Comparative 7 stages of grieving and the longest memory PDF

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This essay is a good comparative essay for the 7 stages of grieving and the longest memory about the theme of belonging. this can help with the practice response and get a good score....

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“How do characters in The 7 Stages of Grieving and The Longest Memory illustrate the idea of belonging?”

A sense of belonging is often related to how well characters connect with others within a group, a society where they are recognised and accepted. This feeling of acceptance supports characters to achieve their goals with momentum and resilience. Fred D’ Aguiar, in his novel The 7 Stages of Grieving, and the playwrights The Longest Memory, position readers to understand the power of racial heritage and the feeling of belonging toa race in the development of identity. The trio of authors showcases the isolation of the Indigenous Australians and the African American slaves society respectively, Enoch and Mailman highlight the integrity and strong connection to the heritage within the indigenous community, whilst in The Longest Memory, Whitechapel has the only connection to his heritage. . On the other hand, D’ Aguiar objectifies African American slaves to a monetary asset through the plantation owners. In general, both texts illustrate oppressed individuals fighting against the beliefs and conventions of society. Both texts present the internal and external conflict which arises within family groups as individuals try to belong to multiple societies. Widespread social beliefs are often the mechanisms for classifying characters into different groups as manifested in the two texts. This is exemplified in the injustices that both African-American slaves and Australian Indigenous people face in their inherent desire to belong. Although the indigenous people feel connected to their land and heritage, they are ostracised in their own country. The woman being left unnamed throughout the play can therefore be seen as the author’s tactic to accentuate this deep impartiality, so as the many scenes presenting the punitive targeting of Indigenous Australians . This is illustrated in the 7SOG in the apparent comedy routine ‘Murri has a Dress’ by the repetition of ‘keep an eye on the black one’ when the Woman goes shopping, which exemplifies the unwelcoming attitude of the non-indigenous population towards the indigenous community. This discriminatory view of Indigenous people as criminals and trouble -makers has much more serious consequences as seen in a narrative ‘Story of a Brother’ who is also discriminated against by the authority. It is depicted by the self-sarcasm of the Woman, “You know how we all look alike --- and so they came down to get him”, which provokes the shame an d injustice of their own country’s system towards an unfair arrest of the indigenous community. This implicates how easily the young men get on the wrong side of the law and enter a cycle of offending and being imprisoned a system which seems to offer injustices to these young men rather than justice. The Woman refuses to let this crush her and finishes by defiantly shouting, ‘I’m still black! And deadly! Maintaining her personal pride of her culture. In a similar way, D’ Aguiar also demonstrates the similar idea of being an outcast in the American Deep South. In

Virginia, where the novel is set, treatment of subjugated people as ‘uncivilised’ or sub-human reaches a new level. The editorials of the Virginian in 1810 present the majority’s view on slavery, such as the idea that the slaves are ‘not unlike...a cow’s to its newborn calf; a mare’s to its foal”. And ‘the premise of the buying and selling of Africans is built upon precepts concerning their difference from our good selves’. This depicts the fact that African slaves are not welcomed as members of the society and are considered ‘not our equal nor derived from our race’. The newspaper bases all its views on these spurious assumptions. The lack of recognition and moral discernment leads to segregation in the country between the two races. Concluding sentence Both texts allow the readers to reject the views of the white society as immoral. Both texts explore characters who stand up to unjust treatment with their strength and resilience deriving for hopes and dream. It can be found within a race who is proud of their familiar culture and heritage. This is demonstrated In Nana’s funeral, ‘four hundred people turned up to the service’ to grieve and the Woman personal narrative is also to celebrate Nana’s moving on with all the singing and food, reflects how much they value their traditions which builds connection within the family, hence, highlights the integrity among the indigenous community where everyone feels included. Apart from this, storytelling is another way that brings the indigenous people together, particularly linking the old generation and the younger generations. When Nana decides to tell stories, ‘We all listened’ and when Nana passes away, ‘who I am … gone’. The Woman emphasises on the loss of identity and connection to ‘our traditions, our heritage’. The suitcase can be seen to represent a source of memories including photographs that are initially held close to the Woman and her family. The patch of earth represents Nana’s grave and Aunty Grace, abandoned by her Indigenous family returns to her sister’s funeral and throws some heart into her suitcase reminding herself of the land she left behind . In comparison, integrity and lack of identity is demonstrated in The Longest Memory, where atrocities committed against the slaves and accepted as normal in their society, playing a part in destroying family ties. Whitechapel’s ‘betrayal’ on Chapel have earn ed him names such as ‘Judas’. His poetic stream of consciousness description of the loss of one’s child ‘the body feels wrecked and cries without tears.’ and is known to other slaves a ‘sour-face’ and his belief that ’a slave could live a good, long life if he worked hard’, results in him being alienated from his family, both as a retribution and atonement for him. By choosing to lose his name, Whitechapel attempts to avoid feeling pain and ‘learned how to live without being hurt by life’ yet by choosing to refuse to belong and have an identity, he is left broken, non-existent. Similarly, Mr Whitechapel struggles to feel connected and supported in his own race either. Although he shares similar family background as his peers in the ‘Gentleman’s Club’ which ‘your father and his

friends helped to build’, they possess diverse opinions on managing their plantations. He is only accepted because of his heritage but not his view. This generates the dilemma in upholding his belief in appropriate leniency on slaves while facing ‘the ridicule of my peers’ and trying to live up to his name as ‘a Whitechapel’. Especially after Chapel’s death, he confronts his peers that ‘the death of one slave does not make me one of you’, which consolidates his opposing view compared to his peers, also, amplifies the desire to be recognised and understood among his peers. Lastly, characters in both texts advocate for change to their designated social status in order to acquire dignity through belonging. The indigenous people do not belong to each other simply because of their skin colour, but also because they all share the goal---the fight for indigenous rights. Even people who are non-indigenous however believe in equality in society can also feel belonged to one another. In the last scene, the use of aboriginal cultural symbol, ‘a colourful snake, like a rainbow serpent’ to describe Australians, signifies the beginning of the integration of people with different skin colours, building up the sense of belonging. The Woman’s ailing father ‘hasn’t stopped fighting (for his rights)since 1967 although feels a sense of loss at being separated from her family. The Woman herself refuses to be subjugated bouncing back from discrimination and ensuring that her stories are told that her voice is represented. Similarly, characters that can resonate with one another generate sense of belonging from each other in The Longest Memory. The slaves have a desire to be free from ownership. Chapel makes his attempt to achieve freedom , refusing to accept the status quo he was born into. Both of them believe in emancipating slaves and also agree that the ‘law which says a slave should not read and write is unjust’. This opinion isolates Lydia from her family and separates Chapel from Whitechapel, hence, this lack of recognition and support is fulfilled by each other who possesses a similar world view. Therefore, a sense of belonging is created between the two ‘star-crossed lovers’, which provides courage for them to pursue their loving relationship in the South. ‘My son, whose dreams were such that he argued his children would be free.’ It is evident that dreams are important as a sense of identity as they can become enriched by them. In The Longest Memory, Old Whitechapel notes that the slave ‘who learns through observation ‘consequently ‘lives longer. And earns the small kindness of the overseer and the master.’D’Aguiar indicating that the whole system of slavery requires subservience of manner and approach or a slave to survive. Unfortunately, they fail to execute their plan even with the momentum, unlike The 7 Stages of Grieving which has a sense of progress paid off from the hard work fueled by the sense of belonging. The limitations and silencing of identity can be detrimental to one’s sense of acceptance in the wider world.

All in all, both texts introduce multiple ways in which characters can be accepted in different circumstances and the empowerment from strong sense of belonging. While Enoch and Mailman focuses on the impact of culture and heritage on the idea of belonging, which empowers the entire indigenous community to work towards their goal and ending in a hopeful note, D’Aguiar depicts the helplessness in lack of acceptance and accentuates on the illfated love despite having support from feeling valued....