AREA OF STUDY: BELONGING CONCEPT ESSAY

The instinctive desire to belong is a central aspect of human existence, as we are inherently bound to crave connection on both
a physical, emotional and spiritual level. Defined by the attachments we make to places, people and groups throughout our
lives, it is our perceptions of belonging or not belonging that ultimately colour both who are we are and how we interact with
the world around us. Thesis statement. This sentiment is explored in Peter Skrzyneckis influential poems Feliks Skryznecki
and St Patricks College from the anthology Immigrant Chronicles, where varying representations of connecting to an
unfamiliar environment are apparent. Complemented by Shaun Tans poignant picture book The Arrival which chart the
deepening of ones sense of belonging over time, the four texts together reveal...link to thesis statement.
Feliks Skryznecki, a paean to the poets father, explores the notion whilst we may be removed from our places of belonging,
the attachments we have formed are often deep and ingrained. For Feliks his Polish heritage is a key component of his identity,
and thus despite having migrated to a new setting his sense of belonging inevitably remains within Poland. The use of colorful
symbolism in the descriptions of the golden cypress and geraniums that border the garden highlights that rather than
assimilating, he chooses to recreate his European homeland within his own backyard. Yet In contrast to Feliks strong sense of
self, as a migrant child caught between two starkly different worlds Peter struggles to identify where it is he belongs.
Enjambment of Remnants of a language/I inherited unknowingly places emphasis on the unknowingly, poignantly conveying
both the second-hand nature of his cultural identity and the sense of disconnection that subsequently results. Attempting to
belong to a world of which he never knew directly, the negative connotations of his description as he laments the way his
fathers Polish friends/always shook hands too violently signifies both the discomfort and sense of exclusion in feels in their
presence. This suggests that whilst the father is able to obtain happiness and identity in a foreign homeland through the
maintenance of cultural ties, Peter figuratively perceives his heritage as the curse that damned rendering him unable to find
acceptance in both the old world and the new. Thus the metaphorical pegging of his tents further and further south of
Hadrians Wall historically symbolizes the barrier between father and son that Peter self- imposes as he chooses to protest his
inherent belonging to Polish culture rather than embrace it.
St Patricks College is a condemnatory reflection on the personas school experience, during which he never seemed to
establish any deep feelings of belonging or connection. There is an overarching sense that his belonging to St Pats was
imposed upon him rather than chosen, resulting in his resentment and perceived alienation within the school environment.
Despite eight years he still feels like a foreign tourist in the colleges surrounds, a powerful simile that captures the bewildering
sense of isolation one experiences due to a lack of belonging on a deeper level. The repetition of the time indicator eight years
thus implies school was endured by the persona rather than enjoyed marked by strong feelings of frustration and
disattachment in the restrictive setting. Ironically however, it also highlights the long length of time he was given to establish
connections but ultimately chose not to. The strict catholic rituals and traditions conflicting with the need to develop his own
identity, careful selection of the word carried in reference to his uniform implies belonging to the school was perceived as a
burden that only hindered personal growth. We can thus clearly see little effort was made to engage in both his education and
the school community, the anticlimax of him fervently counting the pages of his prayer book during the final mass illustrating
in partakes in its rituals and traditions without any appreciation of their deeper significance. Personification of St Marys statue
still watchingunchanged by eight years weather therefore symbolizes his failure to cultivate any feelings of attachment
since his arrival, and similarly to Feliks Skryznecki not belonging was to a large degree the personas own choice.
This alienation that results from a lack of connection is also the subject of Shaun Tans The Arrival, similarly capturing the
bewildering process of immigration as one struggles to establish a sense of belonging in a strange and unfamiliar land.
Through a series of wordless images it depicts the journey of a nameless man, forced by circumstance to exchange his world of
belonging for a distant land of opportunity. However upon arrival he finds himself in a puzzling city, the eerie imagery of
indecipherable symbols, geometric motifs and peculiar floating objects plunging the audience into the overwhelming sense of
disorientation and isolation experienced by those placed into surroundings they struggle to comprehend. Further compounded
by his loss of familial connection, the visual metaphor of the old world within the mans suitcase symbolizes his intense
longing for home and the resulting anxiety. However, in comparison to Skryznecki we can clearly see the migrant man makes a
conscious effort to interact with the new environment, and thus over time a strong sense of belonging is achieved. Although at
first everything seems strange and foreign, the gradual shift from sombre greyscale to warmer toned sepia captures the
acceptance and security gained through reaching out and forging connections with others. Thus reinforced by a poignant
flower sequence that represents the natural cycles of time, it becomes a powerful metaphor for belonging itself as a cycle
dependent upon readjustment to new conditions. Yet as a representation of his old culture, the motif of the origami bird the
man continues to carry symbolizes his retainment of cultural ties. Thus this newfound connection has only enriched his identity
rather than enveloped, poignantly conveying the complex nature of belonging as it constantly evolves throughout our lives.

A clear attempt to connect is also made in Bob Ellis nostalgic short story Beaches, which details his deepening and evolving
connection to the landscape of Fingal Bay, cultivated over time and strengthened by repeated interaction. The rich description
of his childhood memories with specific imagery such as jellyfish lazily floating emphasizes it is a place he knows extremely
well, and thus feels strong attachment. In contrast to the bleak imagery of the The Arrival, the poetic language and vivid
personification of the beach as a living entity flexing its muscles captures the deep relationship between man and his physical
environment. Intertwined with the most vital and magical experiences of Ellis adolescence, the nostalgic tone highlights Fingal
Bay has played a significant role in the development of his identity. Therefore, whilst over the years human interaction may
degrade the beach, the strong sense of attachment he feels will always continue to live on. It is time that has ultimately
cemented Ellis sense of belonging and the romantic simile like a dream of eternity further reinforces his undying appreciation
of the oceans beauty. Thus whilst as a child Ellis was immersed into the coastal environment by others, in the end it is his own
choice to embrace this connection and make the beach his metaphorical home.