Migrant Hostel Analysis

Understanding nourishes belonging, a lack of belonging prevents it.

The author Masashi Kishimoto once penned 'the day peace comes is the day people understand one another'. It is through this understanding of each other that people are accepted and can belong to each other. This notion of belonging is made evident in Peter Skrzynecki's poem “Migrant Hostel” where immigrants are distanced and isolated due to a lack of connection. In contrast, Skrzynecki's poem “Feliks Skrzynecki” demonstrates one's ability to flourish by belonging to one's self. However, Tim Winton's short story “Neighbours” demonstrates the eventual nourishing feeling of acceptance that can develop from people's acceptance of one another. Steven Spielburg's film “The Terminal”
Peter Skrzynecki's “Migrant Hostel” reflects the harsh reality of being excluded due to one's heritage and culture. Skrzynecki reflects upon his childhood years as a new migrant in Australia being met with indifference and hostility. The rhetorical inquiry “Who would be coming next” underlines the uncertainty, shock and surprise of the migrants who were forced to come to the hostels and alienated from the rest of the population. This is further emphasized through the irony of the use of the word 'hostel' which typically defines a kind, hospitable building. Skrzynecki emphasizes the need to be with others they understand through the simile of 'a homing pigeon'. This image expresses the instinctive behaviour of people to find those similar to themselves like the pigeon that is 'circling to get its bearings'. He continues to express this nomadic and isolated feeling as being like 'birds of passage'. The recurrence of a bird simile evokes a sense of being in transition, never ever connecting to anywhere, emphasizing the suffering of the migrants. The final stanza emphasizes