To what extent have your perceptions of belonging been influenced by the texts you have studied? Refer to your prescribed text and at least one other text of your own choosing. Belonging or feeling as though you are an important part of a whole, is an essential part of an individuals’ understanding of life. If an individual does not feel as though they belong either to a group, place or community it can lead them to feel unsatisfied with their lives. This perception of belonging has been influenced by both Peter Skrzynecki’s ‘Immigrant Chronicle’ and Shaun Tan’s graphic novel ‘The Arrival.’ Cultural identity often plays a large role in our sense of self and allowing us to feel as though we belong.
Belonging can be described as the physical, social or emotional connection to other people or things. Security, happiness and comfort are common positive emotions that relate to the idea of a person belonging. Several views of the concept of belonging and not belonging are conveyed when analysing different texts.The poems ‘St. Patrick’s College’ and Feliks Skrzynecki by Peter Skrzynecki and the film Freedom Writers, directed by Richard LaGravenese denote these themes and ideas. Both Skrzynecki and LaGravenese incorporate language and film techniques in their texts to demonstrate different types of belonging and the different emotions that are felt when a person chooses to belong or not to belong.
Skrzynecki portrays persona’s that are influenced by his own experiences put in situations where the need to belong is challenged or embraced. Stability plays a
Changes in people’s lives affect their sense of belonging through obstacles and experiences that have involved change in a person’s life. Peter skrzynecki’s experiences expressed in “immigrant chronicles” shows how ones personal, social, emotional and especially cultural perceptions can change through obstacles faced. The idea of belonging is an important and fundamental value in our lives. Belonging most commonly emerges from experience and notions of identity, relationships, acceptance and understanding. Sense of belonging is represented in various ways throughout vvv.
FATHER/SON RELATIONSHIP Blacky’s relationship with his father is integral in moulding the adolescent that he is. Although the relationship between the two is clearly negative, it somewhat helps him to look past the fatherly influences, and to seek positive role models to assist him through the journey to maturity. Blacky’s self-esteem levels are low due to the negative relationship and he expects no support from his father. His relationship with his mother, the relationships he develops with other men assist Blacky in developing the courage to stand up for what he believes in. During the course of the novel of ‘Deadly Unna?’ the readers are exposed to the negativity between the father and his son.
With other workers around George becomes extra cautious of lennie as he cannot predict what actions lennie is capable of with different people around him now, not just George. A crucial part in the book that shows George’s true colours on how he feels about lennie is when he looks out and protects lennie from Curley who is the boss’ son. Curley really takes an eye to lennie and threatens him numerous amount of times. This then leads to George to become very protective over lennie showing that he cares deeply about lennie and needs to keep him apart from curely so there is no trouble between the two of them. A quotation to show that George puts all the negatives of lennie behind and looks out for him in an important situation is when he worries as he sees Curley for the first time and immediately spots trouble “ya know, lennie, I’m scared I’m gonna tangle with that bastard myself.
An individual’s sense of belonging is determined not only by their own choices but also by the attitudes of others. How accurately does this statement reflect the ideas represented in your prescribed text and ONE other related text of your own choosing? The sense of belonging that can be gained by being part of a community often means that collective identity is prioritised over the individual identity and sense of integrity. An individual may have to make a choice to belong which conflicts with the communal attitudes of a society. Drawing ideological parallels between 17th century Salem and his own experiences during the McCarthy witch-hunts of the 1950s, Miller sought to draw parallels between one of the “darkest periods in American history” and his present context, to highlight the destructive nature of mob mentality.
Although constant evil swirls around Bruno, he is able to hang on to his innocence, which shields him from the knowledge of the situation he is in, but ultimately leads to his and Shmuel’s downfall. Bruno’s innocence becomes quite apparent throughout the course of the novel. He portrays this childish innocence through his lack of understanding on many of the changes that have been happening in his life. Bruno portrays this quite clearly by asking his father : "Did you do something bad in work? I know that everyone says you're an important man and that the Fury has big things in mind for you, but he'd hardly send you to a place like this if you hadn't done something that he wanted to punish you for."
It was a reflex, a “survival of the fittest” reaction that Gene did out of anger, fear, and confusion. He is already the “odd one out” and Finny seems to be his only real friend. This secret would destroy Gene’s rekindled friendship with Finny that has reached a happy, placid level. Gene recalls, “I shoved my foot against the rung of his chair and kicked,” (145). He loses himself in his emotions, but he struggles to control himself while “evolving the right way” (125) in order to survive.
He was very unpopular, clinging close to Phineas, who was Gene’s only source of social interaction. When he was not with Phineas he would feel as if,” I would have lost face with Phineas, and that would have been unthinkable.”(Knowles Pg. 34) Gene did everything he could to stay in favor with Phineas, even by taking part in’ The Suicide Society’ (Knowles. 56-57), when he longed to be studying for examinations. Striving to be the best academically and to be so much like an adult, pressured Gene into thinking he had to be, ”serious sometime, about something.