Free Essay

Belonging

In: English and Literature

Submitted By SpeedyRose
Words 387
Pages 2
Belonging is a challenging and complex concept that may be embraced or resisted by individuals or society. Peter S. Immigrant Chronicles composed by P.S explores a range of ideas and messages that the poet wants to communicate to his audience of the different layers and levels of belonging. Both poems Migrant Hostel and St Pat’s explore the importance of choice of environment by the individual and the role of the individual are seen to affect their own sense of belonging.

An individual’s connection to a society cannot be fully recognised or embraced if the individual does not feel entirely comfortable of the world around them. In Migrant hostel and St Patrick’s there is a distinct tone that display a sense of detachment and an almost loathing of the environment around them, which is best seen in this line “Mother enrolled me at St Pats” this unaffectionate tone used in the first stanza of St Pats’ conveys the idea that this wasn’t the poets decision to attend a Catholic Latin School. This ultimately creates challenges in the developing process of creating a connection and sense of acceptance to the schools environment and people. In stanza four of Migrant Hostel the line “A barrier at the main gate” represents and symbolises that they are separated from the rest of the world where they are not ‘allowed’ to belong in. Both poems highlight the main issue of an individual’s choice of environment and explore the various challenges of belonging.

An individual plays a significant role in their own belonging and must choose to accept their world around them and try to integrate into the society. Migrant Hostel and St Pats have completely different situations, yet in both poems P.S seems to evoke the idea that the individual had a part to play in his own belonging. “I stuck pine needles into the motto”, by using imagery it indicates to audience that he was rejecting and not wanting to accept his new environment. While in Migrant hostel it is clear throughout the poem P.S is being kept away from society, “Sealed off from the highway”, but still attempts to create cultural bonds, “Nationalities sought each other out instinctively.” This allows and reinforces the audience that belonging is a challenging concept and there are many layers to it.

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