To Kill A Mockingbird Chapter Summaries
CHAPTER FOUR
• In this chapter, animals are described as being part of the family; animals can belong with humans just as much as other humans can.
• Raimond describes all of the animals they had at Frogmore, their roles and small anecdotes about them.
• They decide to buy a poultry farm; Romulus built an egg-washing machine.
• Christine and Mitru come to Frogmore in winter, but they argue so Mitru leaves to Castlemaine station to catch a train to Melbourne. Romulus drives him there, and on the way back his speeding motorbike developed problems so he jumped from it, breaking his leg in three places.
• Hora gave up his job to take care of Raimond and the chicken farm, Mitru left but Christine stayed. Hora didn’t like Christine.
• Hora was going through difficult times, both with Christine and a disease that plagued the hens. Christine …show more content…
aggrevated tensions between Hora and Riamond.
• Christine left. Hora and Raimond lived together for some time.
• As migrants, they had poor living conditions and a pretty primitive life, with a sense of lacking (p51).
• Romulus decided to abandon the poultry farm and becomes a blacksmith again, working in the small smithy shop owned by Tom Lillie.
CONCEPT OF BELONGING/ NOT BELONGING QUOTE TECHNIQUE & HOW IT CONVEYS CONCEPT/S OF BELONGING/ NOT BELONGING
Jack and Billy, despite Jack being a cockatoo and Billy a cat, get along with each other and “belong”. “Billy was the only cat Jack didn’t peck.” The unusual friendship between a cat and a bird is contrary to expectations, and elaborates the singling out of that cat.
One’s loyalty to another person can convey a sense of belonging. “[Jack’]s loyalty to my father was intense.” The use of the word “intense” emphasises the closeness of the relationship.
Pets can be family members, and understanding can exist between animals and humans. In addition, humans can also belong with pets.
“Hora lit the fire especially for him and put a chair next to it so that he could perch on it to warm and dry himself.”
The use of the word “him” personifies Jack, almost as an equal, yet the word “perch” instigates his rightful place as a pet. “Like Jack he [Orloff] was a source of joy in my troubled childhood, but unlike Jack he comforted me in my sorrow and gave me a sense of security when I was afraid.” The emotive language of “comforted” and “sorrow” emphasises their closeness. The soft alliteration of ‘s’ demonstrates the comfort and intimacy that Orloff brought to Raimond.
Pets can ‘belong’ to families up to the point where the death of a pet is grieved as much as the death of a family member. “My father and I cried for him [Orloff], and for many days I thought my chest would explode with grief.” The hyperbole “explode with grief” shows the extremity of Raimonds upset, and how when someone dies how we can feel.
Some people, such as Christine and Mitru, cannot get along, no matter how hard they try, and this can also destroy other relationships. “[Christine and Mitru] had quarrelled and they quarrelled again at Frogmore, with each other and with my father.” The repetition of “quarrelled” shows how repetative it appeared to Raimond, and how repetative it can seem to others when people do not get along.
When someone feels disconnected, they can start to question everything, and seek answers for the reason of their alienation. “Over and again he asked himself why had it all turned out so? When would he be free of these troubles?” The rhetorical questions emphasise how confused and questioning that Romulus is feeling due to his alienation to Mitru and Christine.
You may feel connected or linked to multiple people, but within those relationships, certain instincts or feelings may often vary. “I was nervous riding with Mitru and entreated him to slow down on the gravel roads. When I rode with my father, no matter how fast he drove, I always urged him to drive faster.” The comparison between Raimond’s feelings to both Hora and Romulus shows how Raimond’s feelings about people’s actions change with the ways his connections to them change.
Some barriers that prevent people from forging strong connections can include feelings due to personal prejudices (e.g. Hora dislikes Christine).
“Hora disliked her [Christine] and did not respect her.”
Raimond’s language is blunt and to the point. This emphasises that Hora just did not like/ respect her, and did not pretend otherwise.
Sometimes, belonging and relationships can be prevented by very small obstacles, here the source of Hora and Christine’s arguments is the fact that Christine was eating the oranges. “My mother was unmoved by... [Hora’]s efforts. When he reprimanded him for eating the oranges he had saved for me she abused him from the bedroom, calling him a dictator and a swine.” Raimond uses language such as “abused”, instead of weaker language like “criticised” to show that the gap between them is already large, and only increasing due to the arguments that occur.
While some people (such as Hora) try to encourage good relationships with other people, others (like Christine) try to discourage them. “The hostility between them [Hora and Christine] created tension between him and me which my mother intentionally aggravated.” The use of strong language, such as “hostility” and “aggravated” shows how not only can people’s intentions differ, the force used can also vary.
Some people’s relationships count more to them than other relationships, belonging can occur on different levels (Hora respects some people’s opinions more than others). “I knew that my father’s opinion was the one that mattered to Hora” The use of the word “one” shows that Romulus’ opinions override all others that may arise from various other people. Some relationships can never be fully restored after turbulent events, sometimes belonging is never the same.
“After my mother left, things settled between Hora and me and we resumed our previously affectionate relationship, although it was somewhat changed because, in loco parentis, he sometimes found it necessary to smack me.” in loco parentis~ “in the place of a parent”The phrase “somewhat changed” showed that some things can never be the same.
A strong morality is required for a person to belong to themselves, that is, have an identity and character.
“He hated lying and believed that only a rigorous truthfulness could give a person the inner unity necessary for strength of character.”
The philosophical nature of this staement is highlighted through the use of less simple and blunt language elsewhere used.
Although other people can feel whether you belong or not, how you feel ultimately depends on your own feelings (Raimond never “felt” that they were poor). “Our life at Frogmore was Spartan, but I never felt that we were poor, although I think we were judged so by others.” The use of slightly uncertain words such as “think” shows that sometimes the boundaries between belonging and not belonging can vary. Chapter 4 Study Guide Questions
13. Hora’s relationships with Romulus illustrates a deep sense of belonging. How is Hora’s respect for Romulus contrasted with his disrespect for Christine to show that belonged in Hora’s world?
Hora and Romulus have a strong relationship and his respect for him heavily contrasts with his disrespect for Christine. “Hora disliked her and did not respect her. During the three weeks or so that she stayed, his frustration with her grew intense...” The emphasise on the word intense explicates the total dislike he had for her and how it was more than just a little frustration, but rather it was an ongoing aggravation and a real test of Hora’s patience. His connection with Romulus however, is the complete opposite. When Raimond tells him that he’s a swine and Christine thinks so. Hora goes on to ask Raimond, “What does your father say?” Raimond then replies, “He said nothing.” Later, Hora told Romulus “that if he had also called him a swine, he would have left immediately for Melbourne.” This demonstrates his strong connection with Romulus and how he was willing to endure hardships for the sake of Romulus.
14. What does ‘Pass auf mein lieber Fritz” (Watch out my dear Fritz) illustrate about the connection between Hora and Raimond? (pg. 47)
Hora and Raimond’s relationship was better after Christine left, yet Hora at times found it necessary to smack Raimond (a dysfunctional element of their relationship). The phrase, “Pass auf mein lieber Fritz” illustrates the warning he gave to Raimond when he came close to being smacked. This institutes fear in Raimond, hence a dysfunctional element of his and Hora’s relationship.
15. ‘Like most Europeans.’ This phrase sets Romulus apart from the author’s perspective. How does Raimond view himself differently? (pg. 48)
Raimond views himself differently as he is born into the landscape of Australia and was brought up within the Australian culture despite his Romanian background. Earlier in the book, he indirectly mentions his connection with the Australian landscape and also mentions how his father could never “reconcile” to the landscape. Romulus views himself differently as he finds a sense of belonging within the Australian landscape yet, the other Europeans found difficulty in this, setting him apart from the other Europeans.
16. The significance of the relationship between father and son is strongly illustrated by the ‘spartan’ description of life at Frogmore. How does the richness of the language contrast this description and what is its impact on you as a reader? (pg. 53-54)
The contrast of the physical description of their home by the word ‘spartan’ and the subsequent phrase, ‘but I never felt that we were poor.’ This highlights how, despite the poor living conditions, his sense of belonging to his father, Hora, his pets and Frogmore itself, demeans such a negative perspective and institutes a more positive outlook on the area. The positive outlook is then elucidated through their “need for nothing” the alliteration of “n” that is drawn out in the first word and then cut short in the second, highlighting how they are content with where they lived (as the “n” isn’t drawn out to suggest there is a “need”). He then goes on to describe how they never really wanted anything that they couldn’t afford. This brings to light their satisfaction with their simple life and it is accompanied by positive connotations such as, “adequate” and “rich.” Therefore, it demonstrates how belonging depends upon perceptions.
Chapter Five- Summary
• Raimond is able to find his own identity that was different from his father, through rebelling Romulus’ principles. He is discovering a world that he was deprived of by his father (rock and roll, the girl who lived in Maryborough).
• He discovers a sense of identity and belonging in the landscape, a few kilometres from Frogmore.
• Due to Raimond’s magnificent experience with the landscape, this encourages him to dive deeper into the world of books, assisting him further in forming a close relationship with his father.
• Not only do Hora and Romulus’ relationship grow stronger, but so to do Hora and Raimond’s relationship, providing them each with a greater sense of belonging towards one another as commonalities are found.
• Vacek is introduced, a man of sincere nature who has lost his mind and obtained belonging from animals.
• Hora becomes a more prominent figure in Raimond’s life. They share a connection due to both having intellectual interests.
• Raimond reflects on and understands & appreciates the qualities of his father and Hora and respects and looks up to the friendship they together possess.
CONCEPT OF BELONGING/NOT BELONGING QUOTE TECHNIQUE & HOW IT CONVEYS CONCEPTS OF BELONGING/NOT BELONGING
The motherly figure for Raimond is being replaced throughout his life by different people, such as Mrs Lillie and Miss Collard. These were necessary as a mother’s nurturing qualities help a child develop their sense of belonging.
“I spent much time with Miss Collard than with Mrs Lillie, but Mrs Lillie was also kind to me and I was fond of her.”
“Mrs Lillie and Miss Collard were naturally kind women, but their kindness to me was coloured by pity, as was the case with most women in the area who felt sorry for me growing up without a mother.” “His pride was accentuated by his fear that without a woman’s love and attention I would grow wild and ill-mannered.”
These sentences are fuelled with emotional language (“...but their kindness to me was coloured by pity...”) to convey the separation between Raimond and his mother and how this has affected him – hence his mother has been replaced by different figures throughout his life, such as Miss Collard and Mrs Lillie.
Restrictions placed upon an individual due to fear (as Raimond did not experience a mother’s love) can cause them to rebel in order to find their own sense of belonging (Romulus and Raimond). “My defence of Presley did not offend my father’s sense of respectability…It offended his idea of the respect owed by children to their elders. His understanding of that ideal, of how properly to behave, was quite untainted by the thought that one should strive for social status which would enable one to look down on others.”(P58-60) The repetition of respect accentuates that this is a prominent feature in the relationship of Romulus and Raimond.
It also gives us a powerful insight into Romulus’ principles and character in his refusal to allow Raimond to adapt the opinion that one should look down on another.
Freedom can enable an individual to explore, awakening them to the beauties of the landscape.
“I reached the hill mid-afternoon. For the first time in my life I was really alive to beauty, receiving a kind of shock from it…Possessed of that key, my perception of the landscape changed radically as when one sees the image in an ambiguous drawing…The landscape seemed to have a special beauty, disguised until I was ready for it…The experience transformed my sense of life and the country side, adding to both a sense of transcendence.” (P61 – read the whole paragraph on landscape as techniques and how it conveys concept will include the whole paragraph) “…and the sight provoked a surge of affection for my primitive home.” (P62)
This paragraph is one overflowing with imagery (“native trees lay in the light which so sharply delineated them against the sky”) and descriptive language as Raimond attempts to describe the landscape in the way he sees it with a new perspective, “Possessed of that key, my perception of the landscaped changed radically as when one sees the second image in an ambiguous drawing.” This simile causes the reader to recognise and understand the realisation and appreciation Raimond now feels for the landscape by comparing it to something people can understand.
As he is a little older, he is enabled to go off on his own and explore, thus opening him to a world he did not see before or could not see under his father’s authority. Hence, this paragraph juxtaposes with his father’s view of the landscape (“Thought the lanscape is one of rare beauty, to a European or English eye it seems desolate…my father could not become reconciled to it.”) Raimond has discovered his own sense of identity within the landscape that is independent from his father’s, marking the beginning of a new journey.
The land has become a genii loci for Raimond and is hence fuelled with language techniques to convey the beauty of the landscape and make them as real and alive for the reader.
Belonging between two people can set high expectations that are difficult to keep, however, they also show that one genuinely cares for the other. In the case of Romulus and Raimond, it shows how much Romulus cares for him and that he wants his son to obtain the best possible future. “He encouraged my father to ensure that I had a good secondary education, but my father was not in need of encouragement.”
“Be careful what you do. If you were to do anything bad, if you were to be in trouble with the police, the disappointment would kill your father.” He seldom spoke to them of his woes, but once I overheard him say to her, ‘My son is everything to me’.” (P63-4) This highlights the values that Romulus held as Raimond’s teacher Mottek believes “...the disappointment would kill your father.” This hyperbole accentuates how much Romulus wants his son to obtain respectable qualities because his son is so important to him. He wants him to have what he did not. Mikhaila “Their individuality was inseparable from their talk...”(pg. 72) Romulus and Hora’s relationship was a source which provided them both with a strong sense of comfort and belonging, to both each other and their homeland.
Mikhaila “I owe to Hoar the development of my interest in ideas. Inclinations to delinquency ran strong in me at the time. At a certain point in my teenage years, intellectual interests ran stronger than they did. More than anyone else, I owe that and the course of my life to Hora.”( pg. 72) Hora provided Raimond with a sense of belonging through the providing of intellectual knowledge; he guided him in his path to a high level of education.
A sense of belonging and sanity is dependent on human relationship and interaction; there must be mutual acceptance.
“Not long after the camp was dispersed, Vacek began to lose his mind. (pg. 65)
Vacek was a prime example of a man who was isolated; he had nowhere or no one to belong to. The consequences of not obtaining this feeling lead to a severe disability.
One may find a sense of belonging in creatures apart from humans. It is a silent acceptance. “Vacek’s sense of communication with animals extended to the smallest creatures.” (pg. 67) Vacek lacked in connections with other people, therefore turned to animals to form relationships with and receive a sense of belonging. Animals were his family, something that could belong to him and he could belong to.
Bonding may instil a sense of belonging. Through missing out on a commonality, people feel isolated. “It was important for me to learn to swim, for the usual reasons, and also because Hora was a keen swimmer...I needed to swim in order to share this part of his life. (pg. 69) For Raimond to be accepted to Hora and to have a stronger sense of belonging with him, he had to be able to swim.
CHAPTER 7 : A key chapter on belonging CONCEPT OF BELONGING/NOT BELONGING QUOTE TECHNIQUE & HOW IT CONVEYS CONCEPT/S OF BELONGING/NOT BELONGING
There is a barrier between Raimond and Romulus’ relationship. There is a distance between them. For some time after Mitru’s death my father was distant and preoccupied, brooding on his and my mother’s parts in it. I felt his absence and once, when he smacked me, I shouted from the bedroom to where I had retreated, ‘You don’t love me.’ • Use of first person
• Constant uses of desolated words “distant”, “absense” and “preoccupied”
Raimond admits and recognises the neglection he shouts “You don’t love me”
Raimond doesn’t have a strong connection to Romanian, Yugoslav, Polish or Italian like Romulus. Whenever I could, I avoided these visits because I found them boring, especially as the conversation would be in Romanian, Yugoslav, Polish or Italian. • Speaking in first person form
• Listing the countries and culture that is deeply related to his father, Romulus.
This reflects on how Raimond is related to Australia and does not have as deep connection to the former country like Romulus.
No matter how painful each word cost Romulus, he still said it, almost forcing himself to say. This was to emphasize the connection, relationship and love between them. He tried a number of times to speak and eventually succeeded…. ‘Never believe that I don’t love you.’ That was all he said to me that evening. • Even though Romulus and Raimond seemed physically parted and isolated; they still belonged to each other- something that can be felt and not necessarily seen as a physical thing.
• ‘Never believe that I don’t love you’ that was all that was spoken in that evening, but it is powerful.
Reinforces Raimond that he is loved and he belongs to his father
Romulus gathers a sense of belonging through doing work, he finds his own identity through working. “He played Romanian and Yugoslav records on a record player in the middle of the workshop • Descriptive language such as “occasionally” and “little time” emphasizes on how Romulus gathers his own sense of belonging through doing work in his workshop.
Even the source of entertainment (television) does not bring him happiness.
Strong sense of belonging to his own culture and former country. “He played Romanian and Yugoslav records on a record player in the middle of the workshop • This creates a strong image for the reader, it engages our mind and allows us to see Romulus happily singing to songs he is familiar with while working.
This reveals Romulus’ hobbies and interests.
Raimond sees his father as a humble and skilful workman. He appreciates and sees him as the best. “I have never seen a workman as skilled as my father. His unboastful confidence in what he could do impressed me as much as his achievements. He was so at ease with his materials and always so respectful of their nature that they seemed in friendship with him…” • Hagiographic- “I have never seen a workman as skilled as my father”. Raimond appreciates his father and sees him as the best workman.
• Personification- the tools “seemed” to be “in friendship” with Romulus, reveals Romulus’ passion for his work.
He belongs to the blacksmith career, it is his passion and he respects it.
Romulus understands the nature and knows what can be made beneficial from them even if it is lifeless. “from old sheep bones he found in the paddocks he made cigarette holders and handles for the knives he also made. He carved wood and later in his life made himself a lathe on which he crafted a fine spinning wheel with which he spun wool.” • Descriptive language reflects on Romulus’ skills as a workman
• Romulus knows and understands and thus is able to provide for himself.
Raimond sees him as a very dexterous and proficient man/father. “he repaired almost everything: motorbikes, cars, welders and clocks, often making the tools and parts including the clockwork parts, himself.” • Hagiographic
• He is able to provide for himself
• Reveals his skills
• Hyperbole “almost everything”
People finally recognise Romulus thus he gains a sense of acceptance to the land and the community “He was a superb welder and his reputation spread among the farmers in the region.” • Reveals his proficient work and thus his reputation build.
• Romulus is recognised
Raimond learns from his father, he sees Romulus as a role model and follows him. Raimond now understands the value and moral of life. “His work both expressed and formed much of his character. From him I learnt the relation between work and character. His sense of the importance of work and of its moral and spiritual requirements was simple and noble.” • Romulus’ work reflects on his character
• Honest yet simple and noble
• The moral of life, it is passed down to Raimond
Romulus makes commitments to his work and himself, he feels as if it is his responsibility which deeply reflects on his character Like him, his work was honest through and thorough…everything was perfectly made” • Romulus sets a high standard for himself.
• It needs to be honest, through and thorough which is also the basis of his moral and spiritual requirements.
The praise of the lazy, the dishonest or those whose character and work were shoddy meant nothing to him. In this respect he belonged to a long tradition of European thought which celebrated, as an essential constituent of a fulfilled human life, a community of equals, each worthy to rejoice in the virtues and achievements of the other.
Australian create barrier to belonging by judging others as they felt threatened of the diligent immigrants. Those were the days before multiculturalism – immigrants were tolerated, but seldom accorded the respect they deserved. It occurred to few of the men and women of central Victoria that the foreigners in their midst might live their lives and judge their surroundings in the light of standards which were equal and sometimes superior to theirs. •
The importance of name in classifying our identity That is why it never seriously occurred to them to call my father by his name, Romulus. They called him Jack. •
• The short and direct sentence creates emphasis on
the
• significance of name
The value of life is not the materialistic statuses and prestige but it is the inner moral and understanding of character – Romulus and Mitru shared the same beliefs that formed the strong foundation of their identity and strong relationship
..I have never known anyone who lived so passionately, as did these two friends, the belief that nothing matters so much in life as to live it decently. Nor have anyone so resistant and contemptuous..of the external signs of status and prestige. They recognized this in each other, and it formed the basis of their deep and long-lasting friendship. •
•
•
•
•
• Hagiographic created by
• hyperbole in ‘never’ and ‘lived so…’
• listing of ‘resistant and contemptuous’ to create emphasis and hyperbole
• The combination of the adjective deep and long lasting indicate the stoic nature of their relationship – a stable foundation for Raimond to shape his security and identity
Romulus place of belonging is shaped by his high expectation for people. He wanted a place where truth is honored and judgment of others is obliterated But I know from their disappointments that they longed for a community of honourable men and women who humbly, but without humbug, knew their own worth and the worth of others. This quote gave specific detailed characters that Romulus desired to see developed in people on which he is surrounded on. The alliteration of the characters of men and women that Romulus longed for ‘honorable…humbly...humbug’ highlight his high expectation and standards. The repetition of ‘worth’ demonstrates the importance of understanding our values and others. Understanding it will prevent us from devaluing others to push our value up or vice versa.
These high expectations backfired since it makes it more difficult for Hora and Romulus to belong.
Character – of karacter as they pronounced it, with the emphasis on the second syllable – was the central moral concept for my father and Hora……Honesty, loyalty, courage, charity and a capacity for hard work were the virtues most prized by the man and women I knew.
The listing of ‘Honesty, loyalty, courage, charity…” together with hyperbole of ‘most’ display the positive and Raimond’s pride towards his cultural background. By repeating the same word in a different language or pronunciation it stresses the significance of ‘character’.
Barriers of belonging for Christine – the high expectation and high morals of Mitru and Romulus Tom Lillie and others disliked my mother partly because they saw her engaging vivacity as a dangerously seductive manifestation of personality in a woman they believed to be lacking entirely in character – a ‘characterless woman’ as Hora put it. The adverb ‘dangerously’ and hyperbole of ‘entirely’ highlight the reasons why Christine was not accepted. The short, simple and direct quote from Hora further accentuate their rejection and disgust towards Christine
Belonging brought about by the environment and the effect of the values and morals instilled into Rai by Rom “Riding the motorbike that summer…I felt I could do anything provided I was respectful of others.” Vivid and Highly descriptive language of the environment and of Rai symbolise the sense of freedom he gets from the environment. the words such a ‘crystallised’ and ‘only wearing sandal’ shows the putirty of his character and it evokes emotion in the reader.
Sense of belonging Rai gets from Rom
“from my father and from Hora I had already acquired a sense that only morality was absolute…”
How understanding nourishes belonging.
And how belonging influences identity “But fro some like my mother… provided the wrong conceptual environment for her to find herself and for others to understand her.” Contrasting characteristics of his mother to show her instability. The Australian enironment poorly impacted her indentitiy because of the sense of belonging she derived from it.
Further backs up the above thing “lacking entierly in character-a characterless woman” This description shows how characterless she was and how that affected the way she belonged
CHAPTER 9 by Tish, Dot and Catherine
• Although Hora was biologically the closet relative to Susan and Barbra, they were put up for adoption to strangers because the authorities preferred this.
• Romulus had been writing to Lydia for over two years.
• Romulus heard from a friend of Lydia that she was not the woman he thought her to be. He then confronted Lydia in his letters demanding to hear the truth. She confessed to him that she had a husband whom she had married only weeks earlier, after a long engagement.
• When Lydia’s letter arrived, his moral world collapsed. Romulus was thrown into confusion.
• He eventually admitted himself as a voluntary patient to the Ballarat psychiatric hospital and was given shock treatment and large doses of medicine which left him feeling humiliated.
• Romulus tried to convince Hora and Raimond that he was all right but feels embarrassed about his mental condition.
• In the summer holidays, Raimond returns to find Romulus at Frogmore. He had discharged himself from the hospital however, “...his paranoia was feverish”.
• Romulus tries to protect Raimond from his insanity, but all efforts are vain. He gives in to his paranoia by believing in superstition and questioning Raimond’s every action.
• Romulus attempts suicide by taking an overdose of Largactil, but is luckily found by Tom Lillie and admitted to hospital.
• Raimond tries to get Romulus to hospital, but he refuses because he had “work” to do and had a reputation to keep up. Vacek returns, and convinces Romulus to go to hospital.
• Romulus agrees to go to hospital, on the condition that he drives himself there. (Self-respect so that he is able to believe he still had some control of events.)
• Raimond agrees to deliver Romulus’ ironwork before Christmas.
• Raimond is arrested for disobeying construction rules when driving (spraying workmen with tar) but is let off the hook. He is caught again and he and Romulus are fined but not convicted thanks to Jack Matthey. (Friend of theirs; policeman)
• Raimond meets John Dunstan at his school and they become good friends. Both boys cause mischief in their community. However, (Look into the future) Raimond leads him to make a bad decision and feels responsible for his eventual suicide.
• Romulus returns from the hospital in the summer to work but still far from recovery. He and Vacek visit Raimond’s school but both are dressed in shabby clothes, leading to staff members questioning who they were. Raimond feels ashamed to have denied his father.
• Raimond comments about the destructive nature of sexual love.
• Romulus and Raimond visit Lydia and her husband in Sydney; Romulus desired to murder Lydia. Upon their arrival, they are disarmed by Lydia’s beauty and her husband’s courtesy.
• Romulus begins to recover from his mental illness.
CONCEPT OF BELONGING / NOT BELONGING QUOTE TECHNIQUE & HOW IT CONVEYS CONCEPT/S OF BELONGING / NOT BELONGING
By trying to keep the family together, the parental figures of Romulus and Hora are aiming to foster a sense of belonging. “After my mother died, my father and Hora were especially concerned about the fate of Susan and Barbara.” (p115) The adverb “especially” indicates the importance of keeping the family together. “Hora had visited them... and now did so almost each alternate weekend.” (p115) Shows Hora’s assumption of a parental figure of Romulus’ children and his dedication and commitment to them. “He had made it clear... [that] he would gladly adopt them, hiring female help to care for them if necessary.” (p115) Demonstrates Hora going to extreme lengths to protect and nurture the girls. The high modality of this sentence emulates his protective nature. “Biologically you are close to them. Closer than anyone living. And the biological law is deeper than our human law. Still, formalities are formalities.” (p116) Philosophical in that our family bonds run deeper than any other social construction. Despite family ties and bondage they are isolated from them by the law. “He emphasised that the girls were my sisters and that, although deserted by his wife, he remembered happy times with her and felt obliged to care for her children.” ... “In addition to the offers of adoption from Hora and my father, approaches came from my mother’s German sisters, Maria and Elizabeth.” (p116) The family wants the children to feel like them belong with them and Romulus in particular doesn’t want them to feel isolated, like he was.
Human law has the ability to separate families, thus it is seen as superior to love.
“Told in the law that he was nothing to the children.”(p116)
The use of the word “nothing” is a forceful word of high modality that reinforces how the law can come between a united family.
The feeling of not belonging to one’s self. The reason was that he was falling into insanity. (p117) Short, sharp sentence and paragraph for emphasis. I saw his hunched shadow cast large against the kitchen wall (p118) Imagery of a tortured, miserable and distressed person, in particular, the use of the words ‘hunched’ and ‘shadow’.
Often it is through our unconscious actions that our acceptance of new cultures is perceived, as we being to belong and engage new identities. “My father had bought a white Holden” (p117) White is symbolic of rebirth, a Holden is an iconic Australian car. The purchase of this car is symbolic of Romulus’ acceptance of Australian culture. Romulus is alienated through his blind trust he puts in others that is not returned. “On no account should he trust her. He must write to her and demand she tell him the truth.” (p118) The use of short, direct sentences conveys the urgency of the situation. The use of second person “he”, “her”, “she”, “him” establishes the pain and urgency of the situation and the universal message it is conveying of caution. “I went to bed. He wrote to Lydia.” (p118) Short sentences emphasise pain and anguish that Romulus is feeling and convey this to the audience by emitting descriptive language.
The affection that Romulus has for Lydia has fuelled the extent of his suffering. Her lies have brought a physical and emotional barrier between them.
“Each time he sighed more deeply than I had ever heard anyone sigh, and I heard in those sighs the terrible depths of his suffering” (p119)
Repetition of “d” is distasteful and despairing and communicates the torment of the situation for Romulus.
The pain of the destroyed relationship with Lydia has in turn affected the relationship that Romulus and Raimond had begun to develop with others and the land. “In his sighs I heard our isolation and for the first time I felt estranged from the area.” (p119) Metaphor is used “In his sighs I heard our isolation” to develop a relationship between the two ideas. The repetition of “f” is a soft sound and articulates Raimond’s awareness and strain at his new isolation.
Raimond does not want to lose the sense of belonging that he has only just found. “The joys of my freedom...were still intense...and made more poignant by my premonition that I would never experience them again.” (p119) The repetition of the “p” is purposeful and forceful and delineates the anger, frustration and denial that Raimond is feeling.
Raimond is searching for acceptance which he sees all around him but feels like he can never have himself. “awakened in me a desire to live what I had begun to think of as a normal life” (p119) Raimond’s categorising of ‘normality’ discloses his extreme desire to feel like he is fitting in.
Culture has a large influence on decisions and desires, especially of young people, and the way their feelings of attachment to each other. “My growing desire to lead a ‘normal’ life was strengthened by the conformist aspirations of teenage culture” (p119)
Romulus is unsure what truth is, or whether it exists. He has lost his faith in humanity which previously drove him. Without this, he dissolves into insanity. “Sometimes he demanded the truth from her. At other times he pleaded for it.” (p120) The juxtaposition of “demanded” and “pleaded” confirms Romulus’ descent into insanity. It accentuates his feelings of alienation and lack of direction.
The alienation that Romulus feels as a result of Lydia’s actions is extreme, with nothing able to comfort him or his new realisation at the degradation of moral values.
“It is also a common response to certain kinds of wrongdoing and to the death of those dear to us, when no facts of a natural or supernatural kind will diminish our pained bewilderment at the disappearance of a human personality.” (p120)
Personification of “human personality” outlines the dramatic effect that it has had on Romulus. He feels alienated as if someone had truly disappeared without an explanation. Romulus based his life the moral values to which he belonged. Without them, he began the downward spiral to insanity. “Morality was for him as substantially a part of reality as the natural facts of human action and motivation, but when Lydia’s letter arrived his moral world collapsed.” (p121) Personification of the “moral world” creates an image in the reader’s mind that is more powerful to describe a potent time in Romulus’ life. The use of ‘moral world’ creates the idea that he is separate from the actual world and does not belong in this one as he does not recognise true reality, but lives in a world of ‘good’ people and morality.
The word ‘collapses’ gives an image of morality falling and being left in devastation, like a collapsed building – confusion and disarray. “a woman he had loved and trusted without reservation, his personal disintegration followed not far behind the disintegration of his moral world.” (p 121)
With life comes inevitable suffering.
“Prayer of the Dead’ in the Common Book of Prayer. ‘Man that is born of woman hath but a short time to live and is full of misery. He cometh up and is cut down like a flower. He fleeth as it were a shadow and never continueth in one stay” (p121)
Means that people are born, they suffer, and finally die. It is intertextuality to explain Romulus’s view on life. His use of it being a prayer demonstrates his spiritual views and aspects on life. The fact that is comes from ‘The Prayer of the Dead’ shows his fatalistic views.
Romulus’ response to human nature is one of indecision but not resignation. It is people’s approach to life and decision about their relationship to others that determines where they ultimately belong. “he responded to it in different ways, sometimes angrily, sometimes bitterly, sometimes sorrowfully, but never with resignation.” (p122) Repetition of “sometimes” demonstrates his inability to define the issues that plague human nature, however, the high modality of “but never” discloses Romulus’s firm faith that human nature cannot be given up on.
The change in Romulus affects the relationship between him and his son. “seldom sang or whistled again” (p122) Repetition of the soft “s” sound delineates Raimond’s sadness and resignation to his father’s new attitude.
The landscape helps to enlighten Raimond’s sense of life, thus indicating its importance in people’s lives. “Strange as it may sound, my sense of that life, of the ideas that informed it, was given intensity and colour by the light and landscape of the area.” (p123) Repetition of the “s” sound is a soft tone that indicates the depth of meaning this statement and his connection to the land has in Raimond’s life.
Often the paranoia of the mind appears through the crazed actions of the one affected, challenging the acceptance and straining the bonds that have been formed with others. “he made wooden and iron crosses to ward off evil spirits...he questioned me without respite about the meaning of almost everything I did.” (p126) The avis descriptions of the individual behaviours of Romulus create a more potent image in the readers mind.
Romulus has to protect others and put himself last. Often it is the one closest to him, his son, that is the forefront of this protection. Even in his madness, Romulus does not want those dear to him to suffer.
“Always he feared for someone else, most often for me, but never for himself.” (p126)
The high modality of “always” and “never” reinforce the certainty that Romulus has to protect others and put himself last.
Despite his learning and yearning to adjust, Raimond struggles to reconnect to his father again. “I learned to minimise the extent to which I would provoke his anxiety...this was hard for me to bear” (p127) Use of first person shows the effect his father’s illness had on Raimond, by giving a personal account of his feelings at the time.
When one’s presence is no longer required, they often feel no need to remain. “Vacek realised that we had no real need of him and went, I do not know where. I was sad to see him go.” (p133) Use of short, truncated sentences emphasise Raimond’s sadness at his friend’s departure.
The connection with work for Romulus and Vacek provides a sense of purpose and unification. “He and my father began working again.” (p135)
In this case, clothing represents the mental state of Romulus. It shows the degeneration of his pride in himself and his appearance. “He came dressed in a dishevelled navy pin-striped suit, with a dirty white shirt open at the neck, the collar partly covered by the collar of his jacket.” (p135) The repetition of ‘d’, “dressed”, “dishevelled” and “dirty” emphasises the disgust with which Raimond views his father’s attire.
Places can be associated with feelings. “We’re going to Sydney.” (p136) A short sentence places emphasis on the meaning by directly stating the facts.
A biological tie can often result in feelings of obligation towards members of the family. “The fact that he was my father was the reason I felt obliged to accompany him.” (p138) Repetition of the letter “f” reiterates the awareness and strain that Raimond is feeling, between his obligation to accompany his father and his knowledge of right and wrong.
Mental health issues can often be more impairing than physical ailments. “There is no sickness worse than mental sickness.” (p140) The high modality in “no” communicates the truth and impact of this statement in the character’s lives. The short, direct sentence demonstrates also the truth in this sentence for the characters. The repetition of the word “sickness” emphasises the impairment that accompanies mental health issues, not just physical injuries. Study Guide Questions – Chapter 9 27. The metaphor of the ‘Prayer of the Dead’ exemplifies the moral world that Romulus belonged to. How is this metaphor exemplary of his life so far? (pg. 121-122) ‘Man that is born of woman hath but a short time to live and is full of misery. He cometh up and is cut down like a flower. He fleeth as it were a shadow and never continueth in one stay’. This demonstrates Romulus’s view in life that we are born, and then that we suffer, and that our suffering is not due to our own failings or decisions, but that humans are ‘victims of fate and destined for suffering’. Then, soon, after our suffering of life, we die and so our lives are fleeting like a ‘shadow’, as we are ‘cut down like a flower’. Romulus has suffered in a great many ways in his life, but does not blame anyone or himself, and when he sees others in their suffering he does not blame anyone for it, but is compassionate as he believes that all people suffer together because that is simply how life is, so he takes everything in his stride and helps when it is required. 28. Connection to a place/landscape helps to explain who we are. How is this statement true for Raimond and his father? (pg. 123-124) Raimond’s connection to the landscape helps to define who he is through his understanding of freedom and suffering – such as the bubbly happiness of the tall grass in the morning, the struggle and intimidation of them during the day, with ‘insects and other creatures’ and ‘unforgiving sun’, and the ‘melancholy beauty’ in the evening with the soft light. He experienced and came to know and understand all this even from a young age as he hunted rabbits and ran free in his childhood. “Religion, metaphysics or the notions of fate and character as they inform tragedy are suited to that light and landscape.”
Romulus’s kinship with the Yugoslavian landscape shapes his feelings of isolation and behaviour of separation in Australia as he misses it, and longs for the soft green beauty of Yugoslavia, rather than the harsh and rugged beauty of Australia. 29. How is Romulus’ insanity a representation of his shattered cultural identity? (pg. 129-127) Romulus’s insanity is largely caused due to his shattered moral world, which developed hand in hand with his cultural identification with Yugoslavia. Through this we can see how his insanity represented his crumbling and shattered cultural identity. He was brought up a proud and upstanding man, however, when he became insane he was ashamed and embarrassed to admit himself to the mental institute and admit his madness to himself, particularly because of the huge stigma that was attached to being insane. This is why he had to admit himself, and it was himself who drove him to the mental institute. 30. The end of this chapter identifies significant moments for Raimond. What language technique is used to emphasise this and what is its effect? Repetition of remember in the final paragraph of the chapter shows that these were the key things that Raimond remembers of his father, it reinforces the importance, at the time, of these particular events and now, it still shapes his views of his father as an omnipotent figure.
Even in the midst of affliction Romulus remains a symbol of security and defence for Raimond. The final paragraph of the chapter works as a contrast against the image of his ‘shrunken’ father when he was suffering through his insanity, this is demonstrated in the final sentence and the symbol of his father’s arm protecting him, “The sight of his muscular arms protected me against their terrible meaning.” This is at the point when Raimond remembers clearly, so it was such a significant moment for him, his father saying, “There is no sickness worse than mental sickness.” He also refers to his father as speaking with ‘authority’, to show how he, despite all adversity, still sees his father as a powerful and protective figure in his life. Romulus, My Father – Chapter 11 Concept of Belonging/not Belonging Quote Technique & How it Conveys Concept/s of Belonging/not belonging
The emotional struggles migrants can go through while being thrusted into a completely different country with different values and the European way of living. He longed for European society, saying that he felt like a ‘prisoner’ in Australia. Simile, he compares to living in Australia as that of being a prisoner in a cell. The emotive language with the use of the word “longed” represents our human nature to yearn to belong.
A sense of belonging can be dependent on the people around you/who you are with and whether or not you feel emotionally compatible with yourself and others. My father loved to be among people, a fact that made his years alone at Baringhup so very hard. The use of clear and emotive language (love, alone, very hard) to imprint in the audience’s minds the understanding that Romulus struggled with social barriers and isolation in this foreign country town
Perceptions of religion and spirituality can vary between individuals and therefore Romulus’s outlook could not be swayed by the society’s conformist views due to his strong morals. ...he would never be converted by people whom he regarded as hypocrites. His sense of religion and their desire for wealth and prestige were radically incompatible. Juxtaposition, as Raimond is comparing his father’s view of religion and their connection with wealth and prestige in the same sentence and this gives us the contradictory view that he held.
Only by trifling through sufferings are you able to form your ideas and values as a person, and therefore understanding the various aspects of belonging. ...only suffering makes one wise... Some kinds of wisdom, however- the kinds that show themselves not only in thoughts, but the integrity of an authoritatively lived life- are given only to those who have suffered long and deep. His affliction gave authority to much of what my father said, gave power to his language, rich in peasant imagery, and spared his harsh moral judgement from any tinge of moralism in the pejorative sense of that term which implies an ever-present readiness to point the finger at others and to turn one’s back on them. Suffering has been very instrumental in Romulus’ life as his psychological underpinning and his perspective on belonging has been shaped by this. Because of the trials he underwent, his view on belonging refers to the wider community, humanity most importantly and his place in it. Written from an adult Raimond’s perspective, this tells us that Raimond now has a clear understanding of Romulus’s outlook on belonging as a result of his peasant upbringing. He now empathises with those who suffer without condescending as he believes that everyone is destined to suffer.
Mental sickness detaches you from your surroundings and makes it hard for you to feel a connection with those people and to where you fit into in the world. There’s no sickness worse than mental sickness The repetition of the word ‘sickness’ reinforces the harsh reality that is integrated into Romulus’s own perceptions
As a result of Romulus’s past experience with family, having fled home at the age of 13, he feels that the stability of a family is an integral part of life to enable the foundation of belonging ‘Look out the window. The cats have kittens and the dog have pups. The goats have kids and the hens have chickens. Everything breeds around here except my son.’ Hyperbole of ‘Everything breeds around here except my son’ is Romulus’s way of expressing his view of the value o stability of family life to Raimond. A family can keep you grounded and give you a place to belong.
The use of a metaphor gives us a powerful image of the circle life and how much family values are integrated in all forms of life.
The analogy of comparing his son’s position to that of an animal shows his caring nature as he cares so much about animals and he cares so much about his son and he wants the best for his son.
Finding belonging can be difficult when encountering barriers such as judgemental attitudes and lack of acceptance. ...his judgements were not what we now call ‘judgemental’. Irony.
It is because Romulus had a humble upbringing and underwent so much suffering in his past that he is able to gain a new perspective and insight into other people’s own suffering and actually empathise with them rather than patronise them and their situation and where they feel they fit in. Instead he welcomes them without judgement or superiority.
Also ironic and judgement is a barrier that separates Romulus as an immigrant and ‘New Australian’ from the Australian culture of that time, and Romulus is although a victim of this, he does not commit himself to judging others Chapter 13
• Romulus died just past midnight
• It was arranged for Romulus to be viewed in an open coffin, but no pictures were allowed
• Hora didn’t want to say anything at the funeral, so Raimond gave the eulogy
• He met Neil Mikkelsen at the end, who was in tears, and said how true Raimond’s words were
Concept of Belonging/Not Belonging Quote/s Technique and how it conveys the concept/s of belonging/not belonging
Facing not belonging “I thought he was frightened because he knew he was dying, but was unable to muster sufficient consciousness even to try to come to terms with the fact”
• “...and pointed out the irony of the fact that the only time he showed pain was when they tried to ensure that he would not suffer it”
“Are you in pain?...no, he replied each time” Romulus lived a life without complaining about the labourous efforts he has done with the high work ethics that he has, but now that death is on the cards, he starts to fear and has almost given in to his fate, he still fights with the energy he has left to deny that fact.
Belonging with the family, bond between a father and a son “Ich liebe dich, mein Vater” (I love you my father) In chapter 7, Raimond, after Mitru’s death, and after being hit by his father, Raimond shouts “you don’t love me”. This shows the lack of Romulus’ fatherly presence in Raimond’s life. It also shows the necessity of love as the thing that bonds family together and creates belonging
As Romulus lays dying, it is a very significant moment, as Romulus’ last moments on earth reconcile him with his son through love.
Reconciliation with wife “My father was buried in the Maryborough cemetery, close to my mother” After separation with his wife Christine, this quote symbolizes the forgiveness that Romulus had for his wife, regarding her promiscuity and affairs with Mitru. It shows that even through all this, Romulus still sees her as family.
Heartfelt eulogy of Romulus’ character that made him belong • “We sometimes express our most severe judgement of other people by saying that we will never again speak to them”
• “...his unqualified sense of common humanity with everyone he met”
• “He was truly a man who would rather suffer evil than do it” These quotes are from Raimond’s eulogy, which are words from his heart, even though he endured pain and despair through Romulus’ disciplines, Raimond comes to realise the true man within his father. Romulus strives to help others to belong rather than himself
Romulus’ efforts to make everyone else belong It was Neil Mikkelsen, the man who had been kind to my mother, and who had fallen from the haystack when my father worked for him. ‘Every word you spoke was true’ he said. ‘Your father saved my life This is a reflection on the life that Romulus lived, one of integrity and honour, and how he always looked out for everyone, regardless of their differences Reflection of romulus’ love for everyone around him “...so I gave the eulogy myself. I spoke of my father’s life, values, his friendship with Hora and marriage to Milka, but I said almost nothing about my mother, nothing about Mitru, or Lydia, and I referred only elliptically to his mental breakdown” Raimond, through the love that he had for his father, omitted his father’s negative experiences to present him in a positive light
This shows us the strong relationship that they had, and the necessity for love to feel belonging in a relationship.
This love goes beyond death, as Raimond honours his father after his death
• In this chapter, animals are described as being part of the family; animals can belong with humans just as much as other humans can.
• Raimond describes all of the animals they had at Frogmore, their roles and small anecdotes about them.
• They decide to buy a poultry farm; Romulus built an egg-washing machine.
• Christine and Mitru come to Frogmore in winter, but they argue so Mitru leaves to Castlemaine station to catch a train to Melbourne. Romulus drives him there, and on the way back his speeding motorbike developed problems so he jumped from it, breaking his leg in three places.
• Hora gave up his job to take care of Raimond and the chicken farm, Mitru left but Christine stayed. Hora didn’t like Christine.
• Hora was going through difficult times, both with Christine and a disease that plagued the hens. Christine …show more content…
aggrevated tensions between Hora and Riamond.
• Christine left. Hora and Raimond lived together for some time.
• As migrants, they had poor living conditions and a pretty primitive life, with a sense of lacking (p51).
• Romulus decided to abandon the poultry farm and becomes a blacksmith again, working in the small smithy shop owned by Tom Lillie.
CONCEPT OF BELONGING/ NOT BELONGING QUOTE TECHNIQUE & HOW IT CONVEYS CONCEPT/S OF BELONGING/ NOT BELONGING
Jack and Billy, despite Jack being a cockatoo and Billy a cat, get along with each other and “belong”. “Billy was the only cat Jack didn’t peck.” The unusual friendship between a cat and a bird is contrary to expectations, and elaborates the singling out of that cat.
One’s loyalty to another person can convey a sense of belonging. “[Jack’]s loyalty to my father was intense.” The use of the word “intense” emphasises the closeness of the relationship.
Pets can be family members, and understanding can exist between animals and humans. In addition, humans can also belong with pets.
“Hora lit the fire especially for him and put a chair next to it so that he could perch on it to warm and dry himself.”
The use of the word “him” personifies Jack, almost as an equal, yet the word “perch” instigates his rightful place as a pet. “Like Jack he [Orloff] was a source of joy in my troubled childhood, but unlike Jack he comforted me in my sorrow and gave me a sense of security when I was afraid.” The emotive language of “comforted” and “sorrow” emphasises their closeness. The soft alliteration of ‘s’ demonstrates the comfort and intimacy that Orloff brought to Raimond.
Pets can ‘belong’ to families up to the point where the death of a pet is grieved as much as the death of a family member. “My father and I cried for him [Orloff], and for many days I thought my chest would explode with grief.” The hyperbole “explode with grief” shows the extremity of Raimonds upset, and how when someone dies how we can feel.
Some people, such as Christine and Mitru, cannot get along, no matter how hard they try, and this can also destroy other relationships. “[Christine and Mitru] had quarrelled and they quarrelled again at Frogmore, with each other and with my father.” The repetition of “quarrelled” shows how repetative it appeared to Raimond, and how repetative it can seem to others when people do not get along.
When someone feels disconnected, they can start to question everything, and seek answers for the reason of their alienation. “Over and again he asked himself why had it all turned out so? When would he be free of these troubles?” The rhetorical questions emphasise how confused and questioning that Romulus is feeling due to his alienation to Mitru and Christine.
You may feel connected or linked to multiple people, but within those relationships, certain instincts or feelings may often vary. “I was nervous riding with Mitru and entreated him to slow down on the gravel roads. When I rode with my father, no matter how fast he drove, I always urged him to drive faster.” The comparison between Raimond’s feelings to both Hora and Romulus shows how Raimond’s feelings about people’s actions change with the ways his connections to them change.
Some barriers that prevent people from forging strong connections can include feelings due to personal prejudices (e.g. Hora dislikes Christine).
“Hora disliked her [Christine] and did not respect her.”
Raimond’s language is blunt and to the point. This emphasises that Hora just did not like/ respect her, and did not pretend otherwise.
Sometimes, belonging and relationships can be prevented by very small obstacles, here the source of Hora and Christine’s arguments is the fact that Christine was eating the oranges. “My mother was unmoved by... [Hora’]s efforts. When he reprimanded him for eating the oranges he had saved for me she abused him from the bedroom, calling him a dictator and a swine.” Raimond uses language such as “abused”, instead of weaker language like “criticised” to show that the gap between them is already large, and only increasing due to the arguments that occur.
While some people (such as Hora) try to encourage good relationships with other people, others (like Christine) try to discourage them. “The hostility between them [Hora and Christine] created tension between him and me which my mother intentionally aggravated.” The use of strong language, such as “hostility” and “aggravated” shows how not only can people’s intentions differ, the force used can also vary.
Some people’s relationships count more to them than other relationships, belonging can occur on different levels (Hora respects some people’s opinions more than others). “I knew that my father’s opinion was the one that mattered to Hora” The use of the word “one” shows that Romulus’ opinions override all others that may arise from various other people. Some relationships can never be fully restored after turbulent events, sometimes belonging is never the same.
“After my mother left, things settled between Hora and me and we resumed our previously affectionate relationship, although it was somewhat changed because, in loco parentis, he sometimes found it necessary to smack me.” in loco parentis~ “in the place of a parent”The phrase “somewhat changed” showed that some things can never be the same.
A strong morality is required for a person to belong to themselves, that is, have an identity and character.
“He hated lying and believed that only a rigorous truthfulness could give a person the inner unity necessary for strength of character.”
The philosophical nature of this staement is highlighted through the use of less simple and blunt language elsewhere used.
Although other people can feel whether you belong or not, how you feel ultimately depends on your own feelings (Raimond never “felt” that they were poor). “Our life at Frogmore was Spartan, but I never felt that we were poor, although I think we were judged so by others.” The use of slightly uncertain words such as “think” shows that sometimes the boundaries between belonging and not belonging can vary. Chapter 4 Study Guide Questions
13. Hora’s relationships with Romulus illustrates a deep sense of belonging. How is Hora’s respect for Romulus contrasted with his disrespect for Christine to show that belonged in Hora’s world?
Hora and Romulus have a strong relationship and his respect for him heavily contrasts with his disrespect for Christine. “Hora disliked her and did not respect her. During the three weeks or so that she stayed, his frustration with her grew intense...” The emphasise on the word intense explicates the total dislike he had for her and how it was more than just a little frustration, but rather it was an ongoing aggravation and a real test of Hora’s patience. His connection with Romulus however, is the complete opposite. When Raimond tells him that he’s a swine and Christine thinks so. Hora goes on to ask Raimond, “What does your father say?” Raimond then replies, “He said nothing.” Later, Hora told Romulus “that if he had also called him a swine, he would have left immediately for Melbourne.” This demonstrates his strong connection with Romulus and how he was willing to endure hardships for the sake of Romulus.
14. What does ‘Pass auf mein lieber Fritz” (Watch out my dear Fritz) illustrate about the connection between Hora and Raimond? (pg. 47)
Hora and Raimond’s relationship was better after Christine left, yet Hora at times found it necessary to smack Raimond (a dysfunctional element of their relationship). The phrase, “Pass auf mein lieber Fritz” illustrates the warning he gave to Raimond when he came close to being smacked. This institutes fear in Raimond, hence a dysfunctional element of his and Hora’s relationship.
15. ‘Like most Europeans.’ This phrase sets Romulus apart from the author’s perspective. How does Raimond view himself differently? (pg. 48)
Raimond views himself differently as he is born into the landscape of Australia and was brought up within the Australian culture despite his Romanian background. Earlier in the book, he indirectly mentions his connection with the Australian landscape and also mentions how his father could never “reconcile” to the landscape. Romulus views himself differently as he finds a sense of belonging within the Australian landscape yet, the other Europeans found difficulty in this, setting him apart from the other Europeans.
16. The significance of the relationship between father and son is strongly illustrated by the ‘spartan’ description of life at Frogmore. How does the richness of the language contrast this description and what is its impact on you as a reader? (pg. 53-54)
The contrast of the physical description of their home by the word ‘spartan’ and the subsequent phrase, ‘but I never felt that we were poor.’ This highlights how, despite the poor living conditions, his sense of belonging to his father, Hora, his pets and Frogmore itself, demeans such a negative perspective and institutes a more positive outlook on the area. The positive outlook is then elucidated through their “need for nothing” the alliteration of “n” that is drawn out in the first word and then cut short in the second, highlighting how they are content with where they lived (as the “n” isn’t drawn out to suggest there is a “need”). He then goes on to describe how they never really wanted anything that they couldn’t afford. This brings to light their satisfaction with their simple life and it is accompanied by positive connotations such as, “adequate” and “rich.” Therefore, it demonstrates how belonging depends upon perceptions.
Chapter Five- Summary
• Raimond is able to find his own identity that was different from his father, through rebelling Romulus’ principles. He is discovering a world that he was deprived of by his father (rock and roll, the girl who lived in Maryborough).
• He discovers a sense of identity and belonging in the landscape, a few kilometres from Frogmore.
• Due to Raimond’s magnificent experience with the landscape, this encourages him to dive deeper into the world of books, assisting him further in forming a close relationship with his father.
• Not only do Hora and Romulus’ relationship grow stronger, but so to do Hora and Raimond’s relationship, providing them each with a greater sense of belonging towards one another as commonalities are found.
• Vacek is introduced, a man of sincere nature who has lost his mind and obtained belonging from animals.
• Hora becomes a more prominent figure in Raimond’s life. They share a connection due to both having intellectual interests.
• Raimond reflects on and understands & appreciates the qualities of his father and Hora and respects and looks up to the friendship they together possess.
CONCEPT OF BELONGING/NOT BELONGING QUOTE TECHNIQUE & HOW IT CONVEYS CONCEPTS OF BELONGING/NOT BELONGING
The motherly figure for Raimond is being replaced throughout his life by different people, such as Mrs Lillie and Miss Collard. These were necessary as a mother’s nurturing qualities help a child develop their sense of belonging.
“I spent much time with Miss Collard than with Mrs Lillie, but Mrs Lillie was also kind to me and I was fond of her.”
“Mrs Lillie and Miss Collard were naturally kind women, but their kindness to me was coloured by pity, as was the case with most women in the area who felt sorry for me growing up without a mother.” “His pride was accentuated by his fear that without a woman’s love and attention I would grow wild and ill-mannered.”
These sentences are fuelled with emotional language (“...but their kindness to me was coloured by pity...”) to convey the separation between Raimond and his mother and how this has affected him – hence his mother has been replaced by different figures throughout his life, such as Miss Collard and Mrs Lillie.
Restrictions placed upon an individual due to fear (as Raimond did not experience a mother’s love) can cause them to rebel in order to find their own sense of belonging (Romulus and Raimond). “My defence of Presley did not offend my father’s sense of respectability…It offended his idea of the respect owed by children to their elders. His understanding of that ideal, of how properly to behave, was quite untainted by the thought that one should strive for social status which would enable one to look down on others.”(P58-60) The repetition of respect accentuates that this is a prominent feature in the relationship of Romulus and Raimond.
It also gives us a powerful insight into Romulus’ principles and character in his refusal to allow Raimond to adapt the opinion that one should look down on another.
Freedom can enable an individual to explore, awakening them to the beauties of the landscape.
“I reached the hill mid-afternoon. For the first time in my life I was really alive to beauty, receiving a kind of shock from it…Possessed of that key, my perception of the landscape changed radically as when one sees the image in an ambiguous drawing…The landscape seemed to have a special beauty, disguised until I was ready for it…The experience transformed my sense of life and the country side, adding to both a sense of transcendence.” (P61 – read the whole paragraph on landscape as techniques and how it conveys concept will include the whole paragraph) “…and the sight provoked a surge of affection for my primitive home.” (P62)
This paragraph is one overflowing with imagery (“native trees lay in the light which so sharply delineated them against the sky”) and descriptive language as Raimond attempts to describe the landscape in the way he sees it with a new perspective, “Possessed of that key, my perception of the landscaped changed radically as when one sees the second image in an ambiguous drawing.” This simile causes the reader to recognise and understand the realisation and appreciation Raimond now feels for the landscape by comparing it to something people can understand.
As he is a little older, he is enabled to go off on his own and explore, thus opening him to a world he did not see before or could not see under his father’s authority. Hence, this paragraph juxtaposes with his father’s view of the landscape (“Thought the lanscape is one of rare beauty, to a European or English eye it seems desolate…my father could not become reconciled to it.”) Raimond has discovered his own sense of identity within the landscape that is independent from his father’s, marking the beginning of a new journey.
The land has become a genii loci for Raimond and is hence fuelled with language techniques to convey the beauty of the landscape and make them as real and alive for the reader.
Belonging between two people can set high expectations that are difficult to keep, however, they also show that one genuinely cares for the other. In the case of Romulus and Raimond, it shows how much Romulus cares for him and that he wants his son to obtain the best possible future. “He encouraged my father to ensure that I had a good secondary education, but my father was not in need of encouragement.”
“Be careful what you do. If you were to do anything bad, if you were to be in trouble with the police, the disappointment would kill your father.” He seldom spoke to them of his woes, but once I overheard him say to her, ‘My son is everything to me’.” (P63-4) This highlights the values that Romulus held as Raimond’s teacher Mottek believes “...the disappointment would kill your father.” This hyperbole accentuates how much Romulus wants his son to obtain respectable qualities because his son is so important to him. He wants him to have what he did not. Mikhaila “Their individuality was inseparable from their talk...”(pg. 72) Romulus and Hora’s relationship was a source which provided them both with a strong sense of comfort and belonging, to both each other and their homeland.
Mikhaila “I owe to Hoar the development of my interest in ideas. Inclinations to delinquency ran strong in me at the time. At a certain point in my teenage years, intellectual interests ran stronger than they did. More than anyone else, I owe that and the course of my life to Hora.”( pg. 72) Hora provided Raimond with a sense of belonging through the providing of intellectual knowledge; he guided him in his path to a high level of education.
A sense of belonging and sanity is dependent on human relationship and interaction; there must be mutual acceptance.
“Not long after the camp was dispersed, Vacek began to lose his mind. (pg. 65)
Vacek was a prime example of a man who was isolated; he had nowhere or no one to belong to. The consequences of not obtaining this feeling lead to a severe disability.
One may find a sense of belonging in creatures apart from humans. It is a silent acceptance. “Vacek’s sense of communication with animals extended to the smallest creatures.” (pg. 67) Vacek lacked in connections with other people, therefore turned to animals to form relationships with and receive a sense of belonging. Animals were his family, something that could belong to him and he could belong to.
Bonding may instil a sense of belonging. Through missing out on a commonality, people feel isolated. “It was important for me to learn to swim, for the usual reasons, and also because Hora was a keen swimmer...I needed to swim in order to share this part of his life. (pg. 69) For Raimond to be accepted to Hora and to have a stronger sense of belonging with him, he had to be able to swim.
CHAPTER 7 : A key chapter on belonging CONCEPT OF BELONGING/NOT BELONGING QUOTE TECHNIQUE & HOW IT CONVEYS CONCEPT/S OF BELONGING/NOT BELONGING
There is a barrier between Raimond and Romulus’ relationship. There is a distance between them. For some time after Mitru’s death my father was distant and preoccupied, brooding on his and my mother’s parts in it. I felt his absence and once, when he smacked me, I shouted from the bedroom to where I had retreated, ‘You don’t love me.’ • Use of first person
• Constant uses of desolated words “distant”, “absense” and “preoccupied”
Raimond admits and recognises the neglection he shouts “You don’t love me”
Raimond doesn’t have a strong connection to Romanian, Yugoslav, Polish or Italian like Romulus. Whenever I could, I avoided these visits because I found them boring, especially as the conversation would be in Romanian, Yugoslav, Polish or Italian. • Speaking in first person form
• Listing the countries and culture that is deeply related to his father, Romulus.
This reflects on how Raimond is related to Australia and does not have as deep connection to the former country like Romulus.
No matter how painful each word cost Romulus, he still said it, almost forcing himself to say. This was to emphasize the connection, relationship and love between them. He tried a number of times to speak and eventually succeeded…. ‘Never believe that I don’t love you.’ That was all he said to me that evening. • Even though Romulus and Raimond seemed physically parted and isolated; they still belonged to each other- something that can be felt and not necessarily seen as a physical thing.
• ‘Never believe that I don’t love you’ that was all that was spoken in that evening, but it is powerful.
Reinforces Raimond that he is loved and he belongs to his father
Romulus gathers a sense of belonging through doing work, he finds his own identity through working. “He played Romanian and Yugoslav records on a record player in the middle of the workshop • Descriptive language such as “occasionally” and “little time” emphasizes on how Romulus gathers his own sense of belonging through doing work in his workshop.
Even the source of entertainment (television) does not bring him happiness.
Strong sense of belonging to his own culture and former country. “He played Romanian and Yugoslav records on a record player in the middle of the workshop • This creates a strong image for the reader, it engages our mind and allows us to see Romulus happily singing to songs he is familiar with while working.
This reveals Romulus’ hobbies and interests.
Raimond sees his father as a humble and skilful workman. He appreciates and sees him as the best. “I have never seen a workman as skilled as my father. His unboastful confidence in what he could do impressed me as much as his achievements. He was so at ease with his materials and always so respectful of their nature that they seemed in friendship with him…” • Hagiographic- “I have never seen a workman as skilled as my father”. Raimond appreciates his father and sees him as the best workman.
• Personification- the tools “seemed” to be “in friendship” with Romulus, reveals Romulus’ passion for his work.
He belongs to the blacksmith career, it is his passion and he respects it.
Romulus understands the nature and knows what can be made beneficial from them even if it is lifeless. “from old sheep bones he found in the paddocks he made cigarette holders and handles for the knives he also made. He carved wood and later in his life made himself a lathe on which he crafted a fine spinning wheel with which he spun wool.” • Descriptive language reflects on Romulus’ skills as a workman
• Romulus knows and understands and thus is able to provide for himself.
Raimond sees him as a very dexterous and proficient man/father. “he repaired almost everything: motorbikes, cars, welders and clocks, often making the tools and parts including the clockwork parts, himself.” • Hagiographic
• He is able to provide for himself
• Reveals his skills
• Hyperbole “almost everything”
People finally recognise Romulus thus he gains a sense of acceptance to the land and the community “He was a superb welder and his reputation spread among the farmers in the region.” • Reveals his proficient work and thus his reputation build.
• Romulus is recognised
Raimond learns from his father, he sees Romulus as a role model and follows him. Raimond now understands the value and moral of life. “His work both expressed and formed much of his character. From him I learnt the relation between work and character. His sense of the importance of work and of its moral and spiritual requirements was simple and noble.” • Romulus’ work reflects on his character
• Honest yet simple and noble
• The moral of life, it is passed down to Raimond
Romulus makes commitments to his work and himself, he feels as if it is his responsibility which deeply reflects on his character Like him, his work was honest through and thorough…everything was perfectly made” • Romulus sets a high standard for himself.
• It needs to be honest, through and thorough which is also the basis of his moral and spiritual requirements.
The praise of the lazy, the dishonest or those whose character and work were shoddy meant nothing to him. In this respect he belonged to a long tradition of European thought which celebrated, as an essential constituent of a fulfilled human life, a community of equals, each worthy to rejoice in the virtues and achievements of the other.
Australian create barrier to belonging by judging others as they felt threatened of the diligent immigrants. Those were the days before multiculturalism – immigrants were tolerated, but seldom accorded the respect they deserved. It occurred to few of the men and women of central Victoria that the foreigners in their midst might live their lives and judge their surroundings in the light of standards which were equal and sometimes superior to theirs. •
The importance of name in classifying our identity That is why it never seriously occurred to them to call my father by his name, Romulus. They called him Jack. •
• The short and direct sentence creates emphasis on
the
• significance of name
The value of life is not the materialistic statuses and prestige but it is the inner moral and understanding of character – Romulus and Mitru shared the same beliefs that formed the strong foundation of their identity and strong relationship
..I have never known anyone who lived so passionately, as did these two friends, the belief that nothing matters so much in life as to live it decently. Nor have anyone so resistant and contemptuous..of the external signs of status and prestige. They recognized this in each other, and it formed the basis of their deep and long-lasting friendship. •
•
•
•
•
• Hagiographic created by
• hyperbole in ‘never’ and ‘lived so…’
• listing of ‘resistant and contemptuous’ to create emphasis and hyperbole
• The combination of the adjective deep and long lasting indicate the stoic nature of their relationship – a stable foundation for Raimond to shape his security and identity
Romulus place of belonging is shaped by his high expectation for people. He wanted a place where truth is honored and judgment of others is obliterated But I know from their disappointments that they longed for a community of honourable men and women who humbly, but without humbug, knew their own worth and the worth of others. This quote gave specific detailed characters that Romulus desired to see developed in people on which he is surrounded on. The alliteration of the characters of men and women that Romulus longed for ‘honorable…humbly...humbug’ highlight his high expectation and standards. The repetition of ‘worth’ demonstrates the importance of understanding our values and others. Understanding it will prevent us from devaluing others to push our value up or vice versa.
These high expectations backfired since it makes it more difficult for Hora and Romulus to belong.
Character – of karacter as they pronounced it, with the emphasis on the second syllable – was the central moral concept for my father and Hora……Honesty, loyalty, courage, charity and a capacity for hard work were the virtues most prized by the man and women I knew.
The listing of ‘Honesty, loyalty, courage, charity…” together with hyperbole of ‘most’ display the positive and Raimond’s pride towards his cultural background. By repeating the same word in a different language or pronunciation it stresses the significance of ‘character’.
Barriers of belonging for Christine – the high expectation and high morals of Mitru and Romulus Tom Lillie and others disliked my mother partly because they saw her engaging vivacity as a dangerously seductive manifestation of personality in a woman they believed to be lacking entirely in character – a ‘characterless woman’ as Hora put it. The adverb ‘dangerously’ and hyperbole of ‘entirely’ highlight the reasons why Christine was not accepted. The short, simple and direct quote from Hora further accentuate their rejection and disgust towards Christine
Belonging brought about by the environment and the effect of the values and morals instilled into Rai by Rom “Riding the motorbike that summer…I felt I could do anything provided I was respectful of others.” Vivid and Highly descriptive language of the environment and of Rai symbolise the sense of freedom he gets from the environment. the words such a ‘crystallised’ and ‘only wearing sandal’ shows the putirty of his character and it evokes emotion in the reader.
Sense of belonging Rai gets from Rom
“from my father and from Hora I had already acquired a sense that only morality was absolute…”
How understanding nourishes belonging.
And how belonging influences identity “But fro some like my mother… provided the wrong conceptual environment for her to find herself and for others to understand her.” Contrasting characteristics of his mother to show her instability. The Australian enironment poorly impacted her indentitiy because of the sense of belonging she derived from it.
Further backs up the above thing “lacking entierly in character-a characterless woman” This description shows how characterless she was and how that affected the way she belonged
CHAPTER 9 by Tish, Dot and Catherine
• Although Hora was biologically the closet relative to Susan and Barbra, they were put up for adoption to strangers because the authorities preferred this.
• Romulus had been writing to Lydia for over two years.
• Romulus heard from a friend of Lydia that she was not the woman he thought her to be. He then confronted Lydia in his letters demanding to hear the truth. She confessed to him that she had a husband whom she had married only weeks earlier, after a long engagement.
• When Lydia’s letter arrived, his moral world collapsed. Romulus was thrown into confusion.
• He eventually admitted himself as a voluntary patient to the Ballarat psychiatric hospital and was given shock treatment and large doses of medicine which left him feeling humiliated.
• Romulus tried to convince Hora and Raimond that he was all right but feels embarrassed about his mental condition.
• In the summer holidays, Raimond returns to find Romulus at Frogmore. He had discharged himself from the hospital however, “...his paranoia was feverish”.
• Romulus tries to protect Raimond from his insanity, but all efforts are vain. He gives in to his paranoia by believing in superstition and questioning Raimond’s every action.
• Romulus attempts suicide by taking an overdose of Largactil, but is luckily found by Tom Lillie and admitted to hospital.
• Raimond tries to get Romulus to hospital, but he refuses because he had “work” to do and had a reputation to keep up. Vacek returns, and convinces Romulus to go to hospital.
• Romulus agrees to go to hospital, on the condition that he drives himself there. (Self-respect so that he is able to believe he still had some control of events.)
• Raimond agrees to deliver Romulus’ ironwork before Christmas.
• Raimond is arrested for disobeying construction rules when driving (spraying workmen with tar) but is let off the hook. He is caught again and he and Romulus are fined but not convicted thanks to Jack Matthey. (Friend of theirs; policeman)
• Raimond meets John Dunstan at his school and they become good friends. Both boys cause mischief in their community. However, (Look into the future) Raimond leads him to make a bad decision and feels responsible for his eventual suicide.
• Romulus returns from the hospital in the summer to work but still far from recovery. He and Vacek visit Raimond’s school but both are dressed in shabby clothes, leading to staff members questioning who they were. Raimond feels ashamed to have denied his father.
• Raimond comments about the destructive nature of sexual love.
• Romulus and Raimond visit Lydia and her husband in Sydney; Romulus desired to murder Lydia. Upon their arrival, they are disarmed by Lydia’s beauty and her husband’s courtesy.
• Romulus begins to recover from his mental illness.
CONCEPT OF BELONGING / NOT BELONGING QUOTE TECHNIQUE & HOW IT CONVEYS CONCEPT/S OF BELONGING / NOT BELONGING
By trying to keep the family together, the parental figures of Romulus and Hora are aiming to foster a sense of belonging. “After my mother died, my father and Hora were especially concerned about the fate of Susan and Barbara.” (p115) The adverb “especially” indicates the importance of keeping the family together. “Hora had visited them... and now did so almost each alternate weekend.” (p115) Shows Hora’s assumption of a parental figure of Romulus’ children and his dedication and commitment to them. “He had made it clear... [that] he would gladly adopt them, hiring female help to care for them if necessary.” (p115) Demonstrates Hora going to extreme lengths to protect and nurture the girls. The high modality of this sentence emulates his protective nature. “Biologically you are close to them. Closer than anyone living. And the biological law is deeper than our human law. Still, formalities are formalities.” (p116) Philosophical in that our family bonds run deeper than any other social construction. Despite family ties and bondage they are isolated from them by the law. “He emphasised that the girls were my sisters and that, although deserted by his wife, he remembered happy times with her and felt obliged to care for her children.” ... “In addition to the offers of adoption from Hora and my father, approaches came from my mother’s German sisters, Maria and Elizabeth.” (p116) The family wants the children to feel like them belong with them and Romulus in particular doesn’t want them to feel isolated, like he was.
Human law has the ability to separate families, thus it is seen as superior to love.
“Told in the law that he was nothing to the children.”(p116)
The use of the word “nothing” is a forceful word of high modality that reinforces how the law can come between a united family.
The feeling of not belonging to one’s self. The reason was that he was falling into insanity. (p117) Short, sharp sentence and paragraph for emphasis. I saw his hunched shadow cast large against the kitchen wall (p118) Imagery of a tortured, miserable and distressed person, in particular, the use of the words ‘hunched’ and ‘shadow’.
Often it is through our unconscious actions that our acceptance of new cultures is perceived, as we being to belong and engage new identities. “My father had bought a white Holden” (p117) White is symbolic of rebirth, a Holden is an iconic Australian car. The purchase of this car is symbolic of Romulus’ acceptance of Australian culture. Romulus is alienated through his blind trust he puts in others that is not returned. “On no account should he trust her. He must write to her and demand she tell him the truth.” (p118) The use of short, direct sentences conveys the urgency of the situation. The use of second person “he”, “her”, “she”, “him” establishes the pain and urgency of the situation and the universal message it is conveying of caution. “I went to bed. He wrote to Lydia.” (p118) Short sentences emphasise pain and anguish that Romulus is feeling and convey this to the audience by emitting descriptive language.
The affection that Romulus has for Lydia has fuelled the extent of his suffering. Her lies have brought a physical and emotional barrier between them.
“Each time he sighed more deeply than I had ever heard anyone sigh, and I heard in those sighs the terrible depths of his suffering” (p119)
Repetition of “d” is distasteful and despairing and communicates the torment of the situation for Romulus.
The pain of the destroyed relationship with Lydia has in turn affected the relationship that Romulus and Raimond had begun to develop with others and the land. “In his sighs I heard our isolation and for the first time I felt estranged from the area.” (p119) Metaphor is used “In his sighs I heard our isolation” to develop a relationship between the two ideas. The repetition of “f” is a soft sound and articulates Raimond’s awareness and strain at his new isolation.
Raimond does not want to lose the sense of belonging that he has only just found. “The joys of my freedom...were still intense...and made more poignant by my premonition that I would never experience them again.” (p119) The repetition of the “p” is purposeful and forceful and delineates the anger, frustration and denial that Raimond is feeling.
Raimond is searching for acceptance which he sees all around him but feels like he can never have himself. “awakened in me a desire to live what I had begun to think of as a normal life” (p119) Raimond’s categorising of ‘normality’ discloses his extreme desire to feel like he is fitting in.
Culture has a large influence on decisions and desires, especially of young people, and the way their feelings of attachment to each other. “My growing desire to lead a ‘normal’ life was strengthened by the conformist aspirations of teenage culture” (p119)
Romulus is unsure what truth is, or whether it exists. He has lost his faith in humanity which previously drove him. Without this, he dissolves into insanity. “Sometimes he demanded the truth from her. At other times he pleaded for it.” (p120) The juxtaposition of “demanded” and “pleaded” confirms Romulus’ descent into insanity. It accentuates his feelings of alienation and lack of direction.
The alienation that Romulus feels as a result of Lydia’s actions is extreme, with nothing able to comfort him or his new realisation at the degradation of moral values.
“It is also a common response to certain kinds of wrongdoing and to the death of those dear to us, when no facts of a natural or supernatural kind will diminish our pained bewilderment at the disappearance of a human personality.” (p120)
Personification of “human personality” outlines the dramatic effect that it has had on Romulus. He feels alienated as if someone had truly disappeared without an explanation. Romulus based his life the moral values to which he belonged. Without them, he began the downward spiral to insanity. “Morality was for him as substantially a part of reality as the natural facts of human action and motivation, but when Lydia’s letter arrived his moral world collapsed.” (p121) Personification of the “moral world” creates an image in the reader’s mind that is more powerful to describe a potent time in Romulus’ life. The use of ‘moral world’ creates the idea that he is separate from the actual world and does not belong in this one as he does not recognise true reality, but lives in a world of ‘good’ people and morality.
The word ‘collapses’ gives an image of morality falling and being left in devastation, like a collapsed building – confusion and disarray. “a woman he had loved and trusted without reservation, his personal disintegration followed not far behind the disintegration of his moral world.” (p 121)
With life comes inevitable suffering.
“Prayer of the Dead’ in the Common Book of Prayer. ‘Man that is born of woman hath but a short time to live and is full of misery. He cometh up and is cut down like a flower. He fleeth as it were a shadow and never continueth in one stay” (p121)
Means that people are born, they suffer, and finally die. It is intertextuality to explain Romulus’s view on life. His use of it being a prayer demonstrates his spiritual views and aspects on life. The fact that is comes from ‘The Prayer of the Dead’ shows his fatalistic views.
Romulus’ response to human nature is one of indecision but not resignation. It is people’s approach to life and decision about their relationship to others that determines where they ultimately belong. “he responded to it in different ways, sometimes angrily, sometimes bitterly, sometimes sorrowfully, but never with resignation.” (p122) Repetition of “sometimes” demonstrates his inability to define the issues that plague human nature, however, the high modality of “but never” discloses Romulus’s firm faith that human nature cannot be given up on.
The change in Romulus affects the relationship between him and his son. “seldom sang or whistled again” (p122) Repetition of the soft “s” sound delineates Raimond’s sadness and resignation to his father’s new attitude.
The landscape helps to enlighten Raimond’s sense of life, thus indicating its importance in people’s lives. “Strange as it may sound, my sense of that life, of the ideas that informed it, was given intensity and colour by the light and landscape of the area.” (p123) Repetition of the “s” sound is a soft tone that indicates the depth of meaning this statement and his connection to the land has in Raimond’s life.
Often the paranoia of the mind appears through the crazed actions of the one affected, challenging the acceptance and straining the bonds that have been formed with others. “he made wooden and iron crosses to ward off evil spirits...he questioned me without respite about the meaning of almost everything I did.” (p126) The avis descriptions of the individual behaviours of Romulus create a more potent image in the readers mind.
Romulus has to protect others and put himself last. Often it is the one closest to him, his son, that is the forefront of this protection. Even in his madness, Romulus does not want those dear to him to suffer.
“Always he feared for someone else, most often for me, but never for himself.” (p126)
The high modality of “always” and “never” reinforce the certainty that Romulus has to protect others and put himself last.
Despite his learning and yearning to adjust, Raimond struggles to reconnect to his father again. “I learned to minimise the extent to which I would provoke his anxiety...this was hard for me to bear” (p127) Use of first person shows the effect his father’s illness had on Raimond, by giving a personal account of his feelings at the time.
When one’s presence is no longer required, they often feel no need to remain. “Vacek realised that we had no real need of him and went, I do not know where. I was sad to see him go.” (p133) Use of short, truncated sentences emphasise Raimond’s sadness at his friend’s departure.
The connection with work for Romulus and Vacek provides a sense of purpose and unification. “He and my father began working again.” (p135)
In this case, clothing represents the mental state of Romulus. It shows the degeneration of his pride in himself and his appearance. “He came dressed in a dishevelled navy pin-striped suit, with a dirty white shirt open at the neck, the collar partly covered by the collar of his jacket.” (p135) The repetition of ‘d’, “dressed”, “dishevelled” and “dirty” emphasises the disgust with which Raimond views his father’s attire.
Places can be associated with feelings. “We’re going to Sydney.” (p136) A short sentence places emphasis on the meaning by directly stating the facts.
A biological tie can often result in feelings of obligation towards members of the family. “The fact that he was my father was the reason I felt obliged to accompany him.” (p138) Repetition of the letter “f” reiterates the awareness and strain that Raimond is feeling, between his obligation to accompany his father and his knowledge of right and wrong.
Mental health issues can often be more impairing than physical ailments. “There is no sickness worse than mental sickness.” (p140) The high modality in “no” communicates the truth and impact of this statement in the character’s lives. The short, direct sentence demonstrates also the truth in this sentence for the characters. The repetition of the word “sickness” emphasises the impairment that accompanies mental health issues, not just physical injuries. Study Guide Questions – Chapter 9 27. The metaphor of the ‘Prayer of the Dead’ exemplifies the moral world that Romulus belonged to. How is this metaphor exemplary of his life so far? (pg. 121-122) ‘Man that is born of woman hath but a short time to live and is full of misery. He cometh up and is cut down like a flower. He fleeth as it were a shadow and never continueth in one stay’. This demonstrates Romulus’s view in life that we are born, and then that we suffer, and that our suffering is not due to our own failings or decisions, but that humans are ‘victims of fate and destined for suffering’. Then, soon, after our suffering of life, we die and so our lives are fleeting like a ‘shadow’, as we are ‘cut down like a flower’. Romulus has suffered in a great many ways in his life, but does not blame anyone or himself, and when he sees others in their suffering he does not blame anyone for it, but is compassionate as he believes that all people suffer together because that is simply how life is, so he takes everything in his stride and helps when it is required. 28. Connection to a place/landscape helps to explain who we are. How is this statement true for Raimond and his father? (pg. 123-124) Raimond’s connection to the landscape helps to define who he is through his understanding of freedom and suffering – such as the bubbly happiness of the tall grass in the morning, the struggle and intimidation of them during the day, with ‘insects and other creatures’ and ‘unforgiving sun’, and the ‘melancholy beauty’ in the evening with the soft light. He experienced and came to know and understand all this even from a young age as he hunted rabbits and ran free in his childhood. “Religion, metaphysics or the notions of fate and character as they inform tragedy are suited to that light and landscape.”
Romulus’s kinship with the Yugoslavian landscape shapes his feelings of isolation and behaviour of separation in Australia as he misses it, and longs for the soft green beauty of Yugoslavia, rather than the harsh and rugged beauty of Australia. 29. How is Romulus’ insanity a representation of his shattered cultural identity? (pg. 129-127) Romulus’s insanity is largely caused due to his shattered moral world, which developed hand in hand with his cultural identification with Yugoslavia. Through this we can see how his insanity represented his crumbling and shattered cultural identity. He was brought up a proud and upstanding man, however, when he became insane he was ashamed and embarrassed to admit himself to the mental institute and admit his madness to himself, particularly because of the huge stigma that was attached to being insane. This is why he had to admit himself, and it was himself who drove him to the mental institute. 30. The end of this chapter identifies significant moments for Raimond. What language technique is used to emphasise this and what is its effect? Repetition of remember in the final paragraph of the chapter shows that these were the key things that Raimond remembers of his father, it reinforces the importance, at the time, of these particular events and now, it still shapes his views of his father as an omnipotent figure.
Even in the midst of affliction Romulus remains a symbol of security and defence for Raimond. The final paragraph of the chapter works as a contrast against the image of his ‘shrunken’ father when he was suffering through his insanity, this is demonstrated in the final sentence and the symbol of his father’s arm protecting him, “The sight of his muscular arms protected me against their terrible meaning.” This is at the point when Raimond remembers clearly, so it was such a significant moment for him, his father saying, “There is no sickness worse than mental sickness.” He also refers to his father as speaking with ‘authority’, to show how he, despite all adversity, still sees his father as a powerful and protective figure in his life. Romulus, My Father – Chapter 11 Concept of Belonging/not Belonging Quote Technique & How it Conveys Concept/s of Belonging/not belonging
The emotional struggles migrants can go through while being thrusted into a completely different country with different values and the European way of living. He longed for European society, saying that he felt like a ‘prisoner’ in Australia. Simile, he compares to living in Australia as that of being a prisoner in a cell. The emotive language with the use of the word “longed” represents our human nature to yearn to belong.
A sense of belonging can be dependent on the people around you/who you are with and whether or not you feel emotionally compatible with yourself and others. My father loved to be among people, a fact that made his years alone at Baringhup so very hard. The use of clear and emotive language (love, alone, very hard) to imprint in the audience’s minds the understanding that Romulus struggled with social barriers and isolation in this foreign country town
Perceptions of religion and spirituality can vary between individuals and therefore Romulus’s outlook could not be swayed by the society’s conformist views due to his strong morals. ...he would never be converted by people whom he regarded as hypocrites. His sense of religion and their desire for wealth and prestige were radically incompatible. Juxtaposition, as Raimond is comparing his father’s view of religion and their connection with wealth and prestige in the same sentence and this gives us the contradictory view that he held.
Only by trifling through sufferings are you able to form your ideas and values as a person, and therefore understanding the various aspects of belonging. ...only suffering makes one wise... Some kinds of wisdom, however- the kinds that show themselves not only in thoughts, but the integrity of an authoritatively lived life- are given only to those who have suffered long and deep. His affliction gave authority to much of what my father said, gave power to his language, rich in peasant imagery, and spared his harsh moral judgement from any tinge of moralism in the pejorative sense of that term which implies an ever-present readiness to point the finger at others and to turn one’s back on them. Suffering has been very instrumental in Romulus’ life as his psychological underpinning and his perspective on belonging has been shaped by this. Because of the trials he underwent, his view on belonging refers to the wider community, humanity most importantly and his place in it. Written from an adult Raimond’s perspective, this tells us that Raimond now has a clear understanding of Romulus’s outlook on belonging as a result of his peasant upbringing. He now empathises with those who suffer without condescending as he believes that everyone is destined to suffer.
Mental sickness detaches you from your surroundings and makes it hard for you to feel a connection with those people and to where you fit into in the world. There’s no sickness worse than mental sickness The repetition of the word ‘sickness’ reinforces the harsh reality that is integrated into Romulus’s own perceptions
As a result of Romulus’s past experience with family, having fled home at the age of 13, he feels that the stability of a family is an integral part of life to enable the foundation of belonging ‘Look out the window. The cats have kittens and the dog have pups. The goats have kids and the hens have chickens. Everything breeds around here except my son.’ Hyperbole of ‘Everything breeds around here except my son’ is Romulus’s way of expressing his view of the value o stability of family life to Raimond. A family can keep you grounded and give you a place to belong.
The use of a metaphor gives us a powerful image of the circle life and how much family values are integrated in all forms of life.
The analogy of comparing his son’s position to that of an animal shows his caring nature as he cares so much about animals and he cares so much about his son and he wants the best for his son.
Finding belonging can be difficult when encountering barriers such as judgemental attitudes and lack of acceptance. ...his judgements were not what we now call ‘judgemental’. Irony.
It is because Romulus had a humble upbringing and underwent so much suffering in his past that he is able to gain a new perspective and insight into other people’s own suffering and actually empathise with them rather than patronise them and their situation and where they feel they fit in. Instead he welcomes them without judgement or superiority.
Also ironic and judgement is a barrier that separates Romulus as an immigrant and ‘New Australian’ from the Australian culture of that time, and Romulus is although a victim of this, he does not commit himself to judging others Chapter 13
• Romulus died just past midnight
• It was arranged for Romulus to be viewed in an open coffin, but no pictures were allowed
• Hora didn’t want to say anything at the funeral, so Raimond gave the eulogy
• He met Neil Mikkelsen at the end, who was in tears, and said how true Raimond’s words were
Concept of Belonging/Not Belonging Quote/s Technique and how it conveys the concept/s of belonging/not belonging
Facing not belonging “I thought he was frightened because he knew he was dying, but was unable to muster sufficient consciousness even to try to come to terms with the fact”
• “...and pointed out the irony of the fact that the only time he showed pain was when they tried to ensure that he would not suffer it”
“Are you in pain?...no, he replied each time” Romulus lived a life without complaining about the labourous efforts he has done with the high work ethics that he has, but now that death is on the cards, he starts to fear and has almost given in to his fate, he still fights with the energy he has left to deny that fact.
Belonging with the family, bond between a father and a son “Ich liebe dich, mein Vater” (I love you my father) In chapter 7, Raimond, after Mitru’s death, and after being hit by his father, Raimond shouts “you don’t love me”. This shows the lack of Romulus’ fatherly presence in Raimond’s life. It also shows the necessity of love as the thing that bonds family together and creates belonging
As Romulus lays dying, it is a very significant moment, as Romulus’ last moments on earth reconcile him with his son through love.
Reconciliation with wife “My father was buried in the Maryborough cemetery, close to my mother” After separation with his wife Christine, this quote symbolizes the forgiveness that Romulus had for his wife, regarding her promiscuity and affairs with Mitru. It shows that even through all this, Romulus still sees her as family.
Heartfelt eulogy of Romulus’ character that made him belong • “We sometimes express our most severe judgement of other people by saying that we will never again speak to them”
• “...his unqualified sense of common humanity with everyone he met”
• “He was truly a man who would rather suffer evil than do it” These quotes are from Raimond’s eulogy, which are words from his heart, even though he endured pain and despair through Romulus’ disciplines, Raimond comes to realise the true man within his father. Romulus strives to help others to belong rather than himself
Romulus’ efforts to make everyone else belong It was Neil Mikkelsen, the man who had been kind to my mother, and who had fallen from the haystack when my father worked for him. ‘Every word you spoke was true’ he said. ‘Your father saved my life This is a reflection on the life that Romulus lived, one of integrity and honour, and how he always looked out for everyone, regardless of their differences Reflection of romulus’ love for everyone around him “...so I gave the eulogy myself. I spoke of my father’s life, values, his friendship with Hora and marriage to Milka, but I said almost nothing about my mother, nothing about Mitru, or Lydia, and I referred only elliptically to his mental breakdown” Raimond, through the love that he had for his father, omitted his father’s negative experiences to present him in a positive light
This shows us the strong relationship that they had, and the necessity for love to feel belonging in a relationship.
This love goes beyond death, as Raimond honours his father after his death