Belonging Place
Finding a sense of belonging to a place can influence an individual’s sense of acceptance within the community and culture or opposingly can enhance their sense of isolation and alienation from society.This is reflected through Raimond Gaita’s memoir Romulus My Father and Manfred Jurgensen’s poem Bonegilla 1916 through extensive literary devices.We learn individuals perceptions of place and their ability to adjust to new places governs their ability to belong and feel at home with new cultures.
An individuals perception of the surrounding landscape will govern and influence their ability to reconcile a sense of belonging within the community.This message is highlighted through the character of Romulus who displays pessimist perceptions towards the Australian landscape further strengthening his connection to Romania and becoming a barrier for his belonging to Australia.His views are symbolised in the Australian foliage, “The eucalypts seemed desolate,” “My father could not become reconciled to it,they seemed symbols of deprivation and bareness.” It is evident through Romulus’ lack of appreciation for the foliage of the Australian environment that he longs for European society. “Romulus longed for European foliage,” again it is shown that his own perception of the landscape governs his belonging to Australia as his inability to adjust to the landscape of Australia becomes a barrier for his acceptance of Australian culture.Contrastingly Raimond’s perception of the Australian landscape is one of pure admiration and positive attitude reflecting the conflicting perspectives of these characters and that their own perceptions govern their ability to belong or not to.Raimond’s admiration is charcterised in sensory imagery and biblical allusions, the “sparse foliage,scraggy trees and primitive hills” are all examples of the beautiful environment in Raimond’s eye,”It as as though God has taken me to the back of his workshop” he says,a sight that “transformed my sense of
An individuals perception of the surrounding landscape will govern and influence their ability to reconcile a sense of belonging within the community.This message is highlighted through the character of Romulus who displays pessimist perceptions towards the Australian landscape further strengthening his connection to Romania and becoming a barrier for his belonging to Australia.His views are symbolised in the Australian foliage, “The eucalypts seemed desolate,” “My father could not become reconciled to it,they seemed symbols of deprivation and bareness.” It is evident through Romulus’ lack of appreciation for the foliage of the Australian environment that he longs for European society. “Romulus longed for European foliage,” again it is shown that his own perception of the landscape governs his belonging to Australia as his inability to adjust to the landscape of Australia becomes a barrier for his acceptance of Australian culture.Contrastingly Raimond’s perception of the Australian landscape is one of pure admiration and positive attitude reflecting the conflicting perspectives of these characters and that their own perceptions govern their ability to belong or not to.Raimond’s admiration is charcterised in sensory imagery and biblical allusions, the “sparse foliage,scraggy trees and primitive hills” are all examples of the beautiful environment in Raimond’s eye,”It as as though God has taken me to the back of his workshop” he says,a sight that “transformed my sense of