Belonging_Essay

Belonging Essay An individual’s perception of belonging evolves in response to the passage of time and interactions with their world. Through this essay we will see Strictly Ballroom by Baz Luhrmann and Neighbours by Tim Winton link together to show their individual perceptions of belonging. Some various film techniques that are shown in the dance federation of strictly ballroom shows the costume Scott wears, an open shirt or singlet, has loose floppy hair and a natural colour. Fran has natural curly hair. This shows contrast with artificial elements of strict dance federations. The lighting throughout the film shows how natural it is from the windows into the studio from the rooftop. Speech/dialogue shows that the speaker only belongs to the appearance of elegance, not the reality. Close-ups are shown to show that Fran does not belong and make mistakes wearing sandals and socks. Fran finds that she belongs in a relationship with Scott because she finds her moves with him are the right technique when they are up close together. Strictly Ballroom shows that when Fran shows her Spanish ethnicity Luhrmann further scopes for exploration of belonging and not belonging. It is shown when Scott stumbles towards Fran’s shop-front home, the cold blue light and blacks and greys of the scene create a dark, alien-environment. The heavy-featured face of Fran’s grandmother peers out of a dimly lit window, the bars of the window, creating a barrier between her and the outside world. Scott feels even more of an outsider when Rico’s face is angry and hostile. When Fran’s relatives challenge him to dance to a pasa doble, they are symbolically changing to prove he can belong in their world, that he has a right to associate with Fran. Before long, Scott is made welcome and Fran’s family share their wealth of music and dance with him in a scene which is now lit with warm, glowing gold light. At the end of the scene, the camera zooms slowly out of the happy dance world of their neighbourhood alongside a busy train line. As poor immigrants, they are marginalised in the wider community. The scene reveals that differences between people are superficial and common grounds for camaraderie can be quickly found when there is willingness to do so. Neighbours the short story shares the idea which explores the humanity in a neighbourhood of seemingly desperate people. Strictly ballroom shows that the story presents ethnic groups whose domestic routines are very from those of a suburban Anglo-Australian. It is the young Australian couple who are like Scott, humbled before the power of authentic and genuine warmth and inclusiveness Neighbours is a text that shows belonging, through the different cultures that live in the neighbourhood that show different affections on every neighbour. For e.g. when the young man and woman had lived their lives in the expansive outer suburbs where good neighbours were seldom, seen and never heard. The sounds of spitting and washing and daybreak came as a shock. The Macedonian family shouted, ranted and screamed. It took six months for the newcomers to comprehend the fact that their neighbours were not murdering each other, merely talking. The old polish man spent most of his day hammering nails into wood only to pull them out again. His yard was salvaged lumber. He added to it, but did not build with it. It has been proven to show that an individual’s perception of belonging evolve in response to the passage of time and interaction with their world. This was shown through both texts on how they both relate to life and belong and not belong in both ways.