Discrimination

The heart of the story of Rabbit-Proof Fence is the escape of three young girls from a settlement that they were forced to live in by the English government. Government officials took note of the growing number of Aboriginal children who were being fathered by white Englishmen. The officials felt that these children were a step above other Aboriginal children because they had English blood in them. They felt that they were smarter than pure-blooded Aborigines and were educable. Needless to say, they considered Aborigines as an inferior race.

After the settlers came and established colonial outposts, laws were established to deal with the native people. Although the English knew the meaning of fairness and justice, many of the laws that they created favored the English. The English authorities enforced the laws committed against Englishmen by Aborigines but were far less enthusiastic about enforcing them when Aborigines were...