10 Mary St

Peter Skrzyneckis 10 Mary course is a poem portraying a familys process of compound into the Australian community. The concept of belonging is explored, particularly belonging within the family and culture, and by dint of this, Skrzynecki exemplifies the importance of establishing connections to attain the security and stability essential to peoples lives. Skrzynecki establishes the notion of belonging within the family through his portrayal of the family routine and the nurturing personality of the parents.The familys daily routine is described as like a well-oiled lock and emphasised through the use of enjambment. The simile suggests a functional family comfortable and established in their nineteen-year settlement in the community. The nurturing nature of the parents is characterised by the tended roses and camellias/ Like adopted children. This simile suggests that the garden is personified as family member and indicates the partiality of the parents. The poems persona is ra ther thoughtless in his give-and-take of the garden, highlighted by his ravages like a hungry bird.The notion of ethnical belonging is portrayed through the image of the house and its memories. The house symbolises the ethnical identity of the family and the personification of its china-blue coat suggests the familys pride in maintaining their home, same to caring for a family member. The memories are described as heated discussions/ And comprehend gestures/. This use of sensory imagery and ethnic allusions Kielbasa, salt herrings, suggests the cultural connections kept by the family despite immigrating to Australia.These connections are undermined by the demolition of the house, described as inheritors of a key/ Thatll open no house/. This indicates the loss of cultural identity kept in their house and suggests that belonging is an intangible and crucial concept. The key ironically represents Australian citizenship, however instead of acceptance in society, the family feels a nxious and insecure as a result of their lack of belonging, indicated by the negative connotations of pulled down.