Belonging Essay

Belonging means different things to different people. The most common definition is feeling a sense of connectedness to a person, place or thing. Understanding nourishes belonging while a lack of understanding can prevent people from belonging. This is shown through Peter Skrzynecki’s poem ‘Migrant hostel’ which is about the challenges faced by travelers on their journey, and the hardships they have to overcome by exchanging their old world for the unfamiliar and unwelcoming new world in which they don’t understand anything. Skrzynecki’s poem ‘Feliks Skryznecki’ explores a relationship between father and son, and their contrasting experiences of belonging to a new place. The related text, ‘The Red Tree,’ by Shaun Tan also shows that a lack

How have your set text and two chosen texts represented different perceptions of belonging or not belonging?

It is a well-known fact that belonging to a group can make an individual feel not only accepted, but more powerful that if they were on their own. Whether it is a community, youth group or even religion, belonging is an everyday occurrence of like that many of us do not even realise. Belonging to a group is more influential than belonging to an individual. We can see this in the texts The Crucible by Arthur Miller, 1984 by George Orwell and the listening task. Belonging to a group can give you a feeling of acceptance, but also can help you not to be targeted or marginalised. Also, people who appear to belong to groups, when looked at closer, in truth do not belong. Belonging to a group can also give you more power as a

Write down the website. Give a brief description of the relevance of this site to your study

In his ironically titled story, “Devotion,” Adam Haslett introduces Owen, a middle-aged man who lives with his sister in their deceased parents’ home in England, and as they both prepare for a visit from a special friend, his hidden fears and emotions are awakened. As the author reveals the intricacies of the bond between the siblings it is clear their relationship isn’t as loving and healthy as it could seem, but is instead a harmful relationship that keeps them away from a normal life in a larger world. Relying on flashbacks, letters, and symbolism to unravel the reasons Owen and Hillary live together in their parents’ home, Haslett also conveys how fear of being alone can make a person selfish and cause them to inadvertently ruin someone

Loss affects every relationship differently. Sometimes it brings people together, and sometimes it tears people apart. The novel “Past the Shallows”, written by Favel Parrett, is an excellent example of this, as it focuses on less vocalised subjects that most people in our society see as taboo. The aspects of society mentioned are points such as child abuse, alcohol addiction, pain, loss, and change, but most obviously the family centred in all this drama and the dysfunctional relationships formed between them. The story follows Miles, Harry, Joe, and their father, living on the south coast of Tasmania, and the struggles in their life. The themes of familial relationships, and loss feature throughout the novel, and will be discussed within this essay.

‘An individual’s interaction with others and the world around them can enrich or limit their experience of belonging.’

Belonging is having a connection between a place, person or possession. This relationship is based on how one feels about these bonds. Through Peter Skrzynecki’s two poems “Ancestors” and “10 Mary street” we look at how a sense of belonging Is not permanent. Through the use of related texts the understanding of this statement is better gripped. The movie “The Help” written and directed by Tate Taylor, this text includes two worlds that are separated by skin colour brought together by one book. The colourful picture book “Where the wild things are” Written and illustrated in 1963 by Maurice Sendak includes

The consideration of Peter Skrzynecki’s ‘Immigrant Chronicles’, William Golding’s ‘Lord of the Flies’ and Matt Ottley’s ‘Requiem for a Beast’ has allowed me to explore the diversity of representations of belonging. My basic understanding developed from viewing belonging as an intrinsic feeling of safety and acceptance within the relationships of an exclusive community. However as we began to analyse Skrzynecki’s anthology and also reflect upon society’s connotations of belonging and simultaneously not belonging, my personal understanding began to evolve. The contemplation of Skrzynecki and my related texts has led me to believe belonging is an intrinsic human need valued for the stability, sense of community, and acceptance found in

Profound in the love shared between the father and son, their sense of unity kept them pushing through the pain for “each the other’s world entire” (6). In a society painted by shades of grey, one cannot help but at times feel the desire to fade into the world full of suffering. In the father’s perspective “there were few nights lying in the dark that he did not envy the dead ” (230). However, the man is fortunate because he has a spark in his life that motivates him to keep going- the boy. Many others before the man took their own life in an attempt to rescue themselves from the doomed life ahead. However for the father, “the boy was all that stood between him and death” (29). The father possess such love for the boy that no matter what the situation is he will never take the easy route out. He will never put his own needs over the boy’s. He will never leave him to try to fend for his own. Furthermore, if the boy were to ever depart life before him he “would want to die too” (11), thus proving that the boy is the father’s incentive to carry on. With the love for his son in mind, the father is enabled to carry on with his life. During a difficult situation, love encourages one to see it to the

An individual’s attachment style is conceived as a personality trait which is stable across the individual’s life span. Attachment is seen as a categorical model where individuals are either securely, avoidant or anxiously attached to others. Several studies have indicated how individuals treat attachment-related thoughts is related to their attachment style and governs how they cope with and express the loss of a loved one. When compared with secure and anxious attached adults, avoidant attachment style adults are less concerned with attachment to others. Anxious attachment style adults are worried about loss and will be hyper vigilant to relationship distress.

An experience that links to belonging was making news friends and belonging to the friendship group in year 3. Belonging is when you become a part of a group and getting supported by the peers in the group that you belong. This was when I came from Korea and I didn't know how to speak nor write english. I felt alone at first but fortunately, people in my class were really nice and few of came up to me helped me alot. First friend I made was named Lauren and she was really nice and helpful then I started making more friends. They respected me and understood me because we had a connection. During my primary year, I changed to a different group in year 4 but I still talked to Lauren and others. Till year 6, I stayed in the same group and belonging

Belonging encompasses many different themes, several of which are explored in Romulus My Father. Throughout Romulus My Father the characters are either developing or not developing, an understanding of themselves and their surroundings through the connections made with people, places, groups, communities and the larger world. That is the characters are either developing or not developing a sense of belonging. The

A person’s basic human need to belong to people, places and circumstances can fuel many of their actions throughout their life. For some people a sense of belonging can be difficult to obtain. The struggle to belong is represented in many ways in the 1998 memoir, ‘Romulus, My Father’ by Raimond Gaita. Through Gaita’s employment of various writing techniques and his recollection of past events and adversities, the reader becomes aware of the many struggles of the characters, particularly to belong to the Australian culture and landscape. In the 2001 short story ‘Mate’,

The dictionary describes introspection as the examination or observation of one's own mental and emotional processes. Kevin Woods stated, “Introspection are all about getting to know yourself at the core, uncovering your values and then deciding for yourself what’s the best action to take.” Your emotions and feelings play a major role in why we do things. If we listen to our feelings then we can find more things about us that we didn’t know. This could benefit us and help us appreciate more things and live but also may make us overthink some times. Karl Perera mentioned, “Introspection is good in small doses. If you are feeling very tired or have no energy and can’t find a solution as things keep rolling through your mind over and over then it is time to stop.” Overall, everyone connects with things differently; it is interesting to notice how you feel in certain situations.