Belonging Essay
Belonging encases the intrinsic human experience through which individuals strive towards various affiliations within their microcosm of social dealings. An individual’s ability to attain belonging is heavily reliant on their prowess to develop relationships with others and their surrounding landscape. This dichotomy of belonging and not belonging is explored by the 1975 Peter Skrzynecki poem Feliks Skrzynecki and the 1998 memoir Romulus My Father by Raimond Gaita which utilise techniques such as narration and metaphors to accentuate the experiences of belonging and not belonging within their respective protagonists.
The theme of belonging attained through significant human relationships is epitomised in the memoir Romulus My Father by Romulus establishing a “community of honourable men” with Hora in response to the Australian community which they perceive as “lacking in karacter”. The establishment of this “community” is symbolic of the deep intrinsic bond that has been founded between Romulus and Hora, through which they experience belonging. Moreover Romulus if finally able to develop significant human relationships at Christine’s funeral, symbolised by the narration “we came together as a son and husband, with the woman whose remains lay beneath us” which utilises a reminiscent tone to reinforce Romulus’ experience of belonging. In addition Raimond’s significant relationship with Romulus is alluded to in the narration “whenever I rode with my father, no matter how fast he drove I always urged him to drive faster” which shows Raimond’s unconditional trust and devotion to Romulus, through which he finds belonging in his father. This facet of belonging is paralleled by the poem Feliks Skrzynecki as the father too experiences belonging through the development of significant interpersonal relationships. This is evidenced by the narration “they reminisced/about farms where paddocks flowered” which is symbolic of the human relationship established between the
The theme of belonging attained through significant human relationships is epitomised in the memoir Romulus My Father by Romulus establishing a “community of honourable men” with Hora in response to the Australian community which they perceive as “lacking in karacter”. The establishment of this “community” is symbolic of the deep intrinsic bond that has been founded between Romulus and Hora, through which they experience belonging. Moreover Romulus if finally able to develop significant human relationships at Christine’s funeral, symbolised by the narration “we came together as a son and husband, with the woman whose remains lay beneath us” which utilises a reminiscent tone to reinforce Romulus’ experience of belonging. In addition Raimond’s significant relationship with Romulus is alluded to in the narration “whenever I rode with my father, no matter how fast he drove I always urged him to drive faster” which shows Raimond’s unconditional trust and devotion to Romulus, through which he finds belonging in his father. This facet of belonging is paralleled by the poem Feliks Skrzynecki as the father too experiences belonging through the development of significant interpersonal relationships. This is evidenced by the narration “they reminisced/about farms where paddocks flowered” which is symbolic of the human relationship established between the