Peter Skrzynecki Analysis

“The poems of Peter Skrzynecki convey a sense of both alienation and the hope for a brighter future. Discuss with reference to at least 3 poems.”

Belonging is a broad but complex perception that highlights our sub conscious need to feel a connection with something. A sense of belonging or not belonging can produce a strong emotional response within us. The poems Feliks Skrzynecki, St Patricks College and Postcard by Peter Skyrzynecki adopt the common themes of alienation and hope for a brighter future. The theme of alienation is more decisively depicted in the poems Feliks Skrzynecki and St Patricks college, in which the persona is in a continuos battle to find his true identity and in doing so ‘let his light shine’. On the other hand, the poem Postcard is somewhat a collision of the speaker’s two world’s, his own quest to belong and embrace the Australian culture whilst also trying to hang onto his Polish heritage. The composer emphasises these themes through the implementation
The poem is somewhat the beginning of a brighter future for the speaker as it ties together all his feelings experienced in earlier poems, which therefore enables him to ‘let his light shine’. Even though the speaker has been constantly neglecting his Polish heritage, this poem displays the composer alluding to the fact that he will connect with it in the future.This is highlighted in the quote ‘we will meet before you die’. The technique of high modality in the quote enables the responder to grasp a clear idea on the certainty of the speaker having a future connection with his Polish heritage. This also highlights the speaker engaging in the beginning of something new as the previous poems have highlighted a cultural alienation which is somewhat embraced is the poem, signifying his hope for a brighter future and