Belonging essay -George Orwell 1984 - Raimond Gaita Romulus, My Father

When discussing the concept of belonging it is often quite difficult to develop and state a comprehensive overview of this wide-ranging human need; in which the rules of society have a bearing on an individual’s potential to belong. Belonging is found in different forms, belonging to place, people, self and time. In a social context of fear, the strength of personal conscience and the human spirit will be tested, and often appearance of public belonging is a mask covering the private desire to reject belonging. These ideas are powerfully evident in both novels, ‘Romulus, My Father’ by Raimond Gaita and ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’ (1984) by George Orwell.

A sense of belonging can be created through a range of significant events. However, at times, these events demonstrate the changing nature of belonging and the way in which challenging can both forge and break a sense of belonging between individuals. Romulus, My Father details a number of very tragic events which emphasise the importance of belonging between Raimond and his father. It demonstrates how society’s expectations and assumptions that shape whether or not a person feel they belong. The assumptions about women in Australia in the 1950s affected Christine’s ability to belong. Misunderstandings and a lack of knowledge about mental illness also contributed to Christine to never being able to feel part of society. The conservative attitudes of the rural Victoria in the 1950s meant that instead of showing empathy and understanding toward for Christine she is repelled by society for her inability to care for Raimond. Gaita recognises that society as a whole made it impossible for his mother to ever feel she could belong: “Such was the division of the human spirit in that part of the world at that time.” The metaphor used represents society as beast-like, something that welcomes those who are willing to follow ‘rules’ of behaviour but leaves out anyone who does not conform. For the first time Raimond recounts his ability for land seen through him rather than his father: “…But now, for me, the key to the beauty of the native tree lay in the light…” the metaphor used compares the light to a key, which helps readers to understand how nature was opening up a new way of seeing for Raimond. Both imagery devices build a word picture for readers in a significant moment in the process of belonging to place and to a person.

In George Orwell’s novel 1984, the protagonist, Winston Smith, who mirrors the non-conformist ways, secretly rebels against his totalitarian government by challenging the conventions of his society who condemns free-thinkers and individuality. “He was about to … open a diary”, Orwell’s third-person narration reveals Winston’s act of self-expression, a desire to break free of the Party’s total control. Once Winston starts developing an interpersonal relationship with Julia, it becomes an act of self-exclusion from his oppressive society, even though: “detected… it would be punished by death”. Orwell’s detached tone exemplifies the ways in which individuals who refuse to conform to “Big Brother” may be excluded from mainstream society. The dystopian novel, also illustrates the implications of non-conformity within societies prescribed values. “He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother”. The irony of this statement is that the readers know this is not a victory. It is a massive defeat for Winston who is forced to conform at the price of his individuality and intelligence. Orwell’s detached third-person narration, “he was falling backwards into enormous depths” metaphorically symbolises the progressive downfall of Winston as a righteous and moral human being who ultimately falls victim to the conventions of his repressive need to society which develops an extensive overview of the totalitarian empowerment of the human-need to belong; and belonging requires love for Big Brother, which love for Julia and individuality contradicts.

All in all both texts “Romulus, My Father” by Raimond Gaita and “1984” by George Orwell contrast between the characters in the memoir helps illustrate the effects of belonging or not belonging to place, society and on an individual. Although both these novels portray the difficulty of developing a sense of belonging and the need which comes naturally as a human need. They show an understanding and a need to feel right to society in which they express it in different matters.