Stolen

Jimmy and Ruby are the most obvious victims in Stolen, but all suffer in their different ways. Discuss


The most obvious victims in a tragedy like the Stolen generation are those in whom the pain and suffering endured is visible to all. Jane Harrison’s ‘Stolen’ presents Ruby and Jimmy as the most obvious victims but not necessarily the greatest, as may be naively assumed.

The remaining characters, Anne, Shirley and Sandy all suffer huge depths of despair, yet their suffering appears to lessen to some degree in the eyes of the viewer/reader due to their hope, determination and stability which in some ways assist them in attempting to resolve their problems and become reunited with their loved ones.

The physical and sexual abuse experienced by Ruby and Jimmy is horrifying and obviously very visible to others. The loss that Ruby and Jimmy suffered was a loss of dignity and to the extent that they were both unable to keep fighting “I just can’t [fight] no more” or...