Book Report : Rabbit - Proof Fence

RABBIT – PROOF FENCE

Imagine that you have to survive in the bush, hiding there for a long time. No place for you to take shelter. Without mom and dad or your family. How can you survive that situation? Doris Pilkington Garimara, the author of this book, represented what happened to her mother (Molly Kelly) and aunty’s children (Gracie and Daisy) in 1907-1931, in Australia. Doris was born in Balfour Downs Station about 60km northwest of Jigalong in the East Pilbara district. She published her writings Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence in 1996, which was produced a movie Rabbit-Proof Fence in 2002, directed by Philip Noyce.

The Rabbit-Proof Fence is adopted from true story. In this story, there are three main characters, Molly (Doris’s Mother); Gracie and Daisy (Doris aunty’s children). They are the children of Aboriginal mothers and white fathers. Molly is the oldest one (14 years old). She is a brave and tough girl who loves and cares her sister so much. Another character is Gracie (10 years old) is an obedient girl who always helps her sisters. She isn’t as patient as Molly. The last main character is Daisy (8 years old) who is the youngest. She has a kind heart, clever, and always charms her sister when they were down.

     The story was started. One law in the early 1900s was about mixed-race children, or ‘half-castes’ as they were called at that time. This law said that these children (of Aboriginal mothers and white fathers) should be taken away from their families and sent to government or church settlements, to be trained to become servants and farm workers. Molly, Gracie and Daisy were three half-caste girls at Jigalong. Then, they were taken away from their families and sent to the Moore River Settlement. But they escaped and walked home, 1600km across Western Australia. They escaped because they weren’t feel comfortable with the settlement life. For them, that’s like a prison. They are tried to back home, its about 3-4 month. They has to living in the bush, stepped carefully from stone to stone, keep walking between 25-30 km a day, and made friendship with heat. In the middle of journey, they found the rabbit-proof fence. It was a great moment in the long walk to found a landmark to back home. Then, they followed that fence. But, they also has to losing Gracie. Because she can’t walk anymore and prefer to back home with foreign person who ask her to Wiluna (her mummy place) by train. Finally, after several days, Molly and Daisy arrived in Jigalong, they long journey has finished. But Gracie, she was caught at Wiluna. When she arrived, her mother was not there. So, she was sent back to Moore River.

   This story teach us about patience, courage and persistence. Firstly, patience. With patience, our live could be happier and full peaceness. Because, in our religion, Allah is together with patient people. Secondly, courage. Some fact said that the brave people are better than strong people. And the last, persistence. Its colour of our struggle in our life. Molly and her sister with their persistence succeeded back to home after walked between 3-4 month.

After read this story, I feel get the new spirit. In my opinion, The Rabbit-Proof Fence is a great story. I can learn much of moral value. Doris Pilkington as a writer of this story was success for bring the reader to feel what Molly and sisters were feel. So, I think, my decision to choose this book for my Book Report is right. Because, Doris’s diction is understandable. I think, you’ll also interested to read this book, you have to read it.. ^_^

Home was the Jigalong country ... Molly Kelly, right, with her daughter Doris Pilkington, centre, and sister Daisy Kadibil, who endured the long trek along the fence with her. Photo: Dione Davidsonndured the long trek along the fence with her. Photo: Dione Davidson