10 Mary’s Street

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locates the audience at a time when Skrzynecki reflects on when his family became Australian citizens. “Naturalized more Than a decade ago We became citizens of the soil That was feeding us” This image evokes a strong sense of belonging to the Australian land. “Inheritors of a key That’ll open no house When this one is pulled down.” This final line of the poem shows a strong connection to 10 Mary Street and what that house symbolised for them, as they became Australian citizens. What was created in this 19 year old family home can’t be recreated at another house. The significance of 10 Mary Street has generated a powerful connection to Australia following through with a fervent connection to place.

The connection to varying places allows people to experience an indifference between culture and place in relation to belonging and alienation where one will belong to their culture, but similar to Postcard by Peter Szrynecki, feel a sense of detachment to the actual place.Within Szryneckis poem Postcard, it highlights that Peter is able to belong to Poland through the visual imagery. ” High rise flats and something like a park borders the river with it concrete pylons.” This explores how Peter belongs to Poland, due to the contrasting effect between the Flats and the rivers. The visual imagery also displays that Peter feels a sense of connection to Poland as his friends and memories remain there.“ For the moment I repeat I never knew you let me be” Through the use of personal pro-nouns, this conveys that Peter does not want to have the connection with Poland highlighted through a rhetorical question “ What is my choice to be? “ Peter’s gives the impression that he struggles to belong to Australia as he is alienated due to his background and that Peter cannot belong to either Poland or the Ukraine, as he finds it difficult to recollect either one of those places.

The Red Tree deals with the similar ideas on feelings of alienation and the slow difficult journey towards belonging. The story is about a nameless young girl who appears in every picture. She passes helplessly through many dark moments, searching for her place in this world. She struggles with discovering who she is because she feels ‘different’ and has no attachment to anything. In the story, she eventually finds something hopeful at the end of her journey, a reunion which is essential in her development as an individual. “But suddenly there it is right in front of you bright and vivid quietly waiting just as you imagined it would be.” The Red Tree can be interpreted as a depressing book that can put a damper on life but optimistically, The Red Tree has a way of honouring the emotions that children are taught to live in the bottom of the toy box while they reach for brighter, more cheerful and desireable toys. Tan is able to capture the emotions that follow alongside the journey of self-discovery and finding our place in the world.

In conclusion,