Identity and Belonging

Being perceived as different may make it difficult to belong. Not being able to belong is a confusing and unfortunate case, where one can find themselves lost and frustrated, as they do not have a safe zone. Through the use of text and film, it can be explored that this concept if difference hinders one from feeling a sense of belonging. Whether it be a persons inability to adapt or their lack of confidence.

As we progress through life we discover that our differences make it harder for us to belong. As shown in ‘growing up in australia’, tormenting young adolescents is something of second nature to the average joe. With different colour comes great responsibility. ‘sunnil’, a young Indian boy is perceived as different and find it excruciatingly hard to fit in with his given name and skin colour, and as every teenager Sunnhil just wants to fit in without being treated differently. It seems to sunnhul that the only way to fit in is to change his name and become neil. With his new name, Neil gained the confidence that only a sense of belonging can give him. Throughought the short story, sunnhils racist encounters lead him to try to purge himself of his heritage, causing himself injuries. Once sunnhil accepted his heritage he grew a sense of belonging which ultimately gave him the confidence to adapt to his surrounding without having to change himself. From this example, it can be gleamed that a strengthened confidence in ones self can often be the deciding factor in whether a person belongs or not. Hence, it can be determined that a perception of belonging can rely on the attitude of the person it concerns.

When we find someone different from ourselves we usually tend to avoid them. Whether it was their skin colour, their culture or even the way they style their hair, the different qualities they posses make it hard to get along with the person. In ‘the lost thing’ the protagonist encounters a ‘lost thing’ where even though they have built a great relationship