Essay

Inherent in our sense of belonging to a group, a place or a culture is an understanding of the world, of others and of ourselves. At the same time, a sense of belonging is also fostered by others’ understanding and acceptance of us. These themes are explored in the novel “The China Coin”, written by Alan Baillie, and the film “Billy Elliot” by Stephen Daldry as well as ‘Looking for Alibrandi” by Kate Woods. In the novel, “The China Coin”, a Eurasian girl travels to her mother’s country in search of the other half of a broken coin, but through her experiences comes to richer understanding of her ethnicity and her family and herself, and in doing so broadens her sense of belonging in the world. In the beginning of Leah’s journey to China, we can feel her unhappiness and see that she does not feel a sense of belonging to china. She feels alienated towards China as she identifies herself solely as an Australian and not as a Chinese, as her internal monologue reveals “Couldn’t the woman see' She was not Chinese, not even ABC-Australian born Chinese” the use of repetition and emotive language “I hate it, I hate China” emphasizes Leah’s negative attitude towards China, as well as trivialized understanding of it. Gradually Leah develops a deeper connection with her mother and she begins thinking of her identity and her Chinese background. “For the first time Leah was thinking of Joan’s family as her family. Joan’s grandfather was her great grandfather, Joan’s father was her grandfather” the use of the third person describes Leah’s evolving feelings towards her family and China. Through her connection to her family, she come to better understand her own identity, and begins to find a place for China within it. Leah’s changing perspective towards China and her place within it is emphasized by the use of italics, “ this time she really want to be part of the family,” showing she now felt that she belonged in China, within the comfort and security of the family. Leah opens up and begins to enjoy herself because she knows more about who she is, what she want and where she belongs. With an improved understanding of herself, she knows more about her world, and accepts her Chinese identity. The film “Billy Elliot” by Stephen Daldry also illustrates the relationship between understanding oneself and finding a sense of belonging. As a member of working class family, living in a humble home in a mining town, Billy’s artistic spirit is out of place and unappreciated. The opening scene Billy’s joyous, carefree dance to his brother’s record is juxtaposed against a background of shabby, plain yellow wallpaper. Billy’s face rises into the frame, and drops out of it again, symbolizing the as yet incomplete and emerging nature of his sense of self. The following scene, to his ballet teacher’s daughter, he says: “I feel like a right sissy”, conveying Billy’s confusion about dancing. While when Billy is dancing he feels free and relaxed, his traditional thinking causes him discomfort, isolation and alienation within his family and community. Thus from this environment of alienation, a barrier to Billy’s sense of belonging, it is through self motivation that Billy comes to understand dancing as an unalienable part of himself, and pursues it despite discouragement from his family. He attends lessons in secret and practices extensively in his own bedroom, bathroom, and wherever else he can get home privacy. The use of montage is employed by Daldry to convey Billy’s desire to find himself in the world of ballet, his transaction and determination from the world where he feels marginalized to the world where he belongs. Eventually, having seen Billy’s talent for ballet, Jackie supports Billy’s interest. The symbolism of the picket line represents the divide between two worlds: the working class world to which Billy and his family belong, and the higher cultured society to which Billy needs entry in order to fulfil his dreams. Billy’s father’s attempt to cross the picket line thus represents his new understanding of his son, effectively bridging the gap in belonging between father and son. Thus, through Billy’s understanding of himself, as well the understanding of his father, Billy finds a place to belong, socially and within his family. Similar to “The China Coin”, the film “Looking for Alibrandi” directed by Kate Woods, deals with belonging in terms of culture and family. Josie Alibrandi is confused about where she belongs in her family, and which culture, Italian or Australian, she belongs to. Like Leah Ji against her Chinese heritage, Josie rebels against her Italian heritage throughout the film. Her attitude towards her Italian family is symbolized by the use of colour. The colour red is the most frequently worn colour by the Alibrandi family. Red is the colour of the love and bond of the family, and the tomatoes which represent Italian culture. In sharp contrast, Josephine’s school uniform is a cool blue colour, representing Josie’s break away from the sense of belonging to her family and to her Italianness. Josie’s resistance to her Italian heritage comes from within her family, through her embarrassment at their ways, as well as from the racist taunts of her classmate, Carly. Throughout the novel, Josie gradually comes to learn more about her family. By learning about her grandma’s secret affair with an Anglo-Saxon man, and growing closer with her estranged father, Michael, Josie develops a better understanding of her place within her family and as an Italian. She realizes “I know not that what’s important is who I feel I am. I am Christina and Michael’s daughter, and Katia’s granddaughter. And we’re not cursed, we’re cursed.” The use of an aeroplane in the final scene of the film symbolizes her new found understanding and sense of belonging within her family and culture, as she has “arrived.” “The China Coin,” “Billy Elliot” and “Looking For Alibrandi” each deal with the relationship between one’s understanding of themselves and the world around them. By reaching a new understanding of oneself, one can better appreciate where one belongs.