A Sense of Belonging

A sense of belonging – or not belonging – can emerge from the connections made with people, places, groups, communities and the larger world. The word belonging implies connection and different forms of relationships, and is a basic human need. A mixture of emotions and a strong sense of self, as well as a strong sense of connection lead a person to feel that they belong either in that particular place, group of people, or with another individual.

A sense of belonging leads a person to having an increased self esteem; confidence, optimism, pride and resilience. A sense of belonging adds to the happiness of a person's life and creates for them a sense of purpose, fulfilment, self respect and self worth. Feeling respected and accepted comes from belonging. A sense of not belonging can lead a person towards alienation, isolation and unhappiness. A person who feels as though they do not belong may feel restless, dissatisfied, needy, depressed and pessimistic, have low self worth, lack confidence and feel disempowered. A person may experience conflict, be defiant or feel rebellious.

This provides us with two simple points: belonging leads to happiness, not belonging leads to unhappiness. While there are these two simple aspects of belonging, there are many others also. The three aspects of belonging I have chosen to focus on are:

1. Friendship, whether it be long lasting, distanced, or newly formed, leads a person to feeling welcomed and accepted, and feeling as though they belong in that relationship. Friendships are a valuable thing to have in life, and play a key role in belonging.

2. Individuals may encounter barriers to belonging. Some groups and societies establish barriers to belonging.

3. Many people have a strong connection to a place or country that creates a sense of belonging, and connection to groups or communities fosters a sense of belonging.

These three aspects can be seen in the following texts:

- The Colour Purple, a novel by Alice Walker

- My Country, a poem by Dorothea Mackeller

- Romulus, My Father, a memoir by Raimond Gaita

The first two of my three chosen aspects of belonging relate to the novel The Colour Purple. The Colour Purple by Alice Walker is a very strong messaged, confronting and intimidating novel, and has a very forceful message about belonging throughout it. It follows the story of Celie though her life; a young black woman growing up in terrible surroundings where she is raped, has children and is forced to marry during her early teenaged years. Celie would do all the housework and look after the children. She referred to her husband only by "Mr.__", not feeling like she was good enough to say his proper name.

Not