Belonging: An Individual’s Interaction with Others

Social interaction is an essential part of any descent it is the find reveal factor for angiotensin-converting enzymes perceptions of the society around them and their own identity. Relationships argon initi alvirtuosoy built upon mutual interests and acceptance and this is closely linked with one(a)nesss innate desire to be able to affiliate with a group or another individual. Both these ideas argon explored in the Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri and the picture book The Lost thing by Shaun Tan. Lahiri explores the importance of shared out values and experiences in a relationship for it to prosper rather than the enquire for social interaction.This notion is shown through the relationship Ashoke and Ashima forge throughout their aliveness. notwithstanding having an arranged marriage, without having known each other beforehand, Ashoke and Ashima form a reigning emotional bond during their married life. Throughout the book, the interaction between Ashima and Ashoke is some lim ited in speech but their bond is shown through emotive passages instead. An example of this is when Ashima tries on Ashokes shoes this action is a exemplary harbinger of how well they both fit together over the years.Furthermore, the mention Eight thousand miles a manner in Cambridge she has come to know him illustrates how the ch all in allenges of organism migrants together and the mutual experiences in America and in India serve to fort their conjugal ties. Their relationship, hence, is an intuitive one instead of one where verbal colloquy is pauperismed. The ostracism experienced by one uneffective to interact with others is shown in The Lost Thing by Shaun Tan. The scattered function is an anomalous tool in a bureaucratic society searching for a spot to fit in. and wherever it goes, it is met with an apathetic attitude from the citizens. The citizens of this society are so innately obsessed with practical outcomes that they have confounded all sense of creativity an d even conversation for the sake of conversation. Tan illustrates the asceticism of this world by depicting it with rigid angles and an overall sepia tone. However one boy forms a relationship with the upset thing out of pity and tries to find its home. The boy provides forage, shelter and care to the woolly-headed thing and these simple actions fuel their temporary feelings of belonging.Their relationship is encouraged by the need to fulfill an action in this case-finding the lost thing its home. The brevity of their relationship is highlighted by the abrupt separation of the two It seemed as good a time as any to say goodbye to each other. So we did. The objective language and the truncated sentence demonstrate the brief and conditional nature of their bond. Once the condition was fulfilled, the need to belong was abated. This shows the necessity of interaction in creating a sense of belonging had the citizens of the society acknowledged the mien of the lost thing, the lost thing may have remained at that place.Lahiri also goes on to demonstrate how social interaction can lead to ones compromise of their identity. Gogol is a prime example of this as a tiddler of migrants, Gogol is confronted by two different cultures and feels he must be one or the other. As Gogols relationship with Maxine develops, we see him conform to Maxines standards, hiding his Bengali identity She is surprised to hear certain things around his life that all his parents friends are Bengali, that they had had an arranged marriage, that his mother cooks Indian food every day, that she wears saris and a bindi. .. But youre so different i never would have thought that. He is not insulted, but he is aware a line has been drawn all the same. To be a part of Maxines life, Gogol realises that he has to live her way of life the American way. This compromise of identity led to even more cloudiness on Gogols behalf and in the end, as he starts to embrace his heritage, he rejects Maxine and her life. This shows how ones perceptions of identity are crucial in ascertain and maintaining relationships with others.The need for conformity in the society of The Lost Thing in order to assimilate acceptance is shown by Shaun Tan. As the boy takes the lost thing around town, it is taken to the boys home. There, it takes up a huge amount of space and is impossible to ignore, however the parents of the boy do not even glance at it. Another instance where this leave out of acknowledgement is shown is when the lost thing stands in line of banal, grey citizens. The lost thing clearly stands out as it is big, red and round, but no one notices it.Tan uses this confining imagery as a way to effectively convey the segregation between society and the lost thing. The lost thing is unable to integrate itself into the society as it is both unable to conform to the dull criterion of the society and unable to gain honorable mention of its presence. The shunned lost thing finds no admis sion into this society where the citizens do not dare stray from their quotidian routine for fear of exclusion. There is a place in this society that odds things are taken o The Federal Department of Odds and Ends with the motto sweepus underum carpatae. At the end of the book, the lost thing does not find its home but it does find a place where its individuality is accepted. The boy even goes as far as saying I mean, I cant say that the thing actually belonged in the place where it ended up. In fact, none of the things there really belonged. They all seemed happy enough though, so maybe that didnt matter. Consequently, what is shown here is that social interaction is needed, no matter what form of interaction, to gain a feeling of acceptance.Ultimately, social interaction is inherent in all aspects of belonging. It is the basis of all relationships and also a factor for ones self perception of identity. This complex process is vital for ones mental and physical health as it challe nges the barriers in place that one automatically establishes in a new setting. The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri and The Lost Thing by Shaun Tan explore the ways in which social interaction can affect relationships and identity which in turn affect ones perceptions of belonging.