Today in this society belonging is one of the essentials we need to survive. We all need to depend on other people and we also seek to be needed. Therefore, physically we cannot avoid belonging.
However identity, relationships and culture as our basic sense to belonging, we can choose to reject or to accept these connections. The understanding of these aspects of belonging has been demonstrated in the following texts “The China Coin” by Allan Baillie and “Swallow the Air” by Tara June Winch.Our sense of belonging are mostly based on our relationship to people, a good relationship can easily give you a sense of security and belonging, however a bad one can make us feel alienated and rejected easily. “The China Coin” showed us the change in the relationship of Leah and her mother Joan as the story goes on. At the beginning of the book, Leah and Joan had a hostile relationship; many small and insignificant signs have expressed it in different ways.
“Leah felt the hot fingers scoring her face as she toppled over the bed”.This is after Joan had hit Leah, as we can see this is an unusual relationship between a mother and a daughter, a negative family relationship is the biggest reason that makes us feel isolation. However as the story develops, their relationship starts changing as well. “How do you feel Mum? ” Leah was just relieved to see Joan conscious” Leah was very worried about her mother’s health after the motorbike accident. This has conveyed to the readers Leah is accepting Joan as a family and caring for her.This has strengthened Leah’s mental connection to her mother.
In another case, “Swallow the Air” by Tara June Winch is a novel featuring the main character, May and her quest to find her own sense of belonging. Throughout the series of interconnected stories, May feels as though she belongs with many people, her mother June included. With June ending her life within the first chapter, there are many metaphors signifying June. “Jacaranda petals and blood softened and returned. ” The jacaranda tree is signifying June’s kindred spirit.The relationship that May has with June, is indestructible, which is why within the book, there are many metaphors reminding May of her mother.
This relationship enforces May’s familial attachment, however the death limits it. Culture as another aspect of belonging, can also easily affect our sense of belonging. People stay as a group with the same culture and others who get rejected due to the cultural differences are commonly seen among the society. In the beginning of the book Leah says to her mother “I didn't ask to come! It's your rotten China!Leah struck Joan's arm away”.
It presents a big difference in culture from Both Joan and Leah, through the emphasis on "your" and from “China” with the descriptive word "rotten", Leah expresses that it is Joan’s China not hers, therefore rejecting China to be part of culture from herself. Compared to Leah, May decides to go on a journey to seek her own aboriginal culture. She shows a lack of understanding in herself and as soon as her mum commits suicide May has trouble belonging, “When mum left I stopped being Aboriginal I stopped feeling like I belonged anywhere”.May has lost her security in her culture and identity.
The name of the first chapter ‘swallow the air’ demonstrates May’s loss of security; it is a metaphor of her disconnection to others, the community and her understanding of self. She is not physically drowning in water she is metaphorically drowning in pain and sorrow. However by the end of the novel, the final chapter called ‘home’ signifies May’s attitude has changed dramatically. “I know what the word really means, home.
May concludes that home is where people have the same culture. Culture provides security and association to family. However cultures also give you a true identity of yourself. Identities tell you who you really are where you come from and most importantly it tells you where you belong.
Finding your own identity is the easiest way to seek for your sense of belonging. At the end of the book while Leah decides to accept her Chinese identity, she also finds a second home.Even though Leah is reserved, the warmth and acceptance of this family draw her in; it’s also for the first time Leah thinks of Joan's family as her own. Furthermore, Leah again builds relationships with family members Ke, Linan and uncle Tong. When the other half of the coin falls from the roll, Leah's reaction is positive "Li-Nan crushed her pounded her on the back and called her "sister".
The symbolism of the strong hug and approval by Li Nan shows her acceptance into this family which again helped her to accept her Chinese identity.However unlike Leah, May struggles to seek for her identity. She didn’t know where she belonged to, or who she belongs with, especially after she found out about her drug addicted brother. Tara uses personification to portray May's experience visually and enforces her belonging to place, not just people, which is part of the Aboriginal culture. “The river sleeps.
Tree bares of sprint people, arms stretched out and screaming. " She brings up the concept of Aboriginality and what it means to belong. Aboriginality as May’s true identity, and calls it home “It feels good.It feels right for the first time in a long time to be home”, this clearly stated that she enjoys times she spent at “home”, and therefore she accepted her Aboriginal identity and found her sense of belonging.
Relationship, culture and identity give us or help us to seek for our sense of belonging. However if we choose to reject and deny these we will feel displacement and alienation. No one has the power to make us not belonging and homeless except ourselves because we are the host of our own minds.
