Migrant Australia

Quizzical expression, what is he here for

Expression: Why bother

Expression: Disbelief, sad

Migrant is in control

Black and White used to express simply,

a divide

Clothes and expressions highlight the

troubled life in Australian society.

The author of this cartoon uses racial examples to foreground the divide between ‘white Australia’ and ‘migrant Australia’. In this cartoon, it shows a group of ‘Asian’ workers turning away a white man from their workplace, whilst a sign behind them reads, ‘no white man need apply’.

A technique used is the difference in height. Although the workers are sitting down, the cartoonist has positioned them to be taller than the white man. It establishes the dominant party in the conversation and also puts all the other techniques (facial expressions, clothing etc.) in perspective. The use of black and white colors illustrate a harsh working environment, a place where rules are rules; a very much ‘yes or no’ society; often at the downfall of the no ‘migrant’ population, however this is an contradiction to that. The ‘Asian’ workers shown aren't hesitant about their discrimination towards the ‘white’ man. It is evident that they have no intentions of interacting with ‘white’ Australia; seemingly they are waiting for society to change for them and offer their reconciliation. The author also uses their facial expressions and body language to communicate with the reader; the faces show the most about the situation than anything else. You see that the workers are surprised that the white man even tried to get a job, but more critically; they are also disappointed that that the ‘white’ man made no effort of reconciliation. The ‘white’ man seems to be, apart from unhappy; in disbelief; he perhaps thought everything would go his way. Another technique used is the difference in height; although the workers are sitting down, he has positioned them to be taller than the white man. It establishes the dominant party in the conversation and also puts all the other techniques (facial expressions, clothing etc.) in perspective. Also; the author puts the worker into context by selecting the clothes they wear and working environment they are in. No shoes, little formal equipment, no benches, just pure manual labor with seemly low income. It show the lack of respect and right is given to them; but also their intent to stay this way, regardless of their situation or the benefits that might come with change. They do not want to conform to the dominant ‘White Australia’.

The text conceptualizes a great divide and moral differences between ‘white’ and migrant Australians. The cartoon foregrounds resistance to what was seen as the dominant ‘white’ power; it puts in perspective, that within their own situation, migrant Australians had control over small parts of society, a concept strange to the ‘white’ man shown. The text reveals the differences and ideology of the two types of Australians.