Belonging_Essay

QUESTION: Belonging to a community or group has significant impact on an individual’s sense of self. Belonging to a community or group does impact on an individual’s sense of self. The poet Peter Skrzynecki reveals various ways of belonging to a group or community, in one of Skrzynecki’s poem’s Feliks Skrzynecki finds belonging within his backyard; the same idea is followed in the poem 10 Mary Street as here a family feels a sense of belonging in their home. Post card is another poem that which communicates belonging to group providing him with a sense of identity. The poem Feliks Skrzynecki explores the relationship between Feliks and his garden; Feliks tries to find his sense of belonging in a new land. He devotes himself to his garden, the poet Peter Skrzynecki describes his father sweep the floors “ten times around the world” this hyperbole creates a sense of belonging, as this gives him a sense of control, basically a sense of identity. “Kept pace only with the Joneses” meaning that he would keep up with the trends which provides a sense of belonging into a community. The third stanza further builds on the sense of belonging to ones self as Peter Skrzynecki explains that Felik’s group of polish friend’s help provide belonging within each other while they reminisce about “farms where paddocks flowered, with corn and wheat.” The images of peace and security within his community are described in the poem “My father sits out/ watching the stars and street lights come on” this adds to Feliks sense of belonging, that he has managed to find, no matter of his memories of “forced labour”. In this poem Feliks Skrzynecki the audience is shown various ways of belonging either towards a group, place or community, nevertheless each element provides a significant impact on an individual’s sense of self. A group that can provide one’s sense of self is family, which is seen in the poem 10 Mary Street. This poem encapsulates the story of a family life, the house, the garden, the activates and daily routine are captured with effective imagery “we departed/ Each morning, shut the house like a well oiled lock” communicating that routine gives a sense of belonging and symbolism “tended roses and camellias like adopted children” here the garden is used symbolically as a place of belonging. In the poem a sense of familiarity is demonstrated, I quote “hid the key/ under a rusty bucket” communicating that they trust the neighbourhood, and in a way indicating a meaning an individual’s sense of self as it provides security and reliance within the community. Their house was the key element that linked them to belong to the community, however it was their home that provided them with the sense of belonging to a foreign land. “The house stands, in its china-blue coat” this literary technique is known as personification, which demonstrates the idea that it is more than a house, it is a family’s search and desire for security and identity, and also is symbolic of their belonging to this country. Another idea communicated in 10 Mary Street is that due to their home it has made them more of a family “we lived together” ‘we’ was used as an inclusive pronoun meaning family, is further seen when the poet Peter Skrzynecki mentions foods and drinks that brings them together “rye bread, drank raw vodka.” 10 Mary Street shows the audience that for one to belong it is significant that the area in which they live in is one they can feel secure in, which in turn helps create a sense of identity. Post card is a poem concerning a post card from a friend, which triggers a process of disturbance, reminiscence and inner turmoil for the persona’s sense of cultural identity. Initially the persona’s description of the scene in the image was dismissive; the composition of the image was described without enthusiasm. Words like “something/like a park” suggest the persona’s indifference to the scene, however his apparent disinterest the image’s “bright shade” compels him to consider it and so grabbing the persona’s attention, forcing him to engage with his sense of belonging to this place. This poem communicates a confusion of identity where the persona is aware that he had chosen to distance himself but he is not sure of what future choices he can make to reconcile his lack of connection to the city. However he then accepts that he belongs to his polish heritage and thus this group of people allowed the persona to be significantly impacted and in turn being part of his identity. Another text composed by Michael Hyde letters from Thailand is a short story presented in the form of letters. It explores the theme belonging as it demonstrates the differences of religion, appearance and principles. The short story also develops an understanding of mixed feelings, which is demonstrated through out the letters. While Andrew is living in Thailand he writes a series of letters to his loved ones, his best friend, his girl friend and his parents. The first letter written by Andrew starts with a chain of rhetorical questions “was it only two days ago I said goodbye' Was it only a few months ago I walked up Connelly Street everyday to catch my bus to school' This start is effective because it sets up a contrast between ‘there’ and ‘here’. In the beginning he feels a sense of not belonging, as the culture and language are different, plus he wasn’t familiar with the way of living. Due to his feelings of not belonging he felt that becoming a novice monk would lead to being accepted and therefore belong. However becoming a monk had taught him to appreciate their religion is shown when he writes to Emma “Buddhism is big here…it’s not locked away in churches.” Andrew connects with the place, the landscape and describes it to Emma “Standing on the plateau in the forest looking down on the…slabs of sunlight through the trees, the smell of wood fires from the village and stretched below was the loveliest painting of green” the good use of descriptive imagery makes the reader feel like they are present. Andrew additionally connected with the people “I’ve been walking around the village, chatting to people. It’s a very natural way to live.” This reveals to the audience that Andrew learned to value a different way of living and thus shaping his identity within the community. A group and/or community does impact an individuals sense of self, as shown in Feliks Skrzynecki his garden allowed him to belong;10 Mary Street conveyed understanding of a family’s sense of identity due to their home; Post card provided an insight into his polish community that created part of his identity and lastly the related text Letters to Thailand provide a sense of search for identity and finding it within the community of a foreign country.