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The Simple Gift and Related Text ‘Prisoner of Society’ by The Living End Belonging is a complex and multifaceted notion, with many dynamics determining the feeling of inclusion. To each individual, belonging has a different meaning and it is shown through their mannerism or habitat. “The Simple Gift” by Steven Herrick deals with the concept of belonging through focus on characters with diverse social situations and expressing their emotions concerning self-identity and surroundings. Similar concepts of belonging are brought out in the song “Prisoner of Society” by The Living End. Both texts encompass the idea of belonging to society through conformity and entertain notion of belonging through rebelling against societal norms. The words that are sung by the character reveal that he belongs to a faction who chooses not to belong. Throughout the song, he constantly repeats ‘we’, indicating that he is speaking on behalf of his generation, who do not want to belong to the adults of the older generation. He does not want to be governed by these people and be told what to do. This song is mostly composed of repetition which elucidates the message that each line presents. Ending the song, the word ‘society’ is repeated eight times and emphasized greatly, highlighting the primary discrepancies between ‘them’ and ‘society’. It is used to show that they are subject to the laws of the society they live in, and the authoritarians who control it. The composer compares two different times to show the changes that have occurred during the time between. “… Generation gap … past is in your head … futures in our hands”. This is directed towards the adults because the teenagers understand that everything changes with the progression of time. They know that the past remains unchangeable, and when the adults are becoming the elderly, the teenagers will determine the future the gap in the generations is where the adults retire and the teenagers become the society which has, until now, ruled over them. The teenager in the song has a similar personality and belief to Billy in “The Simple Gift”. They both defy the rules set by adults and thus are prone to rebel against anything they do not agree with. In the poem “Longlands Road” the audience is informed that Billy’s neighbour Mrs Johnston’s mailbox had been left vandalised after he “took to it with a cricket bat”. Billy’s rebellious attitude is also shown in the poem “Wentworth High School” where he writes on the window of his class “may you all get well and truly stuffed” and signs it with “Billy Luckett rhymes with…” This shows that he was a student with strong feelings of animosity towards his teachers; feelings he felt compelled to act on. Billy deliberately disobeys his teacher, an attitude that is also expressed in the song “we don’t need no-one like you to tell us what to do”. This is a clear statement indicating that he and the other teenagers prefer to make their own decisions without conforming to the expectations of adults and the rest of society. This is also shown in another line from the song where he says “I’m not listening to anything you say”; a quote that is directed at the adults and concisely expressing that he is unwilling to abide by their conventions. The singer and Billy are both teenagers with few differences. One who believes they are always right and the latter who is doing what he does, even if it is morally questionable. The singer says “I know everything” which shows that he is confident in his opinion and actions. Billy Luckett says in “Kiss the dog” that he is “not proud of his behaviour but he knows it is the right decision to make. Billy’s ultimate feeling of belonging is complete once he makes love to Caitlin. He has found security in someone’s heart and he has found a place in theirs. This is Billy’s definition of belonging, not the feeling of being wealthy, or many friends, but a true emotional connection with one person. This is exemplified by his words ‘with nothing you’re rich’ which means money has no meaning to him. He believes those who are rich, do not know the true value of having everything and states the paradox to the wealthy to ‘go back to being rich and penniless again’. The defining contrast between Billy and the singer is that the singer has associated himself with the entirety of his generation; each nurturing the same beliefs and attitude. He refers to them as a group, saying ‘we’ do not listen to ‘you’. Billy, on the other hand, does not belong to a group of people who are disagreeing with the adults. He disassociates himself from the other students who are willing to listen to the teachers. He has left the group of students and become a rebel and has become someone who does not belong to anyone or anything. Another character in “The Simple Gift” who feels a sense of isolation is Old Bill, the homeless man who Billy met at the abandoned carriages. Previously, he was a rich man, with a wife and daughter, but they both passed away and he left his home to live as a homeless person. By leaving his home untouched, he has left behind all his memories of his previous life and has begun one of isolation, without a family, job or money. Through Old Bill, the responders perceive a different concept of truly belonging; one that places family at the epicentre of completeness in one’s life. Caitlin is a character in “The Simple Gift” who is a prime example of someone who remains in the grey zones of belonging. She goes to a rich school along with every other rich teenager in the city, but what she wanted was to go to the plain school along with her previous friends and feels as though she has lost a part of her now that she cannot be with them. She is looking forward to the future, and ‘can’t wait for university so she can leave home’. Ironically, the one place she does not feel ‘at home’ is at home. For her, home is not home as she feels uncomfortable around her parents who do not understand what she wants. She finds a sense of affinity as she meets Billy and she soon comes to realize that he is who she wants to be with. Unlike the singer of ‘Prisoner of Society’ Billy learns to love and finds his place in the world, beside his Caitlin. Their first encounter is at Caitlin’s work, McDonalds, where she is cleaning the floors and he is scavenging for food. Herrick has established this effectively to show that they are distinct beings; one who is working, and one who is homeless and desperate for food. A relationship has centred Billy and his life has direction, routine and meaning now. From daily events to relationships, humans struggle to belong as they attempt to exceed the expectations of others and themself in general. “The Simple Gift” characters, Billy, Old Bill, and Caitlin, are apt examples of individuals who have struggled to overcome the oppressive expectations of others and have aspects of belonging and not belonging integrated into their lives through themes of family, society and comfort zones. The singer of “Prisoner of Society” has similarly endured hardship in their steps towards overcoming the authority of society and has tried to overcome his perceived incarceration as a “prisoner of society”.