Belonging

Fulfilment is the essence of being. To obtain this sense of self, we must actively participate in the society which we exist in. Without social acceptance, our sense of  belonging is limited and cannot lead to true self actualisation. This concept isexplored through the prescribed poems
St. Patricks College And 10 Mary Street byPeter Skrzynecki, the painting Self Portrait (But I Always Wanted to Be One of TheGood Guys) by Gordon Bennet and the short story. The Fat Man in Historyby Peter Carey. All these texts explore the hardships of being ostracized by society, and howthis impacts on an individual’s sense of identity and belonging.
is also a metaphor as it explores the separation between new migrants and the country/place. The effect of the ‘barrier’ is to show the migrants separation between the freedom of Australia and the institution of a hostel. ‘Partitioned off at night’ shows the symbolism of the past suffering that divides them and the night is symbolic of darkness and things that are hidden. The effect of the symbolism is to show the division of the migrants because of their past suffering but it also undermines the hostel as migrants were pulled together as a collective and given the title of ‘migrants’ even if their countries would initiate war on each other. This shows Skrzynecki’s limited perspective of belonging as he focuses more on the disconnection to place.
Skrzynecki highlights their understanding of the value of cultural heritageand generational traditions. However the feeling collective and given