John Marsden’s and Shaun Tan’s epic picture book, “The Rabbits”, is an allegorical fable about colonisation, told from the perspective of the natives. An unseen narrator describes the coming of ‘rabbits’ in the most minimal detail, an encounter that is at first friendly and curious, but later darkens as it becomes apparent that the visitors are actually invaders. My chosen image (above), embodies the overall style of the book which is deliberately sparse and strange. Both text and image conveys an overall sense of bewilderment and anxiety as native numbat-like creatures witness the environmental devastation under the wheels of a strange new culture, represented by the rabbits. The image projects a painting of a striking sunset and …show more content…
This metaphorically suggests that the rabbits have already begun to construct their homes, and now nobody can stop them. Their forceful invasion into the native indigenous landscape is further emphasised by the dead lizard featured in the foreground, which has been brutally squashed with seemingly no remorse. Furthermore, the buildings in the background are entirely formed by jigsaw pieces. Thus Tan presents us with a visual allegory of the rabbit society as manipulative and un-relentless nature. The small strip across the top of the visual, presents us with an alternate world that is natural and heaven-like where numbat-like creatures are suspended upon tree branches. The gaze of the numbat-like creatures leads us to the quote, “They didn’t live in trees like we did”. Through the inclusion of text Tan portrays that the numbat-like creatures don’t understand the rabbits. This quote does not show any strong emotions, but instead the blatant tone bestows a ‘clueless’ feeling to us, the responders. This section is very small in contrast to the rest of the image showing the rabbits. This symbolically represents the unprecedented manner in which the rabbits came and quickly “made their own houses”. At observing the picture more closely, we can conclude that where the numbat-like creatures are sitting, the sky is lighter compared to where the rabbits are placed; implying that the lighter colour is the time the numbat-like creatures were familiar
Powerlessness of the Numbats (Aboriginals) against the Rabbits (Europeans) in The Rabbits is shown through the use of words within the mise en scene. Within this picture book, Marsden contributes to the meaning of the story to the readers through very short, but powerful sentences such as: “Sometimes we had fights/But there were too many rabbits/We lost the fights.” The way these sentences are structured so that it places emphasise the appropriate scenario that is occurring in each panel. With Shaun Tan, he conveys the powerless nature of the Indigenous by placing the
The page has quite a bright, mystical styled colouring that may emphasise the fact that the rabbits are new to the land and the numbats have never seen anything like them before. The bright off-white ground is quite a good example of a good use of colour as it symbolises the purity of the land and how the indigenous people worked with it. The dark, almost black, shadows of the rabbits would symbolise their take over of the land and how it is being changed and harmed by the rabbit’s arrival. There is also the difference in the sky colouring behind the boat and in front of it; that may signify the rabbit’s darker past, and the lighter more cheerful presents of the numbat’s
In addition to this, belonging to a family is a key concept in this novel. The novel opens with an alluring introduction to the family; a blissful atmosphere is created through the picturesque icons of their family life. The composer uses small photograph like icons to allude towards the widely acknowledged contentment that is readily associated with the memories in a picture album. Tan introduces the motif of the paper crane which he carries through the length of his novel as a symbol of affection and belonging between the family members. The next pages signify the break in contentment as the man begins his journey and a salient image of the couple with their hands grasping the other’s parallels the anxiety and despair in their downcast facial expressions. Although the gloomy atmosphere, the light sepia tones in the picture allow an insight into the tender and loving relationship that the family members share. Upon the man’s departure the paper crane motif returns and he hands it to his daughter as a token of his undying love for her. His migratory experience is studded by the comfort and ease that he obtains from a picture of his family. In paralleled scenes on the boat and the new apartment, the
Over the past few decades, enhancements in the visual fields have greatly improved, giving weight on the importance of visual material in text. Something that is more visually stimulating can usually make a text more convincing or credible. The term “seeing is believing” proves this fact. As humans, we tend to believe something if we can actually see it, which is why Jay David Bolter has referred to this phenomenon of the changed role of text and graphics as the “visual culture” in his book Writing Space. “Mere words no longer seemed adequate; they had to share their space with images.” (Bolter, 69).
When Max arrives in the land of wild things, the features of the monsters at first glance might seem scary and overpowering. The creatures are large and have sharp horns, claws, and teeth. However, upon closer examination, other details are noticed that make the wild things seem much more agreeable. The wild things are all smiling and one of the wild things actually has “human” feet and another has female human hair. The text also emphasizes the creatures’ agreeable nature when Max stares into their yellow eyes without blinking and tells them to “BE STILL!” They become frightened and make Max the king of all wild things. Their deference to Max is apparent in the illustrations—bowing, eyes gazing downward or closed, submissive posture. Max now has complete control and declares “let the wild rumpus start!” The wild things are obeying the commands of a child, just as Max had obeyed the commands of his mother when he was sent to bed without any supper. The book’s climax on the next few pages is exemplified by the use of full-page illustrations, without text, of Max and the wild things celebrating their “wildness” together. An activity for younger children could be to create their own “wild thing” mask or paper bag puppets using paper, scissors, yarn, eyes, etc.
The speaker says, “Sunsets would threaten us,” which means that they can’t continue their adventure and fulfil their curiosity without light (5). Since light is a symbol of knowledge, it also means that they can’t go on without knowledge. Also, the image of a snake shedding its skin shows change and improvement (1). Molting shows that a snake is growing, and it helps the snake see clearly1. Overall, the storytelling has a lasting effect on how the speaker sees the world, which is illustrated by the line “Her voice travels my shelves” (19). Her influence on the “shelves” of his mind will allow the speaker to appreciate his heritage. The very end implies change as well when the speaker says that the two boys are “still” joined in one shadow (21). The word “still” implies that this will eventually change, perhaps after they are no longer in the shadow of
The text is very descriptive and loaded with symbols. The author takes the opportunity to relate elements of setting with symbols with meanings beyond the first reading’s impressions. The house that the characters rent for the summer as well as the surrounding scenery are introduced right from the beginning. It is an isolated house, situated "quite three miles from the village"(947); this location suggests an isolated environment. Because of its "colonial mansion"(946) look, and its age and state of degradation, of the house, a supernatural hypothesis is implied: the place is haunted by ghosts. This description also suggests stability, strength, power and control. It symbolizes the patriarchal oriented society of the author’s time. The image of a haunted house is curiously superimposed with light color elements of setting: a "delicious garden"(947), "velvet meadows"(950), "old-fashioned flowers, and bushes and gnarly trees"(948) suggest bright green. The room has "air and sunshine galore"(947), the garden is "large and shady"(947) and has "deep-shaded arbors"(948). The unclean yellow of the wallpaper is
The film ‘Rabbit Proof Fence’ conveys the importance of family, belonging and country to the Aboriginal people and provides the audience with an insight of the division between the Europeans and the Aboriginal people. The Director, Philip Noyce displays these themes by the use of symbolism and motifs. Symbolism is the use of one object to represent a notion or other object, whereas a motif is the recurrence of an object, theme, and subject throughout the film. The ‘Rabbit Proof Fence’ is based on a true story on how Aboriginal families were treated by politicians and government. It follows
Though the viewers focus first on the centered figures, it is easier to first analyze the surrounding settings to understand them. The stone wall foreground and the open fields of the background each embodies one of the girl’s thoughts. The back landscape is filled with warm, airy colors of blue and orange, as if it were under a bright sun. On the other hand, the foreground’s stone walls and concrete floor has dark, cold, shadowy, earthy colors that seem to appear as if under a stormy cloud. The sunny land suggests free, pure, spacious land previous to the industrialization. Yet, the darkened foreground due to the overcasting shadows resemble the currently dirty,
In Watership Down, two brother rabbits Hazel and Fiver, along with several other companions, make a journey to a new warren after being pushed from their home by humans. Throughout this journey they experience many hardships as well as new experiences that change the group as the story goes along. One aspect that stays constant is the culture in which the rabbits live. Three important ideologies that help develop this culture are leadership, language, and mythology; these three in particular are all pivotal in developing what the rabbits are really about in the first half of this novel.
Beside the pile of straw which has a wheel leaning against it, a farmer is stooping to collect timbers. Before a thatched cottage in the middle of the painting, several farmers carrying farm tools and riding horses silhouetted in the shadows. They form in groups as if they were discussing some deliberate issues. On the other pile which sits in the other side of the sandy road, a slightly stout farmer with a straw hat is sitting on straws to have a rest. Beside him, an older villager leaning on his stick and a comparatively shorter man who is carrying a basket are talking to him as if they were pleading him for some reason. The trees extend along the sandy road in a diagonal line, creating a spatial demarcation. In the far end of the road, there is a vague tall building with pinnacle roof. The sky above, which takes up nearly half of the painting, is pale and dusty, suggesting the end of the day in a hot arid climate.
The art piece that I chose to critique is the sculpture of a figure kneeling down and getting shocked. It is located on campus near the Morris University Center(muc). When I first saw this sculpture it caught my attention immediately, because of how gruesome the piece was. I feel like I don’t have a good understanding of what the sculpture represents, but it seems like it would raise plenty of controversy, due to its erotic features. It seems like the artist was venting his emotions when he created his idea. The sculpture is fairly large in size, which makes it noticeable, among the other art pieces on campus. The sculpture media consist of wood and concrete, and metal mostly. The individual is keeling down toward the west and is supported
In Winter, peasants trudge through the storm with a slaughtered pig. The bright pink used in the color of the pig is symbolic of the Rococo style. A fierce wind blows the tree to near breaking, further communicating the harshness of the weather. Among the colorful scenes that make up this set, it is undoubtedly in those dedicated to winter that Goya manifests, for the first time in this cartoon, a social awareness of the everyday reality around him, the same consciousness that would evolve toward the more extreme and dramatic works characteristic of his maturity. The social commentary of this painting lead to its rejection by the Royal Tapestry Factory.
The history of art dates back to ancient times. Artwork can be, and was, found around the world. What makes art interesting is that it can be created in any way, shape or form with any materials. It seems that the artwork can also tell us a lot about the artist. Art seems to be simply, a direct, visual reflection of the artist’s life. Therefore, one can assume that an artist’s life experiences and beliefs directly influence their art. If we look at examples from different periods of art we will be able to see the connection between the artist and the art.
Because of this threat, the rabbits want to run away to a desert island. The other animals said, “You must stay where you are and be brave. This is no world for escapists. If the wolves attack you, we will come to your aid in all probability.” After another disaster, the wolves capture the rabbits “and imprisoned them in a dark cave, for their own protection.” The other animals make a small effort to find the rabbits. When asked, the wolves just call the rabbits ‘escapists’ and the other animals give up looking for the rabbits. The best depiction in relation to this work of Thurber’s comes from Shelia Fitzgerald. She says, “Much of Thurber is here: the exactness of phrasing and deliberate pace; the quietly elegant diction neither fassy nor folksy; and the dead-pan manner.” And the last analysis of Thurber is this from Laurie Lazien: