Journeys_Essay_-_T.S_Elliot,_Phillip_Otto_Runge,_Gwen_Harwood_&_Melina_Marchetta

Journeys lead to greater understanding. The notion of an ambiguous odyssey allows one to gain self-awareness, discover flaws and weaknesses as well as achieve spiritual enlightenment through physical, inner or imaginative journeys. The idea that journeys can lead to better appreciation and knowledge is explored in T.S Elliot’s poem “The Love Song Of J. Alfred Prufrock”, Phillip Otto Runges artwork Dawn, Gwen Harwood’s poem In the Park and Melina Marchetta’s novel, Looking For Alibrandi. That Journey’s lead to greater understanding is seen in T.S Elliots “The Love Song Of J. Alfred Prufrock”, where the protagonist goes on an emotional journeys in which he gains self-awareness and knowledge of his isolated and insignificant state. Through the progression of the poem, the use of interior monologue displays his consciousness state whilst the paradoxical use of parenthesis undermines his overall esteem. The idea of self-discovery is evident through rhetorical questions “Do, I Dare'” and this helps to reflect and question his lack of action. Prufrock metaphorically associates himself with a “pair of ragged claws”. The use of animal imagery characterizes him as a mindless creature that is a more primitive form of life. The concept of himself as “scuttling across the floor of silent seas” denotes his lack of direction in life and the sibilance used helps to heighten his submersion. Prufrock further explores his identity on his inner journey through his connection to Shakespearean allusions. His reference to Hamlet allows him to recognise that he is not a “Fool”. It can be concluded that J. Alfred Prufrock’s self-consciousness is enhanced through his use of inner journeys thus allowing him to achieve a better understanding of himself. Similarly, the artwork “Dawn” by Philipp Otto Runge, explores how imaginative journeys can lead us to spiritual enlightenment and a greater connection with other worlds. The painting displays the concepts of different human stages in the cycle of birth and death by harmonising nature and innocence in an allegorical approach. The vector trails the eyes from bottom to top, displaying the direction of transcendence unto heaven, symbolizing the never-ending path of a spiritual plane that journeys encompass. Imaginative journeys can be interpreted as limitless, where the temporal changes of morning to night denote the physical boundaries of the mortal world being lifted and surpassing into the divine. Symbolism of the light reflects the purity and innocence of the imaginative journey as the primal pastel blue and white colours reflect peace and freedom, indicative that the imagination is not definitive in its construction. This is further explored with the transparency of the angels that connotes guiltlessness, complemented with musical instruments, suggesting a harmonious experience in achieving inner peace. The synchronized elements of day and night therefore allows ones knowledge to be expanded through an imaginative journey, where the unrestricted enlightenment ultimately leads to spiritual restoration and glory. Contrasting to a sacred revelation, “In the Park” by Gwen Harwood depicts a woman’s evolved inner reflection on motherhood while sitting in a park with her children. The structure of the poem makes an ironic use of sonnet, showing the lack of love and romance this woman acquires. Her journey shocks her into reflection as she realises the banality of motherhood of which she is ashamed and consequently forces us to recognise the unfavourable. The opening use of short concise sentence structure coupled with monosyllabic words in “she sits in the park” highlights this woman’s mundane life. The “aimless patterns” are a symbolic metaphor that is indicative of the forwardness in her life. The onomatopoeic “tug” connotates her descent, thus indicating that journeys can be a harsh realisation of reality. Furthermore, the inner journey can lead to self-destruction of identity and reflections on ones reality. By reminiscing on fond memories, “someone she loved once passed by-“ denotes her isolation from passionate emotions, where the enjambment suggests a break in her thoughts. Harwood dictates that self-discovery within an emotional journey entitles one to reminisce on fond memories but too on things that didn’t eventuate such as unrequited love and unfulfilled potential. Likewise, the journey to greater understanding is prevalent in Melina Marchetta’s novel, “Looking For Alibrandi”. Josephine “Josie” Alibrandi pursues a journey into adolescence, which acts as a catalyst for a reflective journey. Through a 3rd person narrative style, Josie embarks on an inner journey of self-discovery to accept her cultural roots. In her journey of discovery, Josie struggles to understand when a student dubs her as a “wog”, however during the year of school she discovers how to accept her racial difference as well as learning to liberate it as a part of her inner-journey as seen when she openly states “…I’ll look at them and say I’m an Australian with Italian blood flowing rapidly through my veins. I’ll say that with pride”. Essentially, through lack of empathy, understanding and knowledge, Josie’s relationship with her ‘nonna’ is affected when she regards her to being “boring” and her nurturing makes her want to “puke”. However, the characterisation of Josie becomes prominent through handling maturity emotions, and eventually recognises her nonna as one of the “most influential women” in Josies life. Through a personal diary-style, we are given an insight of innermost thoughts and emotions which vary and change in due course of her ‘[look] for Alibrandi’, metaphorically a part of Josephine that endeavours a journey of identity. T.S Elliot, Phillip Otto Runge, Gwen Harwood and Melina Marchetta’s accentuate the idea that the explorations of inner, imaginative and physical journeys are highly substantial to our understanding and therefore reinforce the importance of achieved knowledge.