Belonging Essay

These essential components of belonging are portrayed through the poems of Peter Skrzynecki and another additional text the film Invictus directed by Clint Eastwood about the uniting of South Africa through the efforts of Nelson Mandella. Feeling a sense of connectedness Wether this be on a physical,social,spiritual or emotional level to something or someone allows for an individual to feel a sense of gratitude and self belief. To a certain extent the groups we belong to define who we are, and an individuals perceptions are the resulting outcome of belonging.

The acceptance and kinship being in association with groups may bring one would say belonging would impact ones life positively. Although he opposing side of belonging is not belonging and is as a problem many people in the world face today. This alienation may leave individuals feeling detached and isolated from all things surrounding them. There are many reasons why one may not belong these may include race,religion,culture,attitudes and beliefs as well as many others.

This separation felt may severely impact an individuals life in a negative direction.

The poems by Australian poet Peter Skrzynecki illustrate many examples of kinship and detachment. Many of the poems in the book Immigrant Chronicle by Skrzyecki explain his problems with feeling like an outsider stuck in limbo between his Polish culture passed down by his parents and his new Australian culture that he was exposed to everyday. In the poem “Felix Skrzynecki” Skrzynecki states “I forgot my first Polish word” this line illustrates Skrzynecki’s lack of interest in his Polish Culture as he feels he doesn’t belong.

In the poem “Felix Skrzynecki” Skrzynecki uses alliteration in the second stanza to suggest peace and tranquillity, as his father holds his garden in high regard and Skrzynecki feels this is the only place where is father truly belongs. This allows for responders to learn that one may feel attached to something other than other people or groups. In this poem Skrzynecki also illustrates his fathers exclusion from the rest of Australia by the line “did your father ever attempt to learn English” this line shows Felix isolation as he cannot speak the language of the country he lives in.

Although in stanza one the lines “Kept pace only with the Joneses Of his own minds making” suggest that Felix was not bothered by values or lifestyle choices that he did not believe in. This poem and other Skrzynecki poems further knowledge involving belonging and not belonging as they provide primary sources that identify multiple examples of the issue. Destruction,analyses and in depth essays of the poems allowed for a deeper understanding of belonging to be gained.

The Film Invictus by Clint Eastwood. The story is based on the novel Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandella and the game that Made a Nation. The film tells the story of Nelson Mandella in his first term as South African President, and the initiation of the venture to abolish the apartheid and unite the nation through the 1995 Rugby World Cup. The film illustrates many examples of not belonging due racism and prejudice behaviours shown by white south Africa.

The film allows for racism to be viewed as one of the demanding reasons for isolation. Although later in the film an attitude shift is imminent and relationships are bridged between “black and white South Africans due to the efforts of Mandella. The film illustrates how film techniques such as camera shots,angles and music are used to create a sense of detachment at the start of the film but also show the uniting of South Africa in the end of the film.

Invictus enhances knowledge of the issue belonging as it shows many examples not belonging at the start of the film, but with a shift in attitudes reveals many signs of belonging shown towards the end of the film. Due to the complex and abstract nature of the concept of belonging, a true sense of belonging can be found in different circumstances for different people. A sense of belonging or not belonging is thought about by every person in the world today, its what many people strive for everyday although some may never find it,whilst others have always had it.

Analysis of a range of texts including the Peter Skrzynecki poems and the film Invictus delve deeply into the many different circumstances that individuals may wish to belong in. Ultimately to belong will always be something people feel they need to fulfil their needs,although a sense of belonging will vary to different people. | |