How Does Rainbow's End Relate To Belonging

917 Words4 Pages
‘Perceptions of belonging are shaped within personal, cultural, historical and in social contexts’ Individuals often face challenges of overcoming multiple barriers of not belonging due to their cultural or historical background that highly affects them from being accepted, as well as the concept of trying to adopt with people or the environment surrounding them. These notions are portrayed in Jane Harrisons play ‘Rainbow’s End’ and Claude Mckay’s poem ‘America’. Both of these texts represent perceptions of belonging through cultural contexts. In Jane Harrison’s play ‘Rainbow’s End’ it explores an isolated indigenous family that are determined in improving their sense belonging within the environment they foster. The text presents techniques from each character in order to understand Harrison’s interpretations of the differences between cultures. The barriers of belonging to white society strongly…show more content…
Gladys strong desire to be accepted into the white community shown through the repetition of ‘white’ and cleanliness throughout the play, showing that she isn’t able to reach a state of mind in which she feels accepted. As with Dolly she’s a lost girl trying to find her true identity and sense of belonging, but then comes to a realisation that where she is, is where she truly belongs, by the help of an Australian boy. Claude McKay’s also presents perceptions of culture belonging with his poem ‘America’, presenting his interpretations of his belonging into the country and points out his emotions as well by comparing it with motherly characteristics. Both of these texts all have one thing in common which is having two cultures trying to belong within the society, the Indigenous people and African American people confronting he same confliction of equal rights among

More about How Does Rainbow's End Relate To Belonging

Open Document