10 Mary St

Peter Skrzyneckis 10 Mary Street is a poem portraying a familys process of integrating into the Australian community. The concept of belonging is explored, particularly belonging within the family and culture, and with this, Skrzynecki exemplifies the importance of establishing connections to attain the security and constancy essential to peoples lives. Skrzynecki establishes the notion of belonging within the family through his portrayal of the family routine and the nurturing constitution of the parents.The familys daily routine is exposit 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 record 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 tenderness of the parents. The poems persona is rather thoughtless in his treatment of the garden, highlighted by his ravages like a hungry shuttlecock.The notion of cultural belonging is portrayed through the image of the house and its memories. The house symbolises the cultural indistinguishability of the family and the personification of its china-blue coat suggests the familys pride in maintaining their home, similar to caring for a family member. The memories are described as heated discussions/ And embracing gestures/. This use of sensory imagery and cultural allusions Kielbasa, salt herrings, suggests the cultural connections unploughed by the family despite immigrating to Australia.These connections are undermined by the demolition of the house, described as inheritors of a key/ Thatll founder no house/. This indicates the loss of cultural identity kept in their house and suggests that belonging is an impalpable and important concept. The key ironically represents Australian citizenship, however instead of acceptance in soci ety, the family feels anxious and equivocal as a result of their lack of belonging, indicated by the negative connotations of pulled down.