Analysis of Jane Harrison's "STOLEN"

Jane Harrison’s play “stolen” deals with the struggles that five, young aboriginal, children have with identity when they are removed from their homes and placed in the care of the Cranby Children’s home. The height of the struggle sees then torn between their aboriginal culture and the white society that they have been thrown into. Their struggle with their aboriginal identity is strongly displayed in the form of stories of the dream times, while their white identity is a painful reliving of their weekends away with families. The stories of these children are what are important to them. They live on because of the stories that they hold close to their hearts. Their stories both haunt them as well give them memories and dreams of their past homes and families.

The play in its entirety is all about the stories of these five children’s journey into life, but one child (Sandy) is persistent in his efforts to pass on the stories of his people. He is the token of aborigin...