Playwright Jack Davis analyses the resilience and vitality in his play No Sugar through his characters when they encounter adversity. Davis explores these themes through his characters. He explores Gran’s capability of being resilient and strong in a time of hardship through the historical context that she is placed in. Billy is presented psychologically as strong and having the ability to bounce back through his current situation and his past. Throughout the play, Joe and Milly gain strength and resilience through the escape of their hardship at the settlement. Davis explores the resilience and strength of these individuals in the time …show more content…
Vulnerable but not defeated, Mary refuses to leave herself so exposed, but also knows that if she is sent to work on the farm for the “gudeeah” she will return pregnant as most of them do. She is haunted by the story of one girl whose baby was fatally choked after she was raped by an employer’s sons on the farm. She is whipped for “disobedience” when she was 7 months pregnant for refusing to acquiesce to Mr Neal’s demands to transfer to the hospital. Mary’s ability to stand up against Mr Neal and take the “punishment” presents to the audience the strength that Mary has, when she is empowered through her love for Joe. Joe gives her the strength to say no, and gives her the resilience to continue living with the traumatic experience constantly in her mind. Together Joe and Mary, show strength and resilience when they are constantly faced with this hardship, by returning to Northam. As Joe prophetically claims, “if they git rough we just move on”, it shows how Joe is vigorous with the help of Mary to escape the adversity they are faced with. Joe and Mary’s baby is a symbol of this strength and resilience. Despite the efforts of Mr Neal to punish not just Mary but Joe also, they remain faithful to each other, also displaying the unbreakable family bond and sense of hope that grew from the strength and resilience in Joe and