Dougy

Dougy

Before we look at whether James Moloney effectively uses characterisation to convey Aboriginal issues we must look at the issues themselves. In Dougy, the issue of black and white prejudice is strongly present in the plot. The stereotyping of Aborigines and white Europeans play an important role in the events and the outcome of the story, as is individuality and the breaking of the stereotypes. The book also touches on the old Aboriginal superstitions that are still believed in by some today, though one of such superstitions plays an important role in creating the mood of the resolution. These issues impact most heavily on the character Gracey.

Possibly the most important factor in Dougy is the racial prejudice and stereotyping between the Aborigines and the white Europeans. All the complications and obstacles the main characters encounter, especially Gracey, are due to these issues. In the remote country ton setting of the book, the whites all feel that the Aborigines do not do their part for society but still get more benefits from the Government than anyone else. The anger that the whites feel at this so-called ‘unfairness’ that has been held back bursts free when Gracey receives a chance to compete in the state athletics championships. All the children at the local school were celebrating on the school bus the first day, but the white children divided themselves from the blacks the next, because their parents feel that Gracey had an advantage because she was Aborigine. “It just didn’t make sense that it all changed so quickly, over just one night… Abo kids knew there was something wrong and all the time they waited for the bus, the black kids stood together in one spot and the white kids in another.” From this quote we can see that the rift between blacks and whites has been widened because Gracey is talented enough to run in the state championships. Similarly, the blacks feel dominated by the whites, who, in their minds, own everything. This concept is conveyed by the characterisation of Gracey’s brother, Raymond. The stereotype is evident through his speech, “Whities will still be in charge, tellin’ us what to do. Everything will still be theirs, even the footy… I’m fed up with being black. I hate it.”

Though the stereotyping and alienation is strong in Dougy and Gracey’s community they manage to break away from it. The whites feel that the Aborigines get everything free from the government and never do any work of their own, and according to the book, most of them do just this.