A. O. Neville

Outer characterization

A. O. Neville, portrayed by Kenneth Branagh, is a central character in the film Rabbit-Proof Fence directed by Phillip Noyce. Neville is a government official who must enforce the Australian government’s policy of forcibly removing Aboriginal children from their families. His official title is “Chief Protector of Aborigines” (00:05:42). He is a middle-aged white man and lives in Perth, Western Australia.

Inner characterization

As a government official who holds a position of authority as the Chief Protector of Aboriginals in Western Australia, Neville wields his power to enforce the government's assimilation policies and oversees the removal of Aboriginal children from their families. He is driven by the belief that he knows what is best for these children, considering himself an expert in determining their fate. The children at Moore River and the Aboriginals in Jigalong refer to him as “Mr Devil”, a play on his last name, which shows that they dislike him a lot.

Neville firmly believes in the superiority of white Western culture and views the Aboriginal culture as inferior. He sees the forced removal and assimilation of Aboriginal children into white society as a way to "ci...