Brick Lane Belonging Analysis

The concept of belonging is derived from the sense of identity; to be able to merge and feel part of a community an one must find their identity. For an individual to belong within their environment their identity can be put to jeopardy, they have to either conform to ideal views and become part of society or choose to be isolated. Although in contrast to choosing whether or not to belong, individuals are often forced to be secluded. This is where they are taken out of the environments and put into situations where their identity and sense of self are threatened. Belonging can be drawn back to finding one’s identity whilst in isolation. In addition to Individuals who struggle within their environment can experience complete isolation and strong barriers restricting them to belong. Concepts of belonging are seen throughout the film Brick Lane and Emily Dickinson’s poems “I died for beauty but was scarce” and “This is my letter to the world”. These texts identify and demonstrate how the ideas of belonging and isolation work in hand with one’s identity.

When individuals or groups are marginalised their sense of belonging is
Throughout the first scenes we see her and her sister in the grass and the lakes the repetition of the landscape is a motif demonstrates the connection she has with nature. Then when she is in London the comparison to the bleak and muted atmosphere shown by the absence naturalist features such as trees and landscape give an impression to not belong to that environment. This is reinforced with her longing to belong back in her home country when she is praying. Nazneen places her forehead on the ground; putting her most valued and highest body part on the lowest place to suggest that she is grounding herself and bringing it all back to basics or the foundation for life, which is