Belonging Essay
HSC STUDY BUDDY 1
ADVANCED ENGLISH CONTENTS PAGE: BELONGING
BELONGING ESSAY – PAGES 2-‐3
BELONGING SHORT STORY – PAGES 4-‐5
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BELONGING ESSAY Perceptions of, and attitudes towards belonging are varied and complex, with individuals shaped by their social, historical and cultural contexts. Despite being inherent, a sense of belonging may be experienced through an array of affiliations with people, places and events which enrich feelings of acceptance, understanding and thus create an identity. Throughout Peter Skrzynecki’s anthology Immigrant Chronicle, the poems ‘Feliks Skrzynecki’, ‘Migrant Hostel’ and ‘St Patrick’s College’ explore the multifaceted nature of this innate desire. Whilst Mark Osborne’s claymation More (1998) depicts belonging to society as a hindrance to the development of an identity, Shaun Tan’s picture book The Lost Thing reinforces society’s ability to function as a barrier which paradoxically enriches one’s personal sense of belonging. Within ‘Feliks Skrzynecki’ the absence of cultural understanding and certainty inhibits the development of an unyielding identity. In a tribute to his stepfather’s stoicism yet denigration of his reluctance to assimilate, the persona struggles to acknowledge his Polish identity and rather necessitates the acceptance of personal values to belong. Skrzynecki’s use of the possessive personal
ADVANCED ENGLISH CONTENTS PAGE: BELONGING
BELONGING ESSAY – PAGES 2-‐3
BELONGING SHORT STORY – PAGES 4-‐5
1
BELONGING ESSAY Perceptions of, and attitudes towards belonging are varied and complex, with individuals shaped by their social, historical and cultural contexts. Despite being inherent, a sense of belonging may be experienced through an array of affiliations with people, places and events which enrich feelings of acceptance, understanding and thus create an identity. Throughout Peter Skrzynecki’s anthology Immigrant Chronicle, the poems ‘Feliks Skrzynecki’, ‘Migrant Hostel’ and ‘St Patrick’s College’ explore the multifaceted nature of this innate desire. Whilst Mark Osborne’s claymation More (1998) depicts belonging to society as a hindrance to the development of an identity, Shaun Tan’s picture book The Lost Thing reinforces society’s ability to function as a barrier which paradoxically enriches one’s personal sense of belonging. Within ‘Feliks Skrzynecki’ the absence of cultural understanding and certainty inhibits the development of an unyielding identity. In a tribute to his stepfather’s stoicism yet denigration of his reluctance to assimilate, the persona struggles to acknowledge his Polish identity and rather necessitates the acceptance of personal values to belong. Skrzynecki’s use of the possessive personal