An Individual’s sense of Belonging emerges from the connections made with place and community. A sense of Belonging to a community or place can be very important to an individual. However belonging to a community may require conformity to be accepted and build relationships.
Strictly Ballroom directed by Baz Luhrmann, The Pedestrian by Ray Bradbury and Miners Holiday by Gavin Casey give clear examples of this through characters responses to their changing environments and evolving community connections.An individual’s sense of belonging is explored through; experiencing a sense of belonging can be liberating and enriching providing security and re-assurance to an individual whilst also stifle individuality resulting in frustrations and alienation from place, Whether or not an individual belongs to a particular place may actually be determined by the attitudes of others around them. Experiencing a sense of belonging can be liberating and enriching providing security and re-assurance to an individual whilst also stifling individuality resulting in frustrations and alienation from place.Costuming of the dancers in Strictly Ballroom is bright and lively with each couple wearing a different colour.
This shows the unity which is found between the dancers and signifies to the audience a sense of belonging to the surroundings. In the first scene the slow motion spinning of the dancers increases the excitement within the audience for the competition which is about to be portrayed and helps to build tension. The use of a dramatic Freeze in the cut scene to Doug and Shirley from Scott and Liz dancing increases the tension and anticipation that something major is about to happen.Scott Hastings belongs to the world of Ballroom dancing and the associated community is clearly demonstrated through costuming.
In the opening scene he dances in harmony with the other competitor whilst also signifying the unity with Liz by being in Yellow. Scott demonstrates original creativity though the steps which he invents to enable that he and Liz escape the “boxed in” incident. Though their physical confinement serves as a symbol for Scott’s feelings about the restrictions imposed by Barry Fife.Miner’s Holiday explores similar ideas through the use of imagery and by appealing to the senses as demonstrated in “When we were a mile from the coast I smelled the sea”.
The use of imagery and appeal to the senses allows the reader to feel the connection between Bill and a physical place- the beach. The Alliteration and onomatopoeia used when Bill hears the beach “Boomers Breaking” gives the responder the sense of being there and returning to a familiar place which Bill has a high regard for.Finally the colloquial language when the group is placed in a unfamiliar situation “the men in the rooms were as brown as I used to be, and our mob seemed white” gives the reader understanding of bill’s self-consciousness about the appearance and realisation that Bill doesn’t belong to the beach and can’t be accepted with his appearance which makes him stand out. The community of the beach hasn’t changed but Bill has through the time spent away, he isn’t as fit as he was when he was younger and his perceptions of where he belongs and the community he belongs in have altered through the time spent away.
Whether or not an individual belongs to a particular place may actually be determined by the attitudes of others. A Montage in Strictly Ballroom during Barry Fife’s manipulative lie about Scott’s parent’s shows the audience the diminishing ways of Barry Fife whilst also show’s it is clearly a fake story about his parents. The use of Music and sounds with “Blue Danube” playing throughout the opening scene and as a recurring motif in through the movie signifies to the Ballroom to the audience and the changes which Scott goes through in the scenes.The Spinning Camera at the end of the montage with Scott in the dance studio as Barry leaves symbolises that Scott is a part of everything going on and is confused about which path to choose; to conform to Barry or to rebel and dance his own steps.
Barry Fife is the symbol of power in Scott’s life as he controls the Ballroom and what happens within it. Thus his misleading of Scott with not dancing his own steps and the fake story of Doug gives the audience the sense that Scott feels pressure to conform and belong to the ballroom is through Barry and his power. Through Barry’s power and attitudes that Scott feels that he doesn’t belong.The Pedestrian gives the same ideas with the use of personification “your name? ’ said the police car in a metallic whisper” as the use of Metallic contradicts whisper and through this the reader gets an understanding that Leonard is breaking the rules via being outside.
The use of Imagery in “ the moon was high and clear among the stars and the houses were grey and silent” The imagery gives the responder the sense that he doesn’t belong by being outside when everyone is supposed to be inside watching television or living ordinary lives which leads to the arrest by the police for Leonard.Onomatopoeia with the description of the police car “There was a sigh, a pop” which gives the reader a sense of what Leonard is feeling/ seeing and there is a sense of empathy for him. Leonard’s connections with the street are prohibited by the police arresting him for rebelling against conformity thus taking an effect on Leonard. In conclusion, a person needs to experience strong connections within a community and/or place to belong which can be difficult at times.
For instance Scott felt connections to the ballroom but they weren’t enriching because it was preventing his creativity.Whilst Bill’s perceptions of belonging have been altered as a consequence from time spent away from the beach. People in the community can also take an impact on whether a person belongs. As a result Barry Fife is the symbol of power in the ballroom pushes Scott to conform to the rules.
Whereas Leonard is attempts to enhance his individuality though suffers from his decisions. Finally if connection to a place and a community to belong is to be experienced they need to conform or suffer consequences of their decisions through the people inside.
