Belonging Essay

Explore how perceptions of belonging and not belonging can be influenced by connections to place. Perceptions of belonging or not belonging can be influenced by the connections to places through memories, culture, beliefs and many other aspects. Personal connections to places are the links that are the strongest, as they have a first hand account of belonging or not belonging. Jane Harrison ‘Rainbows End’ play set in the 1950’s, shows belonging or not belonging to places, predominantly through connections with culture. Also, belonging and not belonging to places is evident in the film ‘The Blind Side’ directed by John Lee Hancock, released in 2009. The links to a place is enforced by the characters passion to a sport. ‘Looking for Alibrandi” the novel, published in 1992 written by Melina Marchetta, demonstrates through culture and background connections to places and how the characters belong or not belong. The individuals in these texts are enriched and challenged by society and others.

In Jane Harrison’s play, ‘Rainbows End’ the play is centred around the aboriginals being assimilated into the white society and the hardships and struggles that came along with that transition. But, characters seem to still be isolated and rejected from the white society because of their aboriginal culture. Harrison shows the depth of their belonging to a place through feelings and physical disorientation when away from where they feel home is; this is evident after the flood when they are taken away from their safe place. In Act one Nan Dear wasn’t content but she had accepted that she was forced to live in a humpy on the riverbank, she would always refer to how happy she was at the Murray Darling, or what her culture calls Cummeragunja. The repetition of Nan Dear saying this symbolises her strong connection to a place. After the flood Nan Dear and her family are forced to move again because their house was destroyed. In Act two, scene seven, Nan Dear becomes sick from