Inner_Journey

“Inner journeys are both challenging and rewarding” Do you agree' Discuss. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”, Lao- Tzu. An inner journey is one of spiritual, mental or emotional transition that people undergo throughout their lives. Inner journeys are both challenging and rewarding that can lead to a sense of enlightenment, self- discovery and to a greater understanding of not only one’s self but also of the world. Journeys, inevitably, do not lie at the destination but rather are experienced during the triumph over milestones. The journey leads the traveller to be “blessed and altered”. Such powerful journeys include those in Sally Morgan’s autobiography My Place (1987) and the feature article “Cat Stevens: Two Lives” by William Langley (Australian Women’s Weekly, May 2002). These two texts convey the unique concept of the inner journey and the inevitability that they are everlasting, infinite and they both challenge and reward the protagonist as well as responders. Journeys are diverse; however, obtain a commonality for revealing meaning. An inner journey has no end, but rather an opening of new doors to opportunities evident through the greatest journey of all; life. The first text My Place is a post- colonial text chronicling the life of Sally Morgan, an Aborigine and her “tentative search for knowledge”. Throughout the voyage Sally learns of her cultural heritage and identity as an Aborigine. “You’re Indian darling, tell them you’re Indian”. The quotation is an obvious catalyst indirectly used by Gladys to answer Sally’s persistent questioning of their cultural heritage. The embarrassment of being Aboriginal is too difficult to bear, “God of all things, we’re Aboriginal,” “it’s a terrible thing to be Aboriginal”, and thus leading to the deprivation of Sally’s self- understanding. This acts as a catalyst to further her search for self identity, through maturation and self awareness. “We had an Aboriginal consciousness now and we were proud of it”. Furthermore, My Place recounts a shared journey undertaken by Gladys, Arthur, Jill and Daisy like Sally’s for self acceptance and self identity, which demonstrates how people are both challenged and rewarded and mature throughout the journey. This anecdotal bildungsroman is evidently used to provide a further perspective to the story, to convey the change undergone as a result of her journey. In addition, My Place is a shared journey, whereby Sally’s sister Jill undergoes a journey of self acceptance and personal growth. Initially she is ashamed of her cultural heritage, “A boong. You know, Aboriginal. God of all things, we’re Aborigina,”, however, through a spiritual and mental transition of enlightenment and empowerment Jill embraces her Aboriginality, evidently during the trip to Corunna Downs, which acts as a catalyst, in chapter 28. She states “When this is over, I’m going to stand up and be counted”. This is an inevitable reflection of acceptance experienced by Jill as a result of her journey. Thus leading to Jill’s reward of self acceptance and belonging. Moreover, Sally’s use of the anecdotal bildungsroman evokes a sense of empathy with the responder through the use of first person perspective. The use of slang, Aboriginal vernacular and idiomatic language such as “mongrels”, “Boongs” and “blackfellas” creates a personal mood which clarifies the sense of despair and of displacement in themselves during their individual voyage. Also, the use of retrospective narration emphasises how certain challenges or obstacles are but minor setbacks to the journey and that through perseverance the protagonists are able to experience positive outcomes and rewards. “I knew there was nothing any of us could do to bring dad back and, to an extent, that was a relief.” Sally provides an insight to her mental journey and how her father’s violent drinking nature was an obstacle which was incredibly difficult to overcome. Sally also emphasises her father’s violent nature and unforgivable habits. “Dad argues with mum all the time… He was a rebellious man”. “The taste of beer sickened me … that was one tradition was one I was not going to maintain.” Another text which portrays inner journeys as both challenging and rewarding is the AWW feature article “Cat Stevens: Two Lives”, by William Langley. This text recounts the inner transformation of the British pop star Cat Stevens to the strict Muslim Yousuf Islam. A technique which is in use is that of chronologically divulging Stevens’ milestones like when he is given, a powerful catalyst, the Koran for Christmas. Stevens was challenged with the life threatening and near death experience of chronic illness which lead him to be liberated from the spotlight. Stevens’ journey correlates with the context of the infamous 9/11 attack in America, New York. Stevens is stereotypically and racially challenged by the public due to his religious beliefs of Islamism. This quite significantly correlates with Sally Morgan’s My Place as they are both outcasts from the modern day society. The spiritual and emotional transition was a cleansing experience and enlightening path. This led him to denounce “even his own songs as worthless frivolities”, portraying his journey from ignorance to spiritual enlightenment. In addition, the title of the article “Cat Stevens: Two Lives” serves as a double metaphor, contrasting the autonomy of Stevens to Islam and the juxtaposition presenting the transformation of the deep journey. The use of rhetorical questions gives the reader an insight into the mindset of Stevens, “Who was he'” “How can I deny them'” “Why is my life so empty'” affirming his need for self- identity, self- actualisation, thirst for knowledge and answers. The language used is informal, personal and engaging through first person perspective, “I never had a moment’s doubt or regret” … “I suppose that was destiny” creating a personal voicing. Thus, this text is like My Place as it evokes empathy and allowing the responders to be involved in the journey. Sally Morgan’s My Place and “Cat Stevens: Two Lives” by William Langley evidently correlate through the sense of a challenging journey with a reward of aesthetic self- acceptance, self-discovery and enlightenment. The protagonists Stevens and Morgan both undergo a journey of great difficulty for a desire to know and understand one’s self and their beliefs. They both are seen by their communities as outcasts and experience obstacles of great heights and racial discrimination. However, they experience spiritual enlightenment and empowerment, which are the ultimate goals in an individuals inner journey. In conclusion, the two texts My Place by Sally Morgan and “Cat Stevens: Two Lives” by William Langley prove that journeys are both challenging and rewarding. Through the use of techniques and textual features, the texts portray the inner journeys of Cat Stevens from ignorance to spiritual enlightenment and Sally Morgan from spiritual, cultural and emotional blindness to self- belief and self- acceptance. These texts reveal to the responder the power and significance of an inner journey. “There is no beginning and there is no end. Just the journey in- between.” Hence, this quotation clearly emphasises how the journey is long and tiring yet ultimately rewarding. Throughout the journey the toughest decisions receive the greatest rewards. The greater the difficulty of the journey, the greater the reward and sense of aesthetic self. These texts reveal the idea that the journey is far more significant than the destination and that belonging, enlightenment and self- acceptance are the rewards that make journeys worthy of admiration. Word Count: 1,219