As illustrated in Peter Jerkiness’s Immigrant Chronicle poetry, having a strong sense of self-knowledge & understanding – and a deep connection to one’s own culture, beliefs and values – develops a feeling of belonging to and knowing one’s self, and in turn, a strong sense of belonging to humanity. ‘Feline Crooknecks’, ‘SST Patriot’s College’ and ’10 Mary Street’ all support this thesis and position the reader to consider the concepts of belonging from the perspective of someone who feels alienated, excluded and alone.
The poem ‘Feline Crooknecks’ tells us of Pewter’s father, his life, and his clear sense of belonging. It explores the concepts of familial, cultural and self-belonging, and reveals the regretful feelings of Peter, in relation to his alienation, his family’s migration and the filial bond with his father. The clear and possibly most significant message of the poem is that belonging comes from within, and requires an accepting and peaceful attitude. These concepts are expressed through the use of poetic devices and language techniques, which show the differences between the attitudes of father and son.
The admiration Peter has for his father is evident in the first line -“My gentle father. ” The use of the word ‘gentle’ introduces Feline as a kind, peaceful man, and the possessive pronoun ‘my’ can suggest a sense of ownership or the yearning to be associated with Feline. The father’s independence and emotional self- efficiency is evident in the first stanza – “Kept pace only with the Joneses of his own mind’s making”. The reference to ‘The Joneses’ is important to consider, as it not only refers to mainstream society, but Australian mainstream society.
It shows that Feline is at peace with himself and has retained his own cultural beliefs, despite being pressured to assimilate and adopt a new way of life, and in result, has a strong sense of belonging. The repeated reference to Feline’ garden shows his compassion, connection with nature and dedication, and also his willingness to work hard. It signifies something that belongs to him, in a foreign and unfamiliar world. Throughout the poem, ideals of language are discussed. This shows language as a factor of belonging, and that it can be seen as a potential barrier that prevents the development of belonging.
The language indifference between father, son and the community illustrates this barrier, and presents cultural identity as a concept of inclusion and belonging. As the distance between Peter and his Polish heritage grows, Feline accepts that his son, growing up in Australia, cannot adopt the same sense of cultural belonging that he has. While Feline is at peace and accepts the unavoidable, Peter has a completely different attitude. He feels a strong sense of regret and affliction towards his past, and feels that if only he had embraced his Polish culture, he would have belonged in his family.
However, this is not the case. Peter felt isolated because he failed to form a strong connection with his inner self, not because he adopted the Australian way of life. As Peter has not developed a strong sense of self-belonging, he does not feel at peace, and does not realism that the cultural indifference and eventual complete disconnection between father and son was inevitable. Peter Crooknecks expresses feelings of regret throughout the poem, which can reveal he does not truly understand the concept of belonging.
His father’s beliefs and circumstances provide a contrast to Pewter’s perspective and suggest that the poet’s reflection of his childhood and adolescence is not relative t the concepts of truly belonging – that acceptance and self-sufficiency lead to a strop sense of belonging to one’s self, and therefore, to humanity. Peter realizes that to truly belong somewhere or with someone, you must firstly establish a strong sense self. In addition, Pewter’s regret indicates a yearning to belong – to his family and ultra.
This disconnection is evident in the third stanza, as we learn of Pewter’s detachment from his father’s Polish heritage, illustrated in the line “l never got use to” and with the use of an ellipsis to suggest uncertainty, doubt and deep thought. Appears that Peter Crooknecks has become more familiarized with feelings of isolation and alienation, than feelings of completion and belonging. This shows that without sense of belonging to one’s self, belonging to humanity is impossible. “SST Patriot’s College” discusses Jerkiness’s feelings of isolation at school.
It provide a reflective account enabled by hindsight and his experience. It reveals his feelings that erupted from migration, alienation and not developing a sense of belonging u much later in life. The overall theme of the poem is Pewter’s failure to assimilate despite the years he spent at school and that, ironically, it was not until after shoo that Peter feels he truly learnt anything. This theme is established through the use techniques such as repetition, symbolism, and imagery, which help to create and maintain a sarcastic, mocking tone.
The first line of the first stanza – “For eight year – would indicate routine and familiarity. However, this idea is contradicted in lines seven of stanza three, where Peter describes himself as a “foreign tourist”, which would indicate feelings of being lost in a strange, unfamiliar place. The word ‘tour could also represent Pewter’s feelings of isolation in the way that a tourist is an observer and is on the outside, looking in. The poet’s attitude towards his school uniform – a well-known indication of belonging to a group – shows his disrespect of the school.
This is emphasized by his mockery of the Latin motto embroidered onto his shirt – he sticks pine needles into the stitching and remarks that he “thought it was a brand of soap. The motto ‘Lucent Lug Vestry’ actually translates to ‘let your light shine’, which is again referred to in the last line, proving it’s significance. Pete careless attitude towards the motto shows his lack of understanding, because he h contempt for the school. The motto is emblematic of the hypocrisy prevalent at the institution: it claims to be inclusive, protective, embracing, when, for Crooknecks, it brings fear.
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He has not explored TTL so therefore does not value what the motto is jugs means embracing your own identity, and as Peter s poem, without embracing your own identity, you ca with alienating circumstances that can prevail at e did not belong to himself, SST Patriot’s College was n the line “For eight years” emphasizes the words to the effect of suggesting that even after eight years, Peter still felt isolated at school. The eight years Pee like a prison sentence. A statue of the Virgin Mary Meant to act as a welcoming figure at the entrance makes Peter feel afraid and anxious.
The line “UNC indicates that even after almost a decade, the stats figure of fear for the poet. The last four lines show yearning for approval. The recurrence of his mot seen as Peter blaming his mother for his poor expel dominantly represented in the poem by showing idea that belonging cannot be achieved without e Peter tells the reader how his mother’s desire to co expectations has led to his feelings of unhappiness The poem “10 Mary Street” focuses on describing t ensue of belonging it provides.
It presents different through representations of people, relationships, p stanza, a key represents a sense of comfort, owner sense of continuous routine. The key symbolizes the leads to ownership of the home, which leads to owe belonging. The poem’s constant references to the support this idea. As the house will soon be pulled feelings of contentment and security will be lost. T to a key towards the end of the poem suggests a did disconnection, discomfort and disruption, as after will be useless, and therefore powerless.
A familial nourishment is created using poetic devices. The is hyperbolic “Bursting at the seams” imply that Pete much love and care. The cultural heritage of the FAA with reference to cultural and social aspects such cigarettes. The lines “heated discussions and embed passion and strong sense of belonging to their cult house – “The house stands in its china-blue coat” – of a strong, stoic and, perhaps even, noble house. Characteristics can also position the reader to view receptive – the family has a strong connection with part of the family.
The use of parentheses in the the been gazettes for industry)” could be considered indicate extra and unimportant information, but the airily significant, and outlines a major event in the lives of the family. An important message of this poem is that the family will once more feel as though they do not belong, continuing the constant struggle faced by a family forced to dismiss what leads to self-belonging, and living in a country where they feel as though they do not truly belong.
These families, like Peter Jerkiness’s, are often met with the challenge of fighting exclusion, and remaining true to their culture and to themselves – which, in essence, is the key to belonging. Peter Jerkiness’s poems ‘Feline Crooknecks’, ‘SST Patriot’s College’ and ’10 Mary Street’ envoy a strong sense of belonging by exploring the concepts of not only feeling accepted and allied, but also displaced and insecure.
