The Simple Gift Belonging Analysis

When we look at belonging we see that it is composed of many aspects, belonging to people, belonging to group, but one which all revolves around is place. Belonging to place means a deep connection to everything associated with it. Good morning/afternoon Teachers and fellow peers, today i will be attempting to explain what the concept of belonging means to me and how it is illustrated through my two texts. This intricate connection to place is developed through the novel ‘The Simple Gift’ by Steven Herrick and ‘Heat and Dust’ by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala.
Steven Herrick’s novel “The Simple Gift” explores the way in which place can develop a sense of belonging and how without a connection to place such people or items associated with that place
Throughout his journey he establishes deep connections to places and thus everything that is linked with that place. Billy ends up in a town called Bendarat where “the sun finally lifts the fog.” With the sun symbolising the way in which Billy is leaving his dark past behind, and that he feels this place could provide the potential for hope and positive experiences, a place to truly belong. In Bendarat Billy establishes a connection to his carriage 1864. The abandoned freight train carriage that billy sets up home in becomes an important place of belonging throughout the verse novel. The nickname that Old Bill gives the carriage shows that they are to feel a strong sense of belonging even in a place that is not really theirs, “Bendarat Hilton”. The connotation of the brand Hilton is one of luxury and extravagance. Herrick is using this association with the well-known hotel chain to ensure that his readers recognise that billy and Old Bill feel great comfort in this place. The Bendarat Hilton is a place that gives Billy and Old Bill a sense that they will continue to belong together towards the end of the novel, allowing the reader to see that through both of their connections to this place, a sense of belonging has been developed between
The narrator’s sense of belonging grows upon arrival in India. She recalls many places from her readings of Olivia’s letters and she discovers an emotional connection to the long-ago family intrigue. India also satisfies her own purpose of trying to find a new path for herself. In Bombay the narrator discovers that everything is different now, allowing the reader to see that through her new connection to place in India, a new world can be seen creating new opportunities to develop her sense of belonging.
Chid and the narrator believe that they belong in Satipur, “we are part of the town, Part of the people’s lives here, and have been completely accepted.” The repetition of “part of” suggests that their sense of belonging to the community is growing; they are not apart from the population. Both Chid and the narrator find a connection to place in Satipur and thus the people at Satipur, the culture and groups it encompasses. This allows the reader to see that though their newly founded connections to place has come links to people and groups that are associated with