Reception of Belonging - Migration

Romulus, his wife and son migrate to Australia in 1950.

They stay at the Bonegilla migrant camp, which is transitory.
They experience patronising attitudes from some Anglo-Saxon locals. Ethnicity is highlighted as a point of difference, not
a multicultural melting pot where everyone belongs.
Romulus did not physically belong to the community due to his appearance
"Everybody noticed his eyes, almond-shaped, hazel and intense." Colour imagery is used here to contrast the
lighter colours of the stereotypical Australian. Romulus was embarrassed about his dark complexion, "he called
himself gipsy and later in Australia, an Aborigine".
They are appreciative of the new start in Australia.
"No one looked for trouble. Everyone was joyful that the war and hard times were over."
There is a part of Romulus' identity that will always be European.
"He longed for European society, saying that he felt like a prisoner in Australia." simile

Perception of Belonging - An affinity to place
The Australian landscape may be alien to the migrant.
The landscape is one of rare beauty, to a European or English eye it seems desolate
Relating to culture shock also, Romulus could not become reconciled to it as the eucalypts of Baringhup,
scraggy except for the noble red gums on the riverbank, seemed symbols of deprivation and barrenness.
This lack of belonging even in the landscape of Australia for Romulus creates the notion that he felt connected to
his native lands in Europe, and without that connection he feels as though he does not belong.
However, this can also be viewed that Romulus does not understand the land and therefore cannot appreciate its
unique beauty, highlighted where he set fire to the stook in order to kill the snakean immigrant unused to the
tinder-dry conditions of an Australian summer Anecdote
Romulus was then harshly unaccepted as 'The local newspaper ridiculed the New Australian for his folly.' He
partially redeemed himself in the eyes of locals where he saved Neil Mikkelsen from dying after he fell from a
ladder.
Raimond has an affinity with the landscape, which creates an epiphany when he refrains from killing a rabbit. This is an
individualistic experience, not a communal one.
One who had grown up with the land, "the key to the beauty of the native trees lay in the light which so sharply
delineated them against a dark blue skythe sight provoked a surge of affection for my primitive home."
Imagery
Christine cannot become reconciled to the Frogmore farmhouse. She lives in isolation and exile in the new culture and
landscape.
"A dead red gum stood only a few metres from the house and beam for my mother a symbol of her desolation."
"A troubled city girl from Central Europe, she could not settle in a dilapidated farmhouse in a landscape that
highlighted her isolation."
The use of symbolism to represent the challenge of immigrating of Australia is effective in underlining the idea of
place. This idea is a recurring motif throughout the text, the vastness of the landscape seems impersonal and
uncaring to the eyes of the outsider, especially to Christine where it stood as a symbol of her isolation.

* * *
Non-steady movement of camera and the diegetic sound of the foreign market place create a sense of overwhelming fear
Dim lighting, close ups on a fraction of the face, smoke from cigarette and diegetic sound creates eerie atmosphere inside
the house okiya
The lighting coming into the Okiya seems to be that from the setting of the sun
Creates a sense of alienation

The Okiya of Mameha is open and free of poles structures
Less like a prison
One par-tic-u-larly strik-ing, and frequently-occurring frame com-po-si-tion is Rob Marshall shoot-ing Chiyo behind
railings or bars.

* * *

Girl has opened a compartment in her chest, which reveals a light globe
All the other people are similarly dressed and facing down
Smoking begin released by chimneys everywhere
Aztec structure towering over people
Symbol of light bulb is metaphoric for there is great potential in everyone. This is contrasted with the homogenous
society portrayed. The towering structure could represent the dominating nature of the government or political systems
that suppress the people's individualities, overpowering them. Smoke represents industrialisation
This image shows that the girl is unable to belong to this society due to barriers created the overpowering industrialisation
and government. She isn't able to express her true potential in such an environment, as it is a homogenous society. This
means she doesn't get the chance to explore who she is (her identity) and lives, like the others, a meaningless life. The
light bulb represents her true self which is pushed down/overpowered by the shadow of the bureaucracy, "not able to
shine" "the world is a deaf machine" metaphor

Perception of Belonging Society
Being an immigrant, Romulus gains recognition by proving his worth through hard work. Gaita uses
personification in his materialsseemed to be in friendship with him to reinforce the bond that exists between
Romulus and his work, therefore highlighting the significance of such connection on the evolvement of his
character.
He was so at ease with his materials and always so respectful of their nature that they seemed in
friendship with him, as though consenting to his touch rather than subjugated by him.
Use of contrasting characterisation of Christine with Romulus, further illustrates the detrimental effects of social rejection
on ones sense of self, which in Christines case leads to mental instability and her suicide.
Christines promiscuous nonconformist behaviour is a barrier to belonging as she often criticised in being a characterless
woman by her others. The recurring motif of suicide strengthens the negative impacts of alienation on an individuals
sense of self.
Through the contrasting characterisation, Gaita reflects that belonging to ones community is vital as it benefits identity,
while a lack of it has serious detrimental effects on an individuals sense of self.
* * *
During the transition of learning
Sayuri is seen to layer more and more make up onto her face
She is being more accustomed to the ways of geisha
Becoming part and part of her
Belonging

It is only a geisha that she can perform a dance that expresses all her struggles
Walking out with shoes that are big and chunky symbolising all the weight that has been dragging her down
She extends her arm out in power as if pushing all her past away
Gracefully extends her arm in front as if longing for something in the future
She is alone on stage; everyone else is in the shadows
Her loneliness
She tousles and turns symbolising all things strangling and pulling at her
Fast paced music; quick camera movement
Builds tension
As she falls to the ground
* * *
The girl does not belong in this society
She is portrayed as isolated and in a world of her own in that she is only the one standing under the fish
This image of the fish also implies she is a fish out of water
There is no portrayal of faces in this image suggesting that the girl is a stranger to this setting
The girl is walking hunched over position, staring at the ground - low modality, suggests insecurity

She is wearing a heavy dividing mask, which encloses her face, hiding her identity
Symbolizes her inability to see beyond her solitude
The heavy dividing mask is a barrier to the audience
Prevents the audience from relating to the girl directly and therefore emphasis a lack of social connections
Fetal position further emphasises the underlying insecurity brought by lack of belonging

Contrast between light and dark - girl now in light, back turned to darkness
The contrast between light and dark suggests that the girl has finally let her light shine or walked into the light having
conquered her obstacles
The image shows the girl finally overcoming her worst obstacles and beginning to understand herself, identity being a
fundamental to establish a sense of belonging

Perception of Belonging - Familial Relationships
There is an incredibly strong connection between father and son. This is juxtaposed to a fractured bond between mother
and son and later between Christine and her daughter.
The narrators adoration and admiration for his subject is embedded in the language of the novel, evidence of the
subjectivity of his narration and the ties to his subject: My father was not merely skilled, he was a man of
practical genius hyperbole
The representation of Romulus work ethic and his pursuit of perfection imply a connection to the goodness of his
character. : His work both expressed and formed much of his character. From him I learned the relation between
work and character. His sense of importance of work and of its moral and spiritual requirements was simple and
noble. Like him, his work was honest through and through. Form of memoir allows modern Raimond to reflect
back
So the text itself is strong evidence of the sense of belonging and emotional connection between father and son.
This connection is also evidenced through the passing on of the fathers narrative to his son, and through the
sons obvious acceptance and reluctance to challenge this narrative.
In order to highlight the difference in treatment of father and mother by the author, one need only examine the
difference in the language used to describe Christines mental illness compared to Romulus mental illness. One
treatment highlights neglect and abandonment, the other is treated with sympathy and understanding.
Christine attempts to cook for Raimond "so rare was the experience of her preparing any kind of meal that I have
sunk had a fondness for burnt meat.
"To my deep disappointment she left us to live again with Mitru" alliteration
What it means to belong to a family can be continually in flux. Christine's affairs with others and her sudden appearances
and disappearances would have been unsettling to Raimond and Romulus.

Negative behaviour can be emulated as children copy the behaviours of their parents. Later in the memoir, Raimond
rejects Christine as a teenager when he is boarding at school.
She kills herself when this last chance at reunification is denied her. Nothing to live for, when the only point of
connection with the world is denied her

* * *
The opening
The camera pans over a vast landscape of the sea
Edited with a wash of blue and dark lighting, coldness; harshness
Contrasted with the use of light inside the house
Emphasises the warmth of family
Digetic sound of thunder along with the haunting background music - japanese flute
Taken away from family; the horror

As she goes to find her sister
She abandons her umbrella to run in the rain
Symbolic of abandoning all forms of protection just to find sister
Emphasies importance of this family tie

As grandma reads letter "both your parents have found their places in paradise" her voice fades out and Sayuri's voice
takes over
She speaks of "a poem called loss carved into the walls of the temple. It has three words but the poet scratched them out.
You cannot read loss, only feel it. "
"My father and mother had left this life, my sister I never heard from again"
The tone of desolation and misery and she speaks of the feelings of loss from losing all her family ties

* * *

A little chimney is behind her, casting a shadow next to her own.
Chimneys are symbolic of homes, security and identity. The girl is in front of a small chimney suggesting she has a lack
of confidence and lack of connection to her home.
The image shows that the girl has a lack of connection/belonging to her home which gives her an unsteady basis for
entering the world - one that is full of intimidating people with strong senses of identity, belonging and therefore
confidence

Perception of Belonging - Social community and friendship
The friendship between Hora and Romulus is featured in the text. After the motorcycle incident, Hora quits his job and
moves to Frogmore to look after Raimond and the farm. They are intellectual equals and the friendship extends to Hora
teaching Raimond how to swim and sharing stories with him.
Christine only level of connection with others is through her affairs with men, especially Mitru. The local community
rejects her because of her failure to care for Raimond.
Hora not only had influence upon Raimond's teenage years but it also becomes apparent that Hora helped
Raimond become familiar with his eventual chosen profession. Raimond Gaitor is now a philosopher and during
his childhood Hora often told stories of what Gaitor describes as "men with ideals, devoted to science or to
humanity", similarly the values shared by Romulus and Hora. Gaitor later goes on to write, "I owe to Hora the
development of my interest in ideas. Inclinations to delinquency ran strong in me at the time." And, "I owe that
and the course of my life to Hora." Hora's aid in the development of Raimond's love for philosophy is yet another
example of the profound influence this man had upon the life of Raimond Gaitor.
"On many occasions in my life I have had the need to say, and thankfully have been able to say: I know what a
good workman is; I know what an honest man is; I know what friendship is; I know because I remember these
things in the person of my father, in the person of his friend Hora, and the example of their friendship." These
were the moral values, the sole beliefs Romulus and Hora attempted to teach Raimond above all else. Raimond's
knowledge of these values ensures that the friendship between Romulus and Hora did have more influence on
Raimond's life than the absence of his mother. Repetition
* * *
What do you think? A Geisha is free to love?
Mum questions Hastumomo, shows lack of relationship a geisha can have
Close up of Hastumomo's face shows the sadness she feels when hearing she cannot meet him again
Hatsumomo was never able to reveal her relationship with Koichi, the man she loved

The times when Chairman and Sayuri are alone, cherry blossoms and hues of pink and yellow fill the screen; recurring
motif
Symbolises Sayuri's strong feelings of love and happiness

The movie ends with the scene of young Sayuri running through the corridor of the temple
Contrasts what the young Sayuri dreamt so much have has finally been achieved
* * *
The girl is sitting inside a glass bottle
The light colours on the right of the image contrasts with the dark colours in which is in, highlight that she is in the
shadows
Suggests the girl's loneliness and isolation as it emphasises how she is in a world of her won where no one can reach her

"But suddenly there it is right in front of you bright and vivid quietly waiting"
Positive connotations
Light is flooding in through the door
The dull warm colours contrasted with the red leaf in the middle of the doorway
The colour scheme is one of the coldness of an empty room
The leaf is the same colour as the girl's hair suggesting their connection through similarities and shared experience.
The image shows the girl's belonging to the red leaf through shared experiences (the leaf has gone with her on her
journey) and similarities

Colour contrast - red with dark room
The light rays in the door way as a vector to the red tree
Girl's expression is of happiness
The red colour symbolises life, warmth and comfort
The girl's first smile in the entire picture book suggests she has finally found a place of security and happiness
This image shows the girl finally finding a place to belong with the red tree. She is no longer alone in her dark bedroom
and she has a companion. The girl's loneliness disappears as she smiles and looks upward at the tree as if it is her
protector.
Both the tree and girl have found belonging.