'Romulus, My Father' A study of belonging
‘Romulus, My Father’ is an autobiography/memoir that’s all about having connections to people: family, neighbours, and friends. Connection to place is also evident; Romulus to Europe and Raimond to Australia. It is “... an original meditation on life itself: character, conversation, friendship, morality and the terror of insanity.” It is a reasoned, calm and sincere recount that has the power to bring one to tears or make them grin or laugh as they read a certain part, like the antics of Jack the cockatoo or the brutal death of Orlof.
The oscillation between past and present tense is part of the text’s style. Raimond describes the past and then comments on events in the present tense to invite the reader to participate and be included in the experience vicariously. The second person narration creates a barrier between the reader and Romulus, and this barrier is Raimond. We don’t know what’s in Romulus’s mind, only what Raimond assumes was in his mind. We are limited by this, and to know Romulus we must know Raimond. We are positioned to like Romulus, to understand and sympathise why childhood would’ve been a problem for Raimond. “Childhood as we know it, a space apart from the adult world, a life of its own, did not exist in that part of the world at that time.”
Upon their arrival in Australia, Romulus tries to create a sense of ‘community’ by interacting with fellow Romanians, one of which becomes a life-long friend who takes it upon himself to care for Raimond when he could not and Christine would not. “As soon as my father arrived at the camp… he asked the man who greeted new arrivals whether there were any other Romanians.” Romulus wanted the feeling of kinship that comes with meeting and knowing someone who understands what you’ve been through and has gone through similar, and Hora was that for Romulus for most of his life.
The oscillation between past and present tense is part of the text’s style. Raimond describes the past and then comments on events in the present tense to invite the reader to participate and be included in the experience vicariously. The second person narration creates a barrier between the reader and Romulus, and this barrier is Raimond. We don’t know what’s in Romulus’s mind, only what Raimond assumes was in his mind. We are limited by this, and to know Romulus we must know Raimond. We are positioned to like Romulus, to understand and sympathise why childhood would’ve been a problem for Raimond. “Childhood as we know it, a space apart from the adult world, a life of its own, did not exist in that part of the world at that time.”
Upon their arrival in Australia, Romulus tries to create a sense of ‘community’ by interacting with fellow Romanians, one of which becomes a life-long friend who takes it upon himself to care for Raimond when he could not and Christine would not. “As soon as my father arrived at the camp… he asked the man who greeted new arrivals whether there were any other Romanians.” Romulus wanted the feeling of kinship that comes with meeting and knowing someone who understands what you’ve been through and has gone through similar, and Hora was that for Romulus for most of his life.