How Have the Texts You Have Studied This Year Effectively Shaped Your Understanding of the Meaning of 'belonging'?

How have the texts you have studied this year effectively shaped your understanding of the meaning of 'belonging'?

In your answer, refer to your prescribed text and 1 related text of your own choosing.

My study of texts this year has shaped my ideas about belonging through many literary and filmic techniques. My study had shown me that most people need to feel that they belong to a society, whether it is the mainstream society of the country they live in or a subculture of that society. Sometimes, those people who belong to a subculture need to challenge its written or unwritten rules. Sometimes they find support for their challenge. Very often, however, they are pressured to conform again, sometimes by people whose motives are self-interest and power. Those who don't conform under this pressure can be excluded, or in some cases, they can change the subculture. Two texts which exemplify these ideas about belonging are Baz Luhrman's Australian film Strictly Ballroom, and David Williamson's play The Club.

A need to challenge a subculture is seen through both texts. In Luhrman's postmodern film Strictly Ballroom, Scott wants to dance his own steps and wants them to be admired, but when he asks his partner Liz what she thinks of his steps she says, her strong language indicating her strong feelings, 'I don't think. I don't give a shit about them, we lost!' In The Club Ted, club president, feels a need to challenge the rules of the club which do not allow him to influence player selection, just as he had challenged the rule against the club's buying players, and Laurie, club coach, criticises him for this in the press. Humour and irony are used to show Ted's true character as he claims not to be autocratic, merely leading the club as he was elected to do 'and if anybody tries to stop me I'll crush them!' These texts show a desire to challenge written or unwritten rules because of a passion for a particular sport or club.

In each text the protagonist finds some support from others who belong. In the subculture of ballroom dancing only the ugly duckling Fran admires Scott's steps, and when he makes her his dance partner she is shown to blossom into a beautiful woman. Even a clichéd technique like removing her glasses as they practice on the roof near the neon Coca-cola sign (used as a postmodern 'quotation' image) becomes, as Luhrman says, 'a heightened fairytale moment'. The pair are shown naturalistically as they practice on the roof , as opposed to the exaggerated world of ballroom dancing, which is depicted through non-naturalistic techniques such as mockumentary-style clips, humorous camera shots and angles, and other meta-theatrical devices. Ted, in The Club, finds unexpected support from Laurie, the protagonist of the play. Through dramatic irony it has been revealed to the audience that Ted has plotting with the club administrator Gerry to have Laurie fired, but also that Gerry and Jock, a committee member, have been scheming to get rid of Ted. Their plans for Ted to come fruition in Act II, but this occurs after dialogue between Ted and Laurie has revealed much common ground in their love of football and of the club. Laurie tells Geoff, 'All right he's a