10 Mary Street and Neighbours
“10 Mary Street” by Peter Skrzynecki and “Neighbours” by Tim Winton both contain elements that contribute to a sense of belonging.
In “10 Mary Street”, their connection to their house is established through the nurturing of their garden. A simile is used “tended roses and camellias like adopted children” to emphasise this strong connection to their garden and their immense care towards it. Peter gains joy and fulfilment from his garden and this enables his attachment to his home to grow. The personification of the house with its “china blue coat” gives a sense of security and warmth to the house, highlighting its significance in terms of their belonging. In the forth stanza, it is evident that the family has established connections with people of similar cultural background, where a sense of familiarity is provided. They have a strong connection with their past and through the use of listing, Peter demonstrates the various memories and common values that they share. The “embracing gestures” evokes a sense of comfort and reassurance with this particular community. This reveals the strong connection that the family has with their house. “Neighbours” by Peter Skrzynecki presents us with the idea that common interests can bring people together. In the beginning, the newlyweds move into a new environment and experience a cultural barrier. The simile “it made the newly-weds feel like sojourners in a foreign land” indicates that they are outsiders and do not yet have a sense of belonging. This is reinforced through the short sentence structure “the street was full of European migrants” which demonstrates how they know little about their neighbours and have no connection established. This is similar to “10 Mary Street”, where a cultural barrier must also be overcome in order to create a sense of belonging. However, after some time, the newlyweds begin to tolerate their neighbours’ behaviour and adjust to their new environment. The use of alliteration “big woman with
In “10 Mary Street”, their connection to their house is established through the nurturing of their garden. A simile is used “tended roses and camellias like adopted children” to emphasise this strong connection to their garden and their immense care towards it. Peter gains joy and fulfilment from his garden and this enables his attachment to his home to grow. The personification of the house with its “china blue coat” gives a sense of security and warmth to the house, highlighting its significance in terms of their belonging. In the forth stanza, it is evident that the family has established connections with people of similar cultural background, where a sense of familiarity is provided. They have a strong connection with their past and through the use of listing, Peter demonstrates the various memories and common values that they share. The “embracing gestures” evokes a sense of comfort and reassurance with this particular community. This reveals the strong connection that the family has with their house. “Neighbours” by Peter Skrzynecki presents us with the idea that common interests can bring people together. In the beginning, the newlyweds move into a new environment and experience a cultural barrier. The simile “it made the newly-weds feel like sojourners in a foreign land” indicates that they are outsiders and do not yet have a sense of belonging. This is reinforced through the short sentence structure “the street was full of European migrants” which demonstrates how they know little about their neighbours and have no connection established. This is similar to “10 Mary Street”, where a cultural barrier must also be overcome in order to create a sense of belonging. However, after some time, the newlyweds begin to tolerate their neighbours’ behaviour and adjust to their new environment. The use of alliteration “big woman with