In Swallow the Air, persona May Gibson shows a lack of understanding in herself and therefore feels she does not belong. As soon as her mum commits suicide at the beginning of the novel May has trouble belonging, “When mum left I stopped being Aboriginal I stopped feeling like I belonged. Anywhere”. May has lost her security in her culture and identity. Costa the curry will tell u too link this back to understanding nourishes belonging. Tara uses Mungi the turtle as a strong symbolic feature in the novel, it symbolises the saety and security promised by belonging and symbolises the hope that May will find belonging even where she may not seem to belong. Mungi Is also a metaphor for May as well as being a talisman, as it has a hard exterior protecting the soft interior. Representing the vulnerability of youth, something all to familiar to may.
We see that Woonona for May was once a place for security however after being violated she feels inferior to whites and unsure about accepting her identity. “Fairy flossed pincushion clouds explode” and “Sherbet coloured coral clamps” reinforces mays strong sense of belonging to the natural landscape of he childhood.
We see the same violations of belonging in the text “The Rabbits” after the whites or the rabbits show their believed superiority of the Aborigines, driving them out of the place they belong. We see that May’s loss is much more complex however, as she leaves on her own call to find new identity, whilst the rabbits are driven our by pure force.
In Swallow the Air, persona May Gibson shows a lack of understanding in herself and therefore feels she does not belong. As soon as her mum commits suicide at the beginning of the novel May has trouble belonging, “When mum left I stopped being Aboriginal I stopped feeling like I belonged. Anywhere”. May has lost her security in her culture and identity. Costa the curry will tell u too link this back to understanding nourishes belonging. The name of the first chapter ‘swallow the air’ demonstrates May’s loss of belonging. The title is a metaphor of her disconnection to others, the community and her sense of belonging. She is not physically drowning in water she is drowning in pain and sorrow. From what says costa the cow? However by the end of the novel, the final chapter called ‘home’ signifies May’s attitude has changed dramatically. “I know what the word really means, home.” The word home is a universal term of belonging it represents that she has once again found ‘family’ and within that comfort. Understanding link it back to the topic sentence.. u have to link back after each technique…
May often has flashbacks throughout the novel of her early childhood. They are always positive and this represents her. The name of the first chapter ‘swallow the air’ demonstrates May’s loss of belonging. The title is a metaphor of her disconnection to others, the community and her sense of belonging. She is not physically drowning in water she is drowning in pain and sorrow. From what says costa the cow? However by the end of the novel, the final chapter called ‘home’ signifies May’s attitude has changed dramatically. “I know what the word really means, home.” The word home is a universal term of belonging it represents that she has once again found ‘family’ and within that comfort. Understanding link it back to the topic sentence.. u have to link back after each technique…
May often has flashbacks throughout the novel of her early childhood. They are always positive and this represents her search for…
