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Essay 1
ENG0902
Professor Varrone
French philosopher Gabriel Marcel famously took an absolute stance on the impact of
place on people: “An individual is not too distinct from his place. He is his place.” Although
not everyone identifies with such a firm position on the importance of place, it is undeniable
that a sense of place is a part of human self-identity, the extent of which varies from person to
person. The bond between a place and its inhabitants has been extensively explored in literature
since the beginning of time, and even more so during this modern time of global
interconnectedness. Two notable literary works, Wilfred McClay’s essay “Why Place Matters”
and Ann Daum’s short story “Those Who Stay and Those Who Go”, offer two profound
perspectives on people’s attachment to place. While McClay claims a sense of place serves as
the basis for a strong personal identity and grounding for self-development, Daum’s story
proves that remaining in one place may have detrimental effects on realizing one’s full
potential. In my opinion, McClay’s right about the human need to hold on to a place to stabilize
their personal identity; however, such need is only as healthy as the place’s worthiness as a
In his essay “Why Place Matters”, Wilfred McClay delves deep into the meaning of
place in the world of increasing globalization and technological innovations. He argues that
human beings are vulnerable to life’s changes and therefore have a deep need for a place -
something that is permanent and long-lasting, which helps “anchor our memories in something
more substantial than our thoughts and emotions” (McClay 1). A place means more than merely
a physical space; it is alive with its own history, culture and continuous social and political
human activities. However, technological and social changes are making physical locations
less important in our lives by increasing global mobility and erasing geographical barriers. To
the author, this is problematic as place serves as the critical underpinning not only for diversity
and history, but also for healthy and resilient individual identity. Human identity without a
healthy place attachment is as incomplete as plants without roots in the ground: deprived of a
I agree with McClay’s argument that physical place has a significant role in personal
identity. In fact, there is a dedicated discipline within environmental psychology called “place
attachment” that studies the bond between human beings and place. According to this theory:
positively affected bond to place known as place attachment” (Morgan 11). The more we are
familiar with a place, the more it subconsciously becomes an extended part of ourselves. We
associate our feelings, whether negative or positive, to that landscape and that geographical
spot.
Therefore, McClay’s claim that our personal identity is disrupted when the physical
location is unsettled is justifiable; however, the extent of the disturbance is arguable. When the
physical location is destroyed, there is obviously a mismatch between our mental model of the
world, where the attached place is still intact, and the external reality of the place no longer
there. Nonetheless, how much will this insecure place attachment undermine our ability to
move on and thrive? Will our world come tumbling down when we hear the news that our
beloved childhood home is destroyed? Or will we dwell in nostalgia for a moment and carry
on with our lives because where we are in life now is more important and immediate than where
we were? For most people, I imagine the experience will be more similar to the latter, unless
personal development and achievement, yet this conclusion is only correct as long as the place
– as defined by McClay as the geographical spot and more importantly all human phenomena
(history, tradition, society, culture, etc.) associated with it – is set up for individual freedom
and success. If the place is progressive, McClay’s argument holds true. However, if the place
is filled with outdated and restricting traditions and is nothing but a smothering environment
that holds people back, the need for place attachment will have the opposite effect of setting
people free. Not all places are equal, and arguably, there are more places that were set up to
suppress individual liberty and prosperity than there are to facilitate them. Moreover, not all
human beings are equal: whether a place supports or hinders his/her success is greatly
dependent on the individual’s position in the social order. This is evident in countries with
grave sexism, racism, prejudice and discrimination problems, where individuals who possess
certain characteristics receive substantially more privileges than those who don’t. Therefore,
whether it is better to hold on to one’s roots depends on the quality of the environment and the
Ann Daum’s story “Those Who Stay and Those Who Go” is a perfect example of the
and traditional small town with the same routine activities. There are very few services here:
four gas stations, several restaurants, one telephone repair services, one bar and four hotels,
etc. Therefore, many people leave this place to seek better opportunities elsewhere. Those who
decide to stay live small and predictable lives: besides working at one of the above jobs, having
children is a given. Their other joys are going to church and study groups, taking care of their
children and using alcohol to forget the loneliness. The stayers are confined within the invisible
boundary surrounding the town, physically and mentally. There aren’t many travelers who visit
this town, and even if there are, they would be unwelcomed as the town’s inhabitants are
resistant and mistrustful of outsiders, even the ones who have lived their childhood in the town
before they left. Evidently, this is not a favorable environment for happily permanent settlement
We can see in Daum’s writing the need for McClay’s “thereness” – something tangible
to hold onto to feel safe and to preserve their identity. The narrator left this town for 8 years to
go to college and she could’ve left for good; however, she came back every summer during
college and eventually decided to move back in town permanently. Why would she move back
to a place filled with sadness, loneliness, alcoholism, unspoken domestic violence, where her
people isolate her now for having left and her degrees and outside experience is not
appreciated? “Somehow I don’t belong anywhere but inside myself, and sometimes even there
I’m restless. What keeps me in South Dakota?” It is the scenic beauty of nature, or is it a bygone
sense of belonging that the narrator tries to find it in this old town? There is no denying that
the author needs the town as it has always been a part of her life and her identity, but the
important question remains: maybe she could’ve been happier somewhere else - where she has
no personal history with and the landscape is different, but the people actually understand and
accept her. This text proves McClay’s idea that place attachment can have significant impact
on our lives; however, it also demonstrates that the bond between place and people is not
Living in South Dakota is even more tragic for those who never left. The narrator’s old
friend, Jackie, never got the chance to experiment and experience the world outside of her town.
She followed traditions: got married, has kids and works at a hardware store. The narrator saw
Jackie with bruises in high school, and when she saw her again years later, she still had bruises
under her eyes. After years, even though the circumstances were different, she never escaped
the abuse cycle. This defies McClay’s point that a place’s traditions and culture should be
preserved to protect global diversity and variety. Murdo’s traditions and patterns are well
preserved, but in this case, protection of a toxic culture is destructive. Murdo would be better
In short, McClay’s essay and Daum’s story both demonstrate geographical locations
are of great importance to people’s identity. However, permanent settlement in one place can
responsibility to use their judgement instead of emotions to step out of the comfort of
familiarity upon finding out that their current position no longer contributes to their well-being.
Works Cited
Wilfred M. McClay & Ted V. McAllister, editors. Why Place Matters : Geography, Identity,
and Civic Life in Modern America. New York :Encounter Books, 2014. Print.