Immigrants at Central Station

Many writers explore the notion that cultural differences may inflict feelings of disconnection for their central characters. This is shown in the two texts ‘Neighbours’ and ‘Migrant Woman on a Melbourne Tram’, as both protagonists struggle to cope with their newly exposed environment. Despite this, we learn that it can be resolved through the acceptance of one another, yet others may remain to dissociate themselves from society.

An author’s personal experience gives authenticity to their text. Peter Skrzynecki, an Australian poet of Polish origin emigrated to Australia shortly before the end of World War II. His assimilation into his newfound homeland is portrayed in his emotive poetry, where he explores his disconnection and alienation. The way in which Skrzynecki writes about his personal experiences gives an authentic insight into the perspective of a migrant, allowing the audience to better understand the challenging emotions evoked by the migrant experience. These emotions are clearly seen in Skrzynecki’s poem St Patrick’s College, where he delves back through his experiences at school and highlights the disconnection and alienation he felt being a migrant. This disconnection is further expressed in Feliks Skrzynecki, where Skrzynecki alludes to his detachment from even his father. These feelings of disconnection and alienation shown by Skrzynecki in his poems, allows the audience to understand the effects of growing up as a migrant.

An individual’s relationship with others and the places which surround them can have an effect on the individual’s sense of self-worth and their feelings of belonging. This notion is conveyed through the use of language techniques in both the set of poems “Feliks Skrzynecki”, “St Patrick’s College” and “Migrant Hostel” from Peter Skrzynecki’s anthology Immigrant Chronicles (1975) and the novel The Story of Tom Brennan (2005) composed by J.C. Burke.

The migrant experience varies for each person, some will have endured traumatic episodes in their life and these experiences are explored in Skrzynecki’s poetry. Through thorough interpretations of Peter Skrzynecki poems, ‘Crossing the Red Sea’, ‘Migrant Hostel’ and ‘Immigrants at Central Station’ the responder gains insight into the emigration experience which encompasses the physical and emotionally draining journey which is a result of the grave uncertainty and doubt lingering around the migrants future. Despite this, through each of his poems the composer also alludes to a future filled with hope and a sense of belonging.

Immigrants face many difficulties while trying to better their lives. In the article “Illegal immigrants in greece” by it shows how many immigrants lost their lives trying to travel to america in hopes of bettering their lives. In enrique’s journey many immigrants faced being tortured, killed, and having to deal with starvation. Immigrants end up dying when they go on

The objective was to establish a comparison between Polish migrants and birds such as pigeons. Birds are free and accepted in their micro communities, unlike Skrzynecki whom is isolated from belonging. The poet struggles to find a sense of belonging, using the technique irony to highlight his search for acceptance. Alternatively, another poetic technique can include imagery which is utilized in the line “A barrier at the main gate”. Skrzynecki thoroughly conveys the barricade that segregates the foreigners from Australian society. This leads to separation of the Migrants and the rest of the local Australian society being an example of racism at the poets time. The poet, Peter Skrzynecki adequately applies techniques to convey belonging in order to encourage society to accept migrants who have already experienced hardship. In summary, Skrzynecki uses an array of techniques to evoke the search of belonging to the readers.

There are many devices used in this poem to emphasize the emotions going through the mind of a parent when sending their child off into the world. Of such device used is imagery, the use of imagery is used abundantly in the

Skrzynecki’s insightful poem “Migrant Hostel” explores the notion of impermanence and uncertainty in an individual’s experience where stability is essential to develop an identity and sense of belonging. The poem illustrates the disorientating nature of a migrant hostel where the people within yearn for sanctuary in the Australian community. This idea is instantly reflected through the negative connotations in “no one kept count” representing a sense of anonymity in the atmosphere through a lack of individual significance. The enjambment and juxtaposition of the “comings” and “goings” highlights the transient and uncertain nature of the hostel environment where they were “left wondering who would be coming next”. The intrinsic desire of human nature to develop meaningful bonds with people that share similar adversities is displayed through simile and symbol of a “homing pigeon circling to get its bearings”. Furthermore, the alliteration in “memories of hunger and hate” convey their previous experiences hindering their search for harmony and permission into the broader community. This notion is further

Like Bridie and Sheila they too are the forgotten victims of war, left to get on with life in their new country. The opening short sentences establish an atmosphere of sadness and apprehensions as the negative connotations of ‘dampness’, ‘crowded’ and ‘sank’ denote feelings of loss. As the ‘Immigrants’ wait in silence, the onomatopoeia of ‘the train’s whistle’ is a stark reminder of their transition into a new world and loss of the old. A melancholic tone is used to frame feelings of depression coupled with the pathetic fallacy of ‘crowded air’ and ‘dampness that slowly sank into our thoughts’ to capture vividly the common experiences of dislocation that is being felt. The alliterative use of ‘slowly sank’ highlights a loss of hope further denoting pessimism about an uncertain future in a country where indifference is experienced. Skrzynecki’s use of personification ‘time hemmed us in’ reflects the confinement of the immigrants as the extended metaphor of time is symbolic of stasis in their lives, moments of transience, but with little meaning. This loss of identity, both cultural and personal is further expressed through the figurative language where the powerful simile ‘like cattle bought for slaughter’ profoundly expresses their fear and pessimism through

For this oral history course I will explore the topic of immigrant’s laborers and their story as me and two other students of the class, have been selected to be internes for The Immigrant Workers Center and contribute to the creation of a collection of stories from immigrant laborers to add clips to the organisation’s website. I am particularly interested by this project, as I already have some knowledge about immigrants and their struggles due to my parents, yet I seek to learn more and hear new stories, new perspectives and new experiences about immigration. The knowledge about the immigrants’ difficulties and concerns that I have comes from my parents and their friends, who are partly Ukrainian and Congolese. Now I want to hear from

For thousands of years, waves of immigrants continue joining the developed countries in the world, bringing with them the unique cultures, languages, and ideas. Over time, those unique values might be faded away with each generation because of the new culture exposition. The second-generation immigrants experience a cultural conflict between that of their parents and that of host society. Most of them are unable to preserve and empower their origin cultures. Many differences between the first-generation and the second-generation immigrants arise. Through the analysis of the mother in “Death of a Young Son by Drowning” and the Das family in “Interpreter of Maladies”, I would like to demonstrate the differences between the first-generation immigrants, who travel from other countries, and the second-generation immigrants, who were born and raised on the immigrated land. These differences include the purpose of being in the foreign land, the connections to their homelands, society’s view, and the culture differences.

The book “Welcome to Paradise” illustrates how an migrants feel when coming to a new country-- hopeful for a new life, but with the belief that they are inferior to the natives of that country. When the narrator, Aziz, is preparing to move to Spain, he watches as those around him prepare for the move, and how they begin to adapt in preparation for their new life. He sees Pafadnam, who is described as a giant being to slouch wherever he went “with the air of someone apologizing for existing” (71). Pafadnam's transition highlights the air of inferiority that some migrants take as they go to a new country. Many believe that since they are not natives, then they are inferior and expect to be looked down upon. Aziz sees this and begins to question if being inferior, and invisible, is the only way to survive in a new country.

Migration has always been a controversial theme since the early twentieth century not only because of it’s complex historical development, but also it is related to and can be influenced by various social issues such as social status, gender, and society’s attitude towards immigrants. The aim of this essay is to argue the how the similarities and the little difference within them of the characters in literature play the role in theme of migration.

“The relationship between the energies of the inquiring mind that an intelligent reader brings to the poem and the poem’s refusal to yield a single comprehensive interpretation enacts vividly the everlasting intercourse between the human mind, with its instinct to organise and harmonise, and the baffling powers of the universe about it.”

The children face and endure psychological and physical torment and this is shown through Faulk’s use in metaphors and emotive language. When postcards came round for the deportees, ‘some wrote with sobbing passion, some with punctilious care’. Writing final messages to loved ones is hard and traumatising in this piece’s context, and this is emphasised by people writing in a ‘sobbing passion’ or with ‘punctilious care’ and evokes sympathy from readers. Metaphors are also used to communicate the impacts of war in ‘The Last Night’ — the ‘soft bloom’ of André’s cheeks laid ‘uncaring, in the dung’. The ‘soft bloom of his cheek’ shows André’s innocence and is assisted by juxtaposing the ‘soft bloom’ with the ‘dung’ to show the children’s animal-like conditions and their treatment, showing the impacts of