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Analysing Themes and Symbols in “Black is the New White”

1. Choose either a theme or concepts from the play and post in the appropriate section

2. In the subject field, write the theme or symbol you’re analysing

3. In the body, explain its significance to the play, including:

How it develops throughout the play

Its connection to characters or plot

What it reveals about the play’s deeper meaning

4. Add a relevant image or quote that supports your analysis

This can be a screenshot of the text, a related image, or an AI-generated image that represents the theme/concept

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"All inequalities are connected and privilege is thinking something isn't an issue because it's not an issue to you."

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Fast with short sentences, especially for Charotte. This helps to create the humour and characterises Charolette as very intelligent and quick witted.

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Charlotte: My darling, to me, you are the silver lining of colonisation.

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Page 14: “Well, it’s not so much a thought as a fact. I’m a detriment.”

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Dennison wanted Francis to choose a better profession, one that makes money.

"There is no money in experimental classical composing, Francis."

He only sees value in professions that are lucrative.

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Charlotte and Francis

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Joan and Ray

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"The Aboriginal community didn't really win. And how can we change the law if our conversations aren't changing?"

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Ray wants his daughter to join him in the discussion of politics and the tv show offer, despite her wanting to go down another path in New York.

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Page 15: Francis: “My father hates me and your father will most likely hate me because I can’t look after his little girl. And I’m a gubbo.”

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The narrator tells us that Charlotte and Francis are engaged, but the rest of the people do not know this yet. This helps create humour and tension for the upcoming revelation, especially when Ray questions why Charloette refers to Francis as her partner. p. 29

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she is being classist at the beginning pf scene 1

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she is being classist at the beginning pf scene 1

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Charlotte: “Dad, I don’t think race should be described as the family business. It’s a little Third Reich.”

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charlotte buys a $450 perfume for francis to make a good impression on her mother

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charlotte lowkey kinda has a bit of a superiority complex over him.. like sh lowkey talks to him like a kid just a little just a tad

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p. 33 Ray: This was the kind of thing I dreamt about when I was working.

Jona: You mean we dreamt about when we were both working.

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Ray doesn't approve of Francis dating his daughter Charlotte because Francis is white.

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The idea that the length of a relationship dictates its seriousness.

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Concept of class taking away from racial belonging.

Charlotte isn't sure if their privilege makes them less culturally Black.

"If our Blackness is a lived experience, and the majority of Black people aren't privy to the privileges we have, then can we really call ourselves Black?"

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Rose and Charlotte have a slightly strained relationship because of Charlotte's career.

page 61 - "Oh, okay. I'm sorry. Sorry I'm the dumb daughter." (Rose)

page 67 - "Do you always have to say what I say but smarter?" (Rose)

page 69 - "She enjoys knowing things that Charlotte doesn't. For some reason she could never quite understand, Rose was always considered the more "artistic" child. Which we all know means the less intelligent one."

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Charlotte really loves and respects her mother, not wanting to shame her for her smoking habit. “She pretends to have quit…” and “But who is Charlotte to judge her mother’s flaws? Charlotte can count he amount of things she has done wrong in her life on one hand, and each time Joan had been there. Never telling Ray.” Charlotte is loyal to her mum.

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Sonny and Rose

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"In Aboriginal years, with our life expectancy, two years is like 6.4 non-Aboriginal years."

Idea that most Aboriginal people have a shorter life expectancy because of their race. Whether it is caused by racially motivated violence, or other issues.

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Idea of Christmas not always being a happy time.

"I don't know what it is like for your people, but for us Whites, historically Christmas is a time where everyone gets mad at each other. In fact, that's what Christmas is known for: coming together with people who piss you off to whom you just happen to have a genetic connection." (Francis)

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Charlotte: “If our blackness is a lived experience, and the majority of black people aren’t privy to the privileges we have, then can we really call ourselves black?”

Rose: “My point is, you can’t judge my race because of my money or class. Because if you can, then Francis is blacker than all of us.”

Rose: “What are poor whites then: the new blacks?”

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Rose: “It’s about community recognition and being part of your people.” It shows Rose’s beliefs and values.

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Being reduced to a singular part of your identity.

"Oh, I'm constantly getting introduced as Ray Gibson's daughter. The Shadow I can't escape." "It's not being introduced as your daughter, Dad. It's being reduced to being your daughter. All the time."

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"so anyone rich and ethnic are the new White? What are poor Whites then: the new Blacks?"

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charlotte and rose have a close sister relationship, which can be shown through theyre blunt sharing.

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Sonny: "I really wanted to find out more about my mum's White side."

Rose: "No idea why."

Rose can't see why Sonny would ever want to know about the White part of his heritage, which she probably sees as the shameful part.

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Dennison and Marie parents of Francis smtih married

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Francis' parents walk into Charlotte's parents house unknowing that Dennison and Ray have feud.

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dennison and marie

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"Joan always used to tell herself that Ray's work was for the greater good. That her work was his work, and his was hers. That as partners in life, they shared everything. His success was her success. But after all these years, Joan has started to question that dynamic."

Joan is questioning if their relationship stopped her own success, and if she should be getting recognition for what is entirely her own work.

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"Your huge property. Your Porsche, and your Range Rover and your Mercedes. Your expensive suits and your speeches and your stupid VR headset. Look at you!

You've benefited pretty well from a community that has nothing to do with what goes on under your roof."

Charlotte's questioning of her father's actions and their privilege comes to a head, with her accusing Ray of enjoying life when his actions have caused suffering to their community.

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"Everyone knows you can't be racist to a White person."

Rose believes that racism can only be directed towards black people by white people.

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(Charlotte) "I love Francis!"

(Rose) "Then just... un-love him."

Rose believes that Charlotte couldn't possibly love Francis and that she is being ridiculous.

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marie is FLIRTING with joan 😱😱👎👎🏳️‍🌈

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"A Nazi!"

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"We are the oppressors. We are the rich and powerful. We're not only NOT oppressed, we benefit from our political class."

Charlotte is trying to make her father and sister see that they are using their community's struggles as points in an argument without actually ever experiencing the struggles themselves. Even going as far as to say that they are in fact closer to the side of 'White' than they are to their own people.

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Francis: “I didn’t raise you to support a white boy!”

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"Race is values, the same as any other construct in life. But values aren't people."

Race shouldn't dictate every part of a person's life.

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cheats on her husband and justifies it by being unhappy and unfulfilled

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Ray admits to wanting to win so much that he made a clause that is actually disadvantageous to Aboriginal people. All because of his ambition.

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“An old tribe. A new tribe.” Juxtaposition. The contrast shows The contrast shows the clash between tradition and change, highlighting how the values, beliefs, or ways of life of the old tribe differ from those of the new tribe. It emphasizes tension, transition, or transformation within a community or culture, possibly reflecting loss, conflict, or adaptation.