Belonging In The Simple Gift

812 Words4 Pages
About Belonging Most people have a need to belong somewhere with someone. We dress a certain way, speak in a certain language, join groups, and communities. Belonging makes us feel secure in life, both emotionally and physically. Belonging also helps us discover our identity, and at times, through belonging we form a new identity, influenced by others. Belonging is a big concept in both the novel, The Simple Gift by Steven Herrick and the Japanese Song Strange Chameleon written by Wasao Nakayama the vocalist of a Japanese rock band The Pillows. Both of these texts use various techniques to connect with the audience. Both Herrick and Nakayama illustrate belonging referring to the terms…show more content…
In The Simple Gift Billy tries to forms a self defence towards Caitlin when he first sees her by rejecting her. “My first thought was to hate her because of her shiny watch and her perfect skin”P38.Billy is aware of Caitlin because she seems to be so different from him and he felt he would be judged by her. “and I knew she’d call the manager” P38 In Strange Chameleon the protagonist has a very low self esteem because he does not fit in. He feels that he doesn’t deserve his lover because of this. “Swimming in a dirty river with dirty me you were very beautiful.” Nakayama uses repetition to make the audience focus on thought that he sees him self as “dirty” and how he doesn’t deserve her. Belonging helps us to search for our identity. On the other hand identifying and categorising your self you can know where to belong or where not to belong. And people tend to feel insecure when they feel that they don’t belong or when they feel that they are being judged. Steven Herrick, the author of The Simple Gift by and the Wasao Nakayama, the composer of Strange Chameleon communicate this idea through the text affecting the audience by using techniques as first person, repetition, and

More about Belonging In The Simple Gift

Open Document