rabbit proof fence and love among the haystacks, have won language learner literature awards, and three of her other titles have been finalists for the awards. Doris pilkington book as doris pilkington garimara, christine olsen screenplay. In pairs or groups, students check their answers together. I need to know all the differences from the rabbit proof. In 1907, a rabbit proof fence which runs through western australia. The follow the rabbit proof fence community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and. Rabbitproof fence australia 2002 the case for global film. The film techniques are used to stage the survivor storiesto make their experiences more compelling similarities differences.
Comprehension and discussion activities for the movie. Rabbit proof fence is a 2002 australian drama film directed and produced by phillip noyce based on the book follow the rabbit proof fence by doris pilkington garimara. Dec 25, 2002 the most astonishing words in rabbit proof fence come right at the end, printed on the screen as a historical footnote. Rabbit proof fence, the film that in the eyes of millions of children around australia tells the true story of the stolen generations, is grossly inaccurate and should be withdrawn from schools.
The most astonishing words in rabbitproof fence come right at the end, printed on the screen as a historical footnote. Aboriginal children of mixed race were taken by force from their mothers and raised in training schools that would prepare them for lives as factory workers or domestic. Doris pilkington garimara, nugi garimara, australian aboriginal writer born 1937. The girls extraordinary trek as written up by doris in her acclaimed 1996 book, follow the rabbit proof fence has now been turned into a controversial, moving and highly praised film which. Being a reader or a viewer entirely changes our point of view on the story.
The following two lessons students watched rabbit proof fence. Australia, when the british settlers was trying to breed out the native aboriginal culture, asserting it was for their own good. Rabbitproof fence is the harrowing true story of three mixedrace aboriginal children who walked a thousand miles to get back to their mothers. The knew there was a rabbit proof fence that would lead them back home, and if they found that, they would get back to their parents. Its always refreshing to see a top row director take on a project of real value. She tells her own story in under the wintamarra tree 2003, of her premature birth, under the tree of the books title on balfour downs station, a pastoral lease and cattle station located about 2 kilometres northeast of newman in western australias pilbara region. Oct 01, 20 rabbit proof fence is the short, but completely captivating story of three girls escape from a halfcaste aboriginal centre and their epic, long walk home back to their families. Music eyelevel camera angle setting briefly comment on their effects. Rabbitproof fence 2002 clip 1 on aso australianscreen. Study questions, project ideas and discussion topics based on important themes running throughout rabbitproof fence by doris pilkington garimara. The film presents itself as a true story, based on the book by dorothy pilkington, which in turn is based upon detailed research and interviews with two of the.
Daisy kadibils story of escape called attention to the. This book is simply written, but extremely evocative and can easily be read in a couple of hours. Choose by age group, book title, topic or arena of. Last of rabbitproof fence girls, whose trek home was made. Intriguing traditions of song, dress, food, and spirituality are also portrayed, along with an explanation of the rabbit proof fence that helps them return home, the longest actual fence in the world. She has created a new subseries called bookworms world stories, which are collections of short stories written in english from around the world. The pg rating is latest news about rabbitproof fence, starring and directed by. Following an australian government edict in 1931, black aboriginal children and children of mixed marriages were gathered up by whites and taken to settlements to be assimilated. The question and answer section for follow the rabbit proof fence is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. Rabbit proof fence captures their universally touching plight and unparalleled courage in a beautiful testament to the undying strength of the human spirit. Ms kellys daughter and the author of the book on which the movie was based. Many people have considered how this text and the form of the memoir belong to the genre, or type of text, known as life writing. Watch the scene again to give students the opportunity to listen for the corrections. Before doris died she made her famous book the rabbit proof fence in to a movie.
She tells her own story in under the wintamarra tree 2003, of her premature birth, under the tree of the book s title on balfour downs station, a pastoral lease and cattle station located about 2 kilometres northeast of newman in western australias pilbara region. The remarkable true story of three young girls who cross the ha. They called it the rabbit proof fence, and it stretched fully 1500. As a reader, we get descriptive insight on the situations and emotions of the characters. The decisive moment in the chase that structures phillip noyces rabbit proof fence miramax, 2001 involves a confusion between two rabbit proof fences. From when she was young, molly had learned that the fence was an important landmark for the mardudjara people of the western desert who migrated south from the remote regions. However molly leads the trio in an escape from the camp and follow the rabbit proof fence that divides the country to return to her home. I have now read rabbit proof fence and the one he is reading i think is a shortened version really addressing the three kids journey home well one didnt make it home. Follow the rabbitproof fence follow the rabbitproof fence is an australian book by doris pilkington.
Start new thread in this topic watch this thread flip this thread. The remarkable true story of three young girls who cross the harsh australian desert on foot to return to their home. Rabbit proof fence stolen generation wide reading and. Based on a true story recounted in the book by doris pilkington, the film follows. Rabbit proof fence by doris pilkington is the true story of the escape of three young girls from a settlement school they were forced to attend in australia, over one thousand miles away from their families and homes. Jul 05, 2010 rabbitproof fence and the australian media.
A stockmans daughter 1991 and under the wintamarra tree 2002. Follow the rabbitproof fence study guide from litcharts. Rabbitproof fence is a 2002 australian drama film directed and produced by phillip noyce based on the book follow the rabbitproof fence by doris pilkington garimara. Mollys ability is to hunt, cook and knowing her way back to her home by following the rabbit proof fence. Traditional cultural knowledge and the strength of family ties are the champions in the end. Jan 01, 2009 the resourceful molly seizes an opportunity to escape, taking her sister and cousin with her, and the children begin the long journey north, following the rabbit proof fence, and pursued by an. Doris pilkington garimara australian aboriginal writer. Given the context outlined above, it isnt surprising perhaps that rabbitproof fence proved a controversial film release in australia. She later studied journalism at curtin university, perth, and worked as a researcher in aboriginal studies. However, this scene is true to the feelings of powerlessness and lack of choice portrayed in the book. Doris pilkington garimara tells the story of her mother in follow the rabbitproof fence.
Rabbitproof fence is the short, but completely captivating story of three girls escape from a halfcaste aboriginal centre and their epic, long walk home back to their families. Rabbit proof fence is the short, but completely captivating story of three girls escape from a halfcaste aboriginal centre and their epic, long walk home back to their families. Such is the case of phillip noyce and rabbit proof fence. In rabbit proof fence, awardwinning author doris pilking. Rabbit proof fence rabbit proof fence is not fiction. Rabbitproof fence oxford bookworms library level 3. Kenneth branagh in rabbitproof fence 2002 kenneth branagh and david gulpilil in rabbitproof fence 2002. This book, written by doris pilkington, tells how her mother molly and her younger cousins gracie and daisy in the life of an aboriginal woman, no one is more important than her mother when she is. In this true story, molly craig everlyn sampi, her sister daisy tianna sansbury. In 1907 a fence 1,834 kms in length was built from the great southern ocean to the coast of the top end for the purpose of preventing rabbits invading. They quickly befriend a girl named martha jones, who is mollys age. And there are postscripts about where they all ended up. I need to know these for a school paper and write a paper about them if you know plz help me out.
At age 4, nugi and her mother, molly were taken back to moore river settlement. Rabbit proof fence is a captivating tale of three young aboriginal girls in the 1930s who were snatched from their families and taken to an institution 1500 miles away. Follow the rabbitproof fence is an australian book by doris pilkington. Rabbit proof fence is the story of 3 young partaboriginal girls in australia, the oldest only fifteen years of age. Is it ok for kids to read books outside their reading levels. Mollys daughter nugi garimara, today known as doris pilkington.
Based on a true story, the book is a personal account of an indigenous australian familys experiences as members of the stolen generation the forced removal of mixedrace children from their families during the early 20th century. The girls decided to escape and walk home, following the rabbitproof fence. Eventually molly finds the rabbitproof fence what is the first excitement for the girls. When molly was 14, gracie 10 and daisy 8, the australian government took them from their home to train them as servants for the white settlers. It was later made into a 2002 film called rabbit proof fence. Along the way, they eventually come across the rabbit proof fence designed to keep rabbits out of the farmlands that traverses the entire continent.
There has been an outpouring of tributes on social media in. Ds is a big fan of searching though charity shop books. Although the vast majority of books that have lexile measures did not change, a small subset of books required updated lexile measures. The policies depicted in the movie were enforced by the australian government, we are told, until 1970.
Rabbitproof fence will acquaint children with a shameful chapter of australian history and invite comparisons to the experiences of other countries, including the united states. Follow the rabbitproof fence book by doris pilkington. Garimara passed at the age of 76 in perth, australia, due to complications from ovarian cancer. Historically, halfcaste children, halfaboriginal and halfcaucasian were considered wards of the australian government and were, therefore, forcibly removed from their families and taken to settlment schools that were little more than jails. Follow the rabbitproof fence is an australian book by doris pilkington, published in 1996. It was and is an incredible monument to folly of man, for the rabbits soon managed to dig beneath the rabbit proof fence and spread to the sheep. Unit of work for year 9 by tony britten on follow the rabbitproof fence by doris pilkington. This extraordinary story of courage and faith is based on the actual experiences of three girls who fled from the repressive life of moore river native settlement, following along the rabbit proof fence back to their homelands. Rabbit proof fence has been published both as a book and as a movie. Follow the rabbitproof fence summary from litcharts the. The three girlfugitives are known to be on the fence, following it home to jigalong, so the authorities have set police to the north and south of them. Halfcastes that are of a certain age live at the camps and are taught to become. The true story of one of the greatest escapes of all.
Kadibil, who died at the age of 95, had her incredible odyssey recounted in the acclaimed 2002 film rabbit proof fence. People probably think of her as the first girl to run away from the morre river settlement home. It is the true story of three aborigine children molly and daisy and their cousin, gracie who in 1931 were taken forcibly from their mothers and their home in jigalong in the north of australia and moved to the moore river native settlement over a thousand miles away. Doris pilkington garimara with everlyn sampi who played the character of her mother molly in the film rabbit proof fence photo. This study guide consists of approximately 25 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of rabbit proof fence. Youngest of three girls who followed the rabbitproof fence. The others were still asleep, covered by their animal skin blankets. Rabbit proof fence is set in 1931, when the executor of that policy was a. My son just brought this home as required reading in grade 6. Follow the rabbit proof fence is garimaras bestknown book, having been adapted into a 2002 film starring kenneth branagh. This great fence exceeded all the dimensions that anyone had ever imagined. Three mixedrace girls, molly aged 14, her sister gracie 11. This lesson talks about stolen generation in hsc english online.
Based on a true story, the film is set in 1931, in the outback of australia where molly craig 14, her younger sister daisy craig 8, and their cousin gracie 10 try to return to their homeland after they have been forcefully taken to a relocation camp by the government. Fairfax daisy kadibil, the youngest of the three girls who walked back home following the rabbit proof fence in 1931, has died in. The lexile power v word selector identifies up to 10. They slept under bushes and in dugout rabbit warrens, coped. Feb 18, 2008 rabbit proof fence character letters 1922008 past three lessons have been focused on issues surrounding the stolen generations. Comprehension and discussion activities for the movie abbit. Her 1996 book, follow the rabbit proof fence, is the story of her mother and two other aboriginal girls who escaped from the moore river native settlement and traveled for nine weeks to return to their family. The story took place in 1931 at jigalong, in western australia. Follow the rabbit proof fence questions and answers. Many of years later doris marries gerry pilkington and they have six children. Set in 1931, rabbit proof fence brings to the screen the horrific consequences of a british policy that removed australian children who were of mixed whiteaboriginal background from their homes a practice that continued until the 1970s. Rabbit proof fence letter writing our changing world. Rabbitproof fence, her second book, is now a major motion picture from miramax films.
Having helmed prominent titles like the quiet american, clear and present danger, and patriot games, this film provides a chance to share noyces incredible ability with your familyeven though it is still a very serious account. Director phillip noyce 1950 and scriptwriter christine olsen have based their dramatisation not simply on doris pilkingtons account of her mothers life in follow the rabbitproof fence, but on many other historical accounts of removal. Based on a true story recounted in the book by doris pilkington, the film follows the girls as they escape and attempt to walk across the australian outback to their home. They knew that once they reached billanooka station, it was simply a matter of following the rabbitproof fence to their. Follow the rabbitproof fence characters gradesaver. Assimilationist policy dictated that these girls be taken from. Considering follow the rabbitproof fence as memoir and life writing. Remembering that it runs through jigalong, they decide to follow it. For example, the australian policies bore a striking resemblance to the treatment of native american children by the u. Noyces film is based on the book follow the rabbitproof fence by the late doris pilkington nugi garimara, which tells the story of her mother, molly. They called it the rabbit proof fence, and it stretched fully 1500 kilometers from the burning hot northwest to the cool and rainy south of the great continent.
983 222 208 419 1361 1123 277 1363 784 847 319 198 374 1175 1217 873 1404 1306 1455 1429 682 1218 1469 216 1247 1270 860 1107 455 1031 427 198 1270 407 1253 712 27 677 265 800 664 166 235