Belonging__Peter_Skrzynecki_Related_Text__Shaun_Tan's_the_Arrival

Good morning teachers and fellow classmates, in our area of study we are required to analysis various texts which relate to the concept of belonging...and I have a question for you “If you wake up at a different time, in a different place, could you wake up as a different person'” This quote by Chuck Palahniuk (Paula-nick) questions our essential need to belong, what if you suddenly found yourself surrounded by strangers, whispering in an unfamiliar language and surrounded by an alien environment. Belonging is a complex and dynamic process in which we are challenged by constant barriers in order to achieve our intrinsic need to belong. Connections with people, places or groups enable an individual to feel a sense of affiliation, acceptance and association. Ones perception of belonging is shaped by context and situation, this, broadening and deepening their understanding of themselves and the world around them. Through shared experiences such as the migrant experience in which Peter Skrzynecki’s poems ‘Migrant Hostel’ and ‘Postcard’ explore, it is evident to discover the impact of isolation and exclusion leaves on an individual. Through the use of several effective literary techniques within these poems the audience is able to gain a variety of perspectives on the nature of belonging. Through the use of unique visual techniques within Shaun Tan’s graphic novel ‘The Arrival’ it is similarly conveyed the process as having the ability to evoke ones deepest strengths to overcome the challenges allowing the audience to view the ideas of a sense of home as well as formed relationships contributing to a sense of kinship. Belonging is an inherent human condition in which we strive for acceptance and security amongst others. Belonging describes the state when one finally reaches an affinity, whether it is physical, emotional or otherwise, with an entity, which may be a community, place or ideal. In the poem ‘Migrant Hostel’ we are presented with the arrival of post-war migrants who’ve come from a war-torn Europe to Australia in hopes of starting a new life. Reality is abruptly made evident as we find out the hostel is remotely located away from general society, which brings the beginning of their alienation. “Migrant Hostel” displays a significant stage of the migrant journey, where the Skrzynecki family spend two years in a hostel closely resembling a military camp. The quote “the sudden departures from adjoining blocks that left us wondering who would be coming next” displays the little chance these hopeful migrants had to building roots and the transient nature of their lives within this hostel. Skrzynecki also uses imagery to portray how dislocation can reveal vulnerability and fear. Images like “busloads” and “arrivals and sudden departures” creates a sense of confusion and anonymity. The sense of exclusion is emphasized in the quote, “A barrier at the main gate sealed off the highway...as it rose and fell like a finger pointed in reprimand or shame” the use of the simile and personification of the main boom gate gives it oppressive qualities, thus allowing the inanimate object to hold domineering force, isolating the migrants from society. The migrants are left with one another and only have their cultural backgrounds to form their identities of which is why it is said that “nationalities” and not “individuals” seek out each other instinctively. Similes “like a homing pigeon circling to get its bearings…”supports previous quotations revealing the routine life and sense of returning home that the migrants have. Those alike in their origins gravitated together, for mutual support. Reminders of their war-torn homelands and poor living conditions created a lonely and dismal atmosphere, for most of the migrants hoping to find a sense of home and acceptance, were given little chance, painting a vivid portrait of the migrant experience Belonging is a universal desire to feel a sense of acceptance and appreciation with particular people, groups or places. This transitory process is central to how we define ourselves and view the world around us. The poem ‘Postcard’ by Peter Skrzynecki explores the emotions conjured as the arrival of a postcard for his parents of their homeland Poland is sent to him. As Skrzynecki’s culture is different from his parents, this poem represents an emotional journey in hoping to find a sense of affiliation with ‘Warsaw’ an “old town”, the past with the present. The connotation of the title ‘Postcard’ is viewed as insignificant by the poet and reader at this stage, however this is juxtaposed by the intense emotional journey is brought about by something seemingly unimportant shown throughout the entire poem. “A postcard sent by friend, Haunts me” is the first lines of the first stanza in the poem which is an immediate and intense start to the poem and juxtaposes the title ‘Postcard’ and shows that the postcard has had an immediate emotional impact by receiving it. The poem is significant as it represents Skrzynecki’s parents culture, by showing the picture of Warsaw, this is what affects Skrzynecki the most, as it is symbolic of Skrzynecki’s sense of disconnection to his parents and in particular their heritage. The personification “Warsaw, Old Town; I never knew you” demonstrates the outcast feeling Skrzynecki has towards Warsaw as he speaks to the postcard in 2nd person, also showing he has nothing in common with the place. Repetition of “I never knew you” also displays Skrzynecki’s failure to find his cultural identity, yet at the same time expressing the importance of his Polish background through, "We will meet, before you die” Skrzynecki through his personal struggle invites the readers to participate. This causes a sense of confusion, which once again relates to Skrzynecki’s identity and sense of fulfilment in finding a sense of home within his cultural background. It is here that though the journey is shown to continue, the poet allows the reader to participate due to its ambiguous ending. Thus, allowing the responder to form a deeper understanding of the concept of belonging. The intrinsic nature of mankind can arguably be described as one’s wish to develop a sense of connection to one another, and this desire to make connections can be described as the wish to belong. An individual’s sense of belonging can be shaped by numerous elements of their interactions with other people and places. The Arrival by Shaun Tan invites the responder to walk in other people’s shoes in this case migrants. The graphic novel allows the responder to feel the hardships of the protagonist and an insight into what it would be like to be a migrant themselves. This feeling of contemplation and empathy is achieved through a number of techniques from the start to the finish of The Arrival. The image on the first title page of The Arrival, which shows the title in a foreign and unknown language, allows the responder to contemplate what it would be like to be a migrant themselves. The unknown language gives the responder an understanding of what it would feel like to go to a new country where everything is completely foreign. This helps the responder understand the confusion and alienation that migrants face when confronting different cultures and languages. Throughout the novel the protagonist meets other migrants who tell their stories. These stories are of the typical migrant, who have left their home because of lack of freedom, fear of prosecution or because of destruction due to war. These stories are portrayed through flashbacks. The dark backgrounds of these flashbacks symbolise as well as emphasises the horrors previously experienced by the migrants. The book moves effortlessly from sepia-toned photographic panels, also the absence of written description also plants the reader more firmly in the shoes of an immigrant character. There is no guidance as to how the images might be interpreted, and we must ourselves search for meaning and seek familiarity in a world where such things are either scarce or concealed. Words have a remarkable magnetic pull on our attention, and how we interpret them can often let that rule their imagination. The reproduction with his book of an olden-day styled leather bound book initiates the reader to view the historical context of what they are reading, and to help with understanding the complex migrant experience. Through deep analysis of Peter Skrzynecki’s poem ‘Migrant Hostel’ and ‘Postcard’ and exploring Shaun Tan’s graphic novel ‘The Arrival’ it has been evident to view the dynamic process of belonging being a challenge hard to overcome and even impossible to forget. The various literary and visual techniques within these texts it has been clearly shown the profound impact of shared experiences such as the migrant experience, forming relationships and finding a sense of home contributing to ones development of themselves , the world around them and developing a sense of belonging.