Understanding Nourishes Belonging In Romulus, My Father
Understanding nourishes belonging and a lack of understanding prevents it. Demonstrate how your prescribed text represents this interpretation of belonging: In order to understand belonging an individual needs to accept themselves and consequently be accepted by others. By understanding the innate forces that drive a sense of belonging on can develop a sense of self-identity. The notion of belonging is shaped by personal experiences, cultural, historical and social contexts. The text Romulus, My Father, by Raimond Gaita represents the aspects of belonging through ideals such as family, heritage and personal backgrounds. These aspects of belonging are highly contrasted with the portrayal of isolation and rejection faced by Romulus himself.
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Isolation and both rejection are unable to co-exist with the forces of belonging as they define the boundaries between acceptance and denial. Throughout the novel Romulus constantly finds himself in isolation, intensified by his mental illness. Romulus’ mental illness rejects the innate nature to belong and therefore those who once belonged with Romulus are driven apart by opposing forces. Romulus’ mental illness emphasised the fragile nature in which belonging is concerned, not understanding that he needed to belong, Romulus drives himself to his own destruction through rejecting the forces of belonging. Accordingly losing his self-identity and becoming an empty shell of fear and isolation. Through Raimonds perspective the hospital looked “like a foreign world to me”, portrays this new idea that although Romulus is there in flesh, his mind is not, thus creating the divide between father and son. Romulus’ isolation is portrayed through his inability to comprehend the landscape of Australia, “to a European or English eye it seems desolate”. The representation on isolation is seen through the use of the word ‘desolate’, thus highlighting Romulus’ own personal feelings through third person. Romulus’ lack of belonging bridges the gap between his inanity and reality, his own personal choice of deciding not to belong created his isolation from himself. Consequently Romulus is powerless against the isolation that he feels due to his neglect of the human desire to
Isolation and both rejection are unable to co-exist with the forces of belonging as they define the boundaries between acceptance and denial. Throughout the novel Romulus constantly finds himself in isolation, intensified by his mental illness. Romulus’ mental illness rejects the innate nature to belong and therefore those who once belonged with Romulus are driven apart by opposing forces. Romulus’ mental illness emphasised the fragile nature in which belonging is concerned, not understanding that he needed to belong, Romulus drives himself to his own destruction through rejecting the forces of belonging. Accordingly losing his self-identity and becoming an empty shell of fear and isolation. Through Raimonds perspective the hospital looked “like a foreign world to me”, portrays this new idea that although Romulus is there in flesh, his mind is not, thus creating the divide between father and son. Romulus’ isolation is portrayed through his inability to comprehend the landscape of Australia, “to a European or English eye it seems desolate”. The representation on isolation is seen through the use of the word ‘desolate’, thus highlighting Romulus’ own personal feelings through third person. Romulus’ lack of belonging bridges the gap between his inanity and reality, his own personal choice of deciding not to belong created his isolation from himself. Consequently Romulus is powerless against the isolation that he feels due to his neglect of the human desire to