Essay

Belonging can be defined as “happiness felt by a secure relationship”. The various authors and poets including Shaun Tan, Julie Gregory and Peter Skrzynecki use connections between individuals and family to depict the importance of belonging and the struggle of not belonging. The novel, Sickened, by Julie Gregory illustrates the depression and despair of a young child overcoming abuse within the home, aiming to escape into what she feels is the “other side of the world”. Similarly the picture book, The Red Tree by Shaun Tan also illustrates the desperate need to escape from reality. Both characters within these novels share common purposes and identify with the audience’s emotions as they aim to find a sense of belonging within their environments. Peter Skrzynecki, a well-known poet, depicts the same emptiness or sense of not belonging in his poems such as Migrant Hostel and Feliks Skrzynecki. The poem, Migrant Hostel, by Peter Skrzynecki details the historical aspect of Migration in the 1950’s and the physical appearance of his home within the Hostel. The connection between acceptance and connection with his new location within the Hostel is lost as he is excluded. Evidence of these factors include “That left us wondering, who would be coming next…” depicting the crowded blocks or cages within the Hostel catering for the many immigrants. This quote also shows the constant cycle or interchange of people entering and leaving. Strong examples such as “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, similar to that of homing pigeons’ and the imagery they depict of freedom that is caged. Lastly, the quote “unaware of the seasons…” gives evidence of the lack of control or sense of belonging that Skrzynecki has, thus exploring the sense of not belonging. Feliks Skrzynecki is a poem written by Peter Skrzynecki exploring the inclusive world of family and the non-biological connection that Peter Skrzynecki has with his father, Feliks Skrzynecki. This poem shows the conflicting perceptions which drives the poem, communicating about his feelings towards his biological home in Poland and his home with Feliks Skrzynecki, his adoptive father. The sense of not-belonging stems from the quote, “…cement fingers with cracks”, contrasting between the strength of cement and the cracks showing the breaking down of strength. Quotations such as “horses they bred, pigs they were skilled in slaughtering…” aim to connect Peter Skrzynecki with a sense of physical strength or masculinity which allows him to belong to his own inclusive group. Finally, “…polish friends” shows Skrzynecki’s ability to connect with his Polish cultural group of which he at times feels he cannot connect to biologically, yet culturally he is able to accept belonging into this group.