Belonging, Romulus My Father
‘An individual’s interaction with others and the world around them can enrich or limit their experience of belonging.’ This statement can be readily depicted through various texts which include Raimond Gaita’s memoir, Romulus My Father and Universal Studio’s 2004 film, Hating Alison Ashley. Both of these texts involve various techniques that assist in portraying the concept of belonging to both an environment and to relationships. Belonging is a concept that is more complex than it first appears. It may be experienced on many levels between belonging and not belonging, be it to a family, a friendship, a place or a surrounding environment. It is a perception that is shaped within personal, cultural, historical and social contexts. Belonging is to fit in or to be accepted in a particular place or environment, to feel comfortable and connected to other individuals. Alternatively it may be isolation or alienation from others, to feel estranged or at odds with the environment.
Raimond Gaita’s memoir, Romulus My Father demonstrates how an individual’s interaction with others and the world around them can enrich or limit their experience of belonging to an environment. Gaita uses first person throughout the book, not only to express his experiences but to articulate both his mother and fathers experiences of belonging to their surroundings also. Romulus is a migrant to Australia who ‘always considered himself Romanian.’ Gaita often expresses Romulus as being at odds with the environment, never reconciling to the Australian landscape, whose foliage and vegetation “seemed symbols of deprivation and bareness.” This statement is symbolic of how he feels towards Australia and demonstrates how Romulus chose to only see the negative aspects of his surrounds and focused more on his desire to be back in Europe amongst “soft and gentle foliage”. These two simple descriptions of different landscapes are instantly juxtaposed and express Romulus’s feelings of loneliness in Australia
Raimond Gaita’s memoir, Romulus My Father demonstrates how an individual’s interaction with others and the world around them can enrich or limit their experience of belonging to an environment. Gaita uses first person throughout the book, not only to express his experiences but to articulate both his mother and fathers experiences of belonging to their surroundings also. Romulus is a migrant to Australia who ‘always considered himself Romanian.’ Gaita often expresses Romulus as being at odds with the environment, never reconciling to the Australian landscape, whose foliage and vegetation “seemed symbols of deprivation and bareness.” This statement is symbolic of how he feels towards Australia and demonstrates how Romulus chose to only see the negative aspects of his surrounds and focused more on his desire to be back in Europe amongst “soft and gentle foliage”. These two simple descriptions of different landscapes are instantly juxtaposed and express Romulus’s feelings of loneliness in Australia