The Notion of Belonging

The notion of individuality can be challenging at times, therefore it is essential to have a support platform providing moral guidance that can enrich or limit our experiences of belonging. Through the study of Raimond Gaitas biographical memoir Romulus my Father and American comedy drama Forrest Gump I have come to realise that an individual’s interaction with others and its world around them can lead to both constructive and undesirable experiences of belonging. People can belong as part of society; yet the dynamic nature of the concept means that feelings of both connection and disconnection can become apparent. Individual personalities and the way in which they can adapt to different experiences evoke differing and altering reactions.

People can belong as part of a group; yet the dynamic nature of belonging means the concept can exist across a spectrum of perceived realities thus disconnecting people. Raimond Gaitas factual recollection of his father’s life experiences in the text ‘Romulus My Father’ highlights the impact 1950s assimilation into Australian society had on European migrants. The sense of belonging in the text is ambivalent and ambiguous in the sense that Romulus the title character, feels alienated by his Romanian roots in Australian society. Romulus’s everlasting link to European society is represented through the simile “he longed for European society, saying he felt like a prisoner in Australia.” Romulus is connected to Australia through citizenship, yet he felt physiologically disconnected. This ironic paradox highlights the way in which Romulus’s identity when measured against Australian values is diminished. Romulus best feels belonged when he is in the company of other European migrants, mainly Hora. The settings of Frogmore become a symbol for their emotive need to group together through shared experiences and ultimately belong. This grouping explores the idea that the migrants feel more safe and secure together but also in a sense are hiding and disconnecting themselves from Australia.

Gaitas sense of belonging is influenced by interactions with Romulus and the Australian landscape. Using a first person perspective responders gain a thorough insight into the emotions of his family at present times but this also leaves him vulnerable in the sense we can witness his experiences as a migrant. The exploration of coming of age through Raimonds text outlines his growing desire to become a part of Australian society but still remembering his Romanian roots and his father. This is represented through the quote