Our Lives and Identities Are Shaped by Our Sense of Belonging

Our lives and identities are shaped by our sense of belonging.

Every person has their personal wishes and requests, they discover their place in the world and a natural sense of belonging through many paths. Many people discover a true sense of belonging through their identity due to the reality that by instinct this connection fulfills the human desires of expressing themselves in society. This concept is explored in “Migrant Hostel” and “10 Mary Street” by Peter Skrzynecki highlighting the life experiences of a migrant who faces many difficulties and emotional challenges while trying to adapt to a new culture. Similarly, this idea is also evident in a short film directed by Adam Elliot “Harvie Krumpet” which explores the life of an individual who has tourette syndrome and tries to adapt into a society with his disabilities.

Skrzynecki illustrates the many hardships and emotional disputes that migrants deal with and the struggles they face while trying to amend to new cultural domain. For a number of migrants, this verifies to be a great strain to them. The indication to the migrants searching for each other in the simile “Like a homing pigeon” encapsulates imagery of a ‘cultural or racial nature’ and the wonder of great distances journeyed by migrating birds. “A barrier at the main gate Sealed off the highway”, clearly symbolises their route to a new life but being prevented from being travelled leading them into being alienated from the society. Feelings of confusion and being insecure in a foreign land is highlighted. From this it is clear that the migrants were disconnected from their culture and identity and did not feel like they had a strong sense of belonging in the foreign land. Similarly, this is seen in Harvie Krumpet through the feeling of isolation and alienation due to physical and mental disabilities.

When being a part a social community, an individual’s character is seen as firmer. The short film Harvie Krumpet directed by Adam Elliot, uses many techniques to portray the idea of our lives and identities being shaped by our sense of belonging. Throughout Harvie’s life, he was constantly rejected and not wanted. His friend “Bogush stuttered and had problems with mucus”. The use of a wide and long angle shot and a voice over displays that both of these characters do not seem to belong to the mainstream school group, as they were excluded from everyone and only had each other’s company. They sat alone and did not fit in with the mainstream school society. However, in their differences and disabilities, they find a connection with each other. By this, it illustrates both Harvey and Skrzynecki experiencing a connection within their own personal culture. Similarly this is seen in 10 Mary Street, emphasising the impact the house has to their culture and sense of belonging.

Withdrawal does not make us stronger, all it gains is a troubling sense of being rejected. The poem 10 Mary Street illustrates the state of mind of an immigrant family during the stages of their unification into Australian society. This is affirmed in the metaphor “We became citizens of the soil That was feeding us - Inheritors of a key That’ll open no house” This idea emphasises that the house stands on the land of Australia. The house symbolically represents the family’s search for security and desire to preserve European culture.