Mr N. S. Neal Character Analysis in No Sugar

A white man and Superintendent of the Moore River Native Settlement, he is married to Matron Neal. Although Neal’s job is to protect and care for the Aboriginal families under his jurisdiction, he is more interested in suppressing and controlling them. He explicitly tells Sister Eileen that he disapproves of her teaching Indigenous children to read and write because he thinks it will make them more rebellious, and he seems to enjoy beating any members of the Aboriginal community who stand up to him. Neal also likes to prey on young indigenous women, assigning them to work in the hospital and then using their proximity to him as an excuse to sexually harass them. This behavior is an open secret in the Moore River Native Settlement—Mary knows (and rejects his offer to assign her to work in the hospital), as does his wife.

Mr N. S. Neal Quotes in No Sugar

The No Sugar quotes below are all either spoken by Mr N. S. Neal or refer to Mr N. S. Neal. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Racism, Discrimination, and Colonial Violence Theme Icon

As I mentioned, I was a little concerned to see so many dirty little noses amongst the children. I’m a great believer that if you provide the native the basic accoutrements of civilisation you’re half way to civilising him. I’d like to see each child issued with a handkerchief and instructed on its use. […] I think some practical training from yourself and Matron in its correct usage would be appropriate. If you can successfully inculcate such basic but essential details of civilised living you will have helped them along the road to taking their place in Australian society.

Related Characters: Auber Octavius Neville (speaker), Mr N. S. Neal, Matron Neal

Page Number and Citation: 24

Explanation and Analysis:

This quotation comes from a letter Neville writes to Mr. Neal at the Moore River Native Settlement. Neville thanks Neal for hosting him, but notes that he was concerned about the “dirty little noses” of the Aboriginal children. He then proposes the solution of providing every child with a handkerchief, and instructing them in its “correct usage.” This absurd and superficial suggestion would be wholly comic if it weren’t also juxtaposed with the real suffering and deprivation the Aboriginals are facing. They are having meat and soap cut from their rations, but their supposed “Protector” wants the priority to be Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam conse

Mary: I don’t like the way [Mr. Neal] looks at me.

Joe: Well, you got me now, for what I’m worth.

Mary: He’s always hangin’ around where the girls are workin’; in the cookhouse, in the sewin’ room. And he’s always carryin’ that cat-o’-nine tails and he’ll use it, too.

Joe: Bastard, better not use it on you or any of my lot.

Mary: He reckoned he was gunna belt me once.

Joe: What for?

Mary: ‘Coz I said I wasn’t gunna go and work for guddeah on a farm.

Joe: Why not? Be better than this place.

Mary: No! Some of them guddeahs real bad. My friend went last Christmas and then she came back boodjarri. She reckons the boss’s sons used to belt her up and, you know, force her. Then they kicked her out. And when she had that baby them trackers choked it dead and buried it in the pine plantation.

Related Characters: Mary Daragurru (speaker), Joe Millimurra (speaker), Mr N. S. Neal, Matron Neal, Sister Eileen

Page Number and Citation: 62

Explanation and Analysis:

Mary and Joe discuss the danger Mary and other Aboriginal women are constantly facing. Although both teens suffer at the hands of white bureaucrats and racist government policies, Mary’s struggles, as a woman, are unique. She feels constantly sexually threatened by Mr. Neal, but knows that even if she escapes his advances and procures work off of the Reserve, she could then face sexual threats from other white employers. Mr. Neal, the Matron, and Sister Eileen are not doing their jobs and protecting the Aboriginal men, women, and children under their care. Mary is understandably afraid of sexual violence, but Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint ap

MATRON: Apparently you told [Mary] she was going to work at the hospital and stay in the nurses’ quarters.

NEAL: Who told you that? [Yelling] Billy!

BILLY: [off] Comin’, boss.

MATRON: It seems she was terrified at the prospect of working in the hospital.

NEAL: They’re all scared of the dead.

MATRON: I think she was scared of the living.

Related Characters: Matron Neal (speaker), Mr N. S. Neal (speaker), Billy Kimberley (speaker), Mary Daragurru

Page Number and Citation: 72-73

Explanation and Analysis:

Here, Matron Neal obliquely confronts her husband about his predatory intentions towards Mary. Neal has told Mary that she is to work at the hospital and stay in the nurses’ quarters, but Mary knows that when he makes a woman do this, it usually means that he “wants her for himself.” She is terrified, and so runs away with Joe to avoid this fate. Matron gives the news of their escape to Neal here, and hints at the fact that it wasn’t the hospital Mary was afraid of—it was Neal himself. While Matron is critical of her husband and seems Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qu

NEAL: Just a moment… There’s another matter I’d like to discuss with you. I believe you’ve been lending books—novels—to some of the natives.

SISTER: Yes, I have.

NEAL: There’s a sort of unofficial directive on this is; it’s the sort of thing which isn’t encouraged by the Department.

SISTER: What do you mean? That you don’t encourage the natives to read?

NEAL: That’s right.

SISTER: [incredulously] But why? I’d intended to ask your permission to start a small library.

NEAL: I’m sorry, Sister, but—

SISTER: [interrupting] It won’t cost the Department a penny, I can get the books donated. Good books.

NEAL: It’s quite out of the question.

SISTER: But why?

NEAL: Look, my experience with natives in South Africa and here has taught—led me to believe that there’s a lot of wisdom in the old adage that ‘a little knowledge is a dangerous thing’.

Related Characters: Mr N. S. Neal (speaker), Sister Eileen (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 95

Explanation and Analysis:

Mr. Neal, who runs the Moore River Native Settlement, reveals that his mission is not to help the Aboriginal families under his charge, but to control them completely. He understands that knowledge is power, so if he can keep the Aboriginal community ignorant, perhaps he can also keep them powerless. Here, he uses the power of the institution of Moore River to carry out his own personal biases. Sister Eileen genuinely believes she is helping the Aboriginal children in her care, and believes that by teaching them about Christianity and using the Christian Bible she is genuinely saving them and Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusan

SISTER: It gives me great pleasure to be with you all on this very special day, when we gather together to pledge our allegiance to the King and to celebrate the birth of this wonderful young country […]. We must remember today not just our country and King, but the King of kings, the Prince of princes, and to give thanks to God for what He has provided for us […]. Even we here today, Mr Neal, Matron Neal and myself, are but His humble servants, sent by Him to serve your needs. The Lord Jesus Christ has sent His servant, Mr Neville, Chief Protector of Aborigines, to speak to us on this special day. Mr Neville is going to say a few words before leading us in a song of praise to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

[NEVILLE rises. The whites clap while the Aborigines remain silent.]

Related Characters: Sister Eileen (speaker), Auber Octavius Neville, Mr N. S. Neal, Matron Neal

Page Number and Citation: 97

Explanation and Analysis:

Sister Eileen’s speech implies that God gave white, Christian Australian colonists the continent of Australia. Additionally, she calls out Neville as a servant of Jesus Christ, making his mission an explicitly divine one. By using the language of destiny and religion, Sister Eileen, well-meaning as she often is, sets up a divide between the white Australians, who were chosen by God to colonize Australia, and the Aboriginal inhabitants, who must be saved. When she says that she and others are fortunate to be living in Australia, she is speaking only of white Australians, who she believes were allowed to live Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asper

Mr N. S. Neal Character Timeline in No Sugar

The timeline below shows where the character Mr N. S. Neal appears in No Sugar. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Government, Civilization, and Religion Theme Icon

In his office, Neville finishes his letter and dictates a thank you note to Mr. Neal for hosting him at the Moore River Native Settlement. While Neville compliments Neal’s hospitality, he... (full context)

...will be sending limited supplies of toilet paper to the Settlement, and that it is Neal’s job to teach the Aboriginal people under his care how to use it. Neville suggests... (full context)

White Australians vs. the Aboriginal Family Unit Theme Icon

Mary doesn’t mind Matron and Sister Eileen, but she doesn’t like Mr. Neal. She finds him scary and predatory. He often hangs around the Aboriginal girls when they’re... (full context)

Mary reveals that Mr. Neal threatened her once, because she didn’t want to go work for a white farmer. Mary... (full context)

One morning at the Moore River Settlement, Jimmy wanders around outside Mr. Neal’s office as Neal, hungover, arrives for work. Neal chastises Jimmy for leaving quarantine, and Jimmy... (full context)

Neal promises to deal with Jimmy later, and enters his office. Matron Neal is angry that... (full context)

The Matron says the dogs are the only true health hazard in the camp. Neal agrees, and calls Billy into the room. Neal grabs a gun and ammunition from his... (full context)

...and they embrace. They sit together, and Mary begins to cry. She tells Joe that Neal is trying to make her work at the hospital, and that this means her wants... (full context)

Joe wants to marry Mary, but they need Neal’s permission and fear they will not get it. Joe decides they should run away and... (full context)

The next day, Neal sits in the Superintendent’s Office reading the West Australian newspaper. It is April 10, 1933,... (full context)

Matron Neal enters and tells Mr. Neal she has some news. He assumes she’s talking about politics,... (full context)

Neal calls Billy into the room and tells him to chase down the runaways. Billy takes... (full context)

Billy says Mr. Neal wants them to return, but Joe doesn’t care. Joe grabs Billy’s whip and chokes him... (full context)

Billy enters Neal’s office. Neal and the Matron, who enters behind Billy, are shocked by Billy’s condition. Neal... (full context)

Neal decides the handcuffs are a job for the blacksmith. The Matron tells Neal to send... (full context)

The Matron enters Neal’s office and announces that Billy and Mary, who is visibly pregnant, have arrived. Mr. Neal... (full context)

Billy brings Mary into Neal’s office but is ordered to wait outside while they talk. Mr. Neal tells Mary she... (full context)

...Gran gathers some medicinal leaves and the two women comfort Mary. Jimmy threatens to kill Neal, while Sam wonders if they should take Mary to the hospital. (full context)

Neal has summed Sister Eileen to his office. He wants to know what hymn she has... (full context)

Neal then criticizes Sister Eileen for lending books to the Aboriginal families at the Settlement. He... (full context)

Before Sister Eileen leaves, she tells Neal that she doesn’t like that attendance at her Sunday School classes has been violently enforced.... (full context)

It is Australia Day, 1934. Neville, Neal, and the Matron sit on a platform above the crowd. Billy and Bluey, wearing ill-fitting... (full context)

...also asks the crowd to remember to give thanks to God. She says she, Matron Neal, and Neal are the Lord’s servants, and Jesus Christ himself has sent Neville to speak... (full context)

Neville and Neal accuse Jimmy of being a troublemaker and a ringleader. Jimmy invites Neville to come eat... (full context)

...orders Billy and Bluey to help take him to the hospital. The group exits as Neal assures the white crowd “he’s only fainted” before exiting in the other direction. Sister Eileen... (full context)

Neal sits in his office reading the newspaper, which shows that today is Monday, January 30,... (full context)

Milly and Sam approach Neal’s office. They ask if Joe can come to the funeral. Neal says no, although they... (full context)

As the couple leaves, Neal comments that this is a “classic case of emotion com[ing] in through the door and... (full context)

...Joe do up the back of her dress. He can see the scars from when Neal whipped her and asks what happened. The family explains. Joe is enraged and immediately prepares... (full context)

Joe waits outside the Superintendent’s office as Neal rifles through his drawers. Neal finds the paper he was looking for and calls Joe... (full context)

Neal calls Billy in to act as witness. He asks if Billy understands the paper. Billy... (full context)

...gift. Joe gives Billy some cigarettes in thanks. Joe walks off and Billy stays behind. Neal calls to him, and Billy answers. (full context)

Mr N. S. Neal Character Analysis

Mr N. S. Neal Quotes in No Sugar

Act 1, Scene 2 Quotes

Act 2, Scene 4 Quotes

Act 2, Scene 8 Quotes

Act 4, Scene 4 Quotes

Act 4, Scene 5 Quotes

Mr N. S. Neal Character Timeline in No Sugar