Notes_on_Migrat_Hostel.

Migrant Hostel. Peter Skrzynecki Parkes 1949-1951. Stanza 1: - Unsettling so much change - “no one” indicates isolation among the masses of people. Feeling alone in the crowd. “Kept Count” so many of them, impossible to keep count, represents unsettlement. - Poem about ‘place’, place being the hostel. - ‘Parkes’ establishes that it’s a real place, establishing that the poem is real. It’s the truth, its a geographical place. - First stanza is fast pace, all one sentence, clear rhythm, the dash used represents beings cut of, so much going on, fast place, suggests movement. - ‘All the comings and goings’ suggests constant change, so sense of belonging or connections. - ‘Arrivals of the newcomers’ no one knows anyone, no one connects. - ‘Left us wondering’ sense of empathy felt. - Emphasis on ‘who’ would be coming next. Clear sense of uncertainty, disconnection. - ‘busloads, arrivals, comings and goings, station, adjoining, coming’ terms of movement, constant change and uncertainty. Stanza 2: - “Nationalities sought each other out instinctively” instinctively meaning naturally, unconsciously, like animals. It’s a basic need to be surrounded by familiarity, have a connection. - Continues tone of uncertainty. No pronouns are used, all written in third person, indicating that he’s watching from above, another form of disconnection. - “like a homing pigeon” simile. - “Circling to get its bearings” looking around to find things that are familiar, can relate to another or something they have in common. Circling highlighting the confusion, as going around in circles you become dizzy. - “bearings” a compass, loss of direction, trying to find where they fit in, loss of location. - “recognised by accents” = connections they have with others “years and place names” are identifications, connections, what people could connect with, similarities, connections of the past. - “partioned off at night” night reflecting the dark, they’re in a dark place emotionally. They’re isolated once again, not given the chance to settle in. - “Memories of hunger and hate” Europe, war, past experiences. ( Years they have all experienced, a connection ). - Detached tone as if he is watching. Stanza 1 & 2, shared past experiences, no sense of future, connection to past, isolation, confusion, detached, disconnection. Stanza 3: - Pronouns used ‘we’ creates a generalization meaning they’re all in this together, they’re sharing this experience right now, together, living confused and isolated. A form of connection to one another. Understand how each individual is feeling. - Emphasis on time ‘2 years’ Hostels are meant to be temporary. - “Birds of passage” birds that migrate, start a new life and mate in a new spot. Gives a sense of future, they’ve been forced into this new life. - “Always sensing a change” they rely on their human instincts in which the word sensing highlights. Constant confusion of what exactly the change may be, resulting in continuous feelings of isolation. - “Unaware of the season” once again, unaware of what will happen to them, unaware of where their future is to head. Confusion and isolation once again. -“ Whose track we would follow” dehumanising experience. They have no control of their future. - Confusion, isolation, oblivious, are all emotional barriers to belonging. Stanza 4: - “A barrier at the main gate”. An actual physical barrier to belonging. - “Sealed off the highway” dichotomy (separation between Aus and Migrants, also relates to the bridge in 10 Mary Street) Aus don’t want you to join, disrupt or disturb our culture, your way of life is wrong and we don’t want that being a threat to us. We’ll use you when we need you (labour, domestic etc). - “From our doorstep” they’ve finally formed a home together; they’ve shared this experience with one another connecting together, forming a sense of connection to place and each other. - “As it rose and fell like a finger” = boom gate, a physical barrier. Letting who Australia wants in and out of their land. Referring to it as a finger, anticipates that they persona is intimidated by it. Pointing as though you can come but YOU can’t. - “Pointed in reprimand or shame” (scold correct, shame) all negative. - “Needing its sanction” (permission) a physical barrier to belonging again. - “To pass in and out of our lives that had only begun or were dying” end of old life, go through the gate and live your new life. Forget about your old life, your culture etc. - Antithesis – contrast, underneath, alongside etc. - Stanza 4 gives hint of moving to the future.