Whilst Luhrmann may explore the human spirit’s craving to belong, he contrastingly highlights through protagonist Scott Hastings the desire of an individual to break away from a group that usurps one’s individuality. During the opening dance scene, Scott becomes “boxed in”, metaphoric for the strict inflexibility the ballroom dancing world implements on its dancers. A tracking shot follows Scott as he breaks free of being boxed in, accentuating the freedom Scott demands from this oppressive world in order to dance his innovative moves. A reoccurring motif in Strictly Ballroom is the phrase “Dance to Win”, symbolised in Barry Fife’s DVD. To belong in the ballroom world, Scott must win. However, when Fran tells Scott “we won’t win” Scott replies, “I just want to dance our steps” it is evident Scott has chosen the freedom of personal expression over the sense of belonging the ballroom dancing federation offers by winning. When Scott dances his own moves he is always in an outdoors setting, in contrast to the indoor studios those from the federation use. The studios are metaphoric for the suppression of individuality whilst the outdoors gives Scott individual freedom, something he desperately craves.
Like Shirley and Liz, Tally Youngblood similarly craves to belong within a community. Uglies is set in a post-apocalyptic world where 16 year olds receive an operation that transforms their minds and bodies, making them submissive to the city. Being the last one to turn 16 of her friends, Tally craves to belong to ‘New Pretty Town’ in order to stifle her feelings of alienation and isolation. As Tally breaks into the city she does not belong to, she describes herself as “an infiltrator, a sneak, an ugly”. This use of emotive language highlights her desire to belong to this new world, as the only other alternative is to be an outcast. Westerfeld uses the simile “Tally felt like the last littlie to be picked up from school, abandoned and alone” to exemplify the negative impact not belonging has on the human spirit.
As the story progresses, Tally’s desire to belong to the city turns into a desire to run away as she flees to a rebel group called ‘The Smoke’ who live in the wilderness. Tally’s character illuminates how the human spirit can both crave and have distaste towards a sense of belonging. Tally exclaims, “I’m sick of this city. I’m sick of the rules and boundaries!” emphatically highlighting the desire not the belong to the city as it suppresses her freedom. Westerfeld uses the simile “Tally felt like a mouse in a cage full of hawks” to explain Tally’s craving to break away from a city that makes her feel weak and vulnerable. After being recaptured by the city’s forces, Westerfeld describes how “they marched her to a rabbit pen” and that this lead to “a whole community turned into cattle”, a metaphor to suggest any of Tally’s individuality is removed as she is reduced to merely a small animal. Therefore, it is evident that whilst the human spirit may crave a sense of belonging, it is just as likely for an individual to yearn to break any connections with a particular group due to the damaging effect it has on one’s individuality.
The Wave explores the impact an out-of-control high school group can have on the individual by analogizing Nazi Germany. Robert Billings and the school football team are used to exemplify the desire of the human spirit to belong to a group, as it provides confidence and security. Team captain David claims that by joining school group ‘The Wave’ “this is just what the football team needs…I could really feel the team spirit” as the group had provided the teammates with added strength and confidence. Robert Billings similarly believes that “for the first time I feel like I’m a part of something. Something great” illustrating the benefits belonging to a group has on an individual such as Billings, who finds fulfillment through his desire to belong.
Conversely, Rhue illustrates the desire of an individual to escape a group due to its oppressive qualities. This is seen through protagonist Laurie Saunders’s character who breaks away from ‘The Wave’ in order to preserve her personal freedom. Laurie’s friend Alex walks into a classroom Laurie hides in to avoid ‘The Wave’ and exclaims “looks like I stumbled into Anne Frank’s attic”. This literary allusion to Anne Frank suggests Laurie’s desire to not belong The Wave is paralleled to that of the Jewish attitude to the Nazis during the holocaust. She calls the members of the group “little Nazis”, an analogy with negative connotations that alludes to her distaste towards the group. Rhue uses the simile “everybody’s going along with it like a flock of sheep” to highlight the lack of individuality experienced within the group that it reduces its members to a heard. Although The Wave was initially beneficial to its members as it offered security through a sense of belonging, it ultimately became damaging to the member’s individuality.
The human spirit universally craves a sense of security and fulfillment. Belonging to a group, community or world may provide this to the individual to a certain extent. However, the sense of belonging a group offers may be conditional, resulting in a lack of individuality and personal freedom. Therefore, the human spirit may also crave not to belong to a particular group in order to preserve this. Strictly Ballroom, Uglies and The Wave all explore the duality of belonging, illuminating how a desire to belong can be just as strong as the craving not to.
by
daniellegeller (student)
