10 Mary Street And The Door Change example essay topic

Do we continue on, as we were, unchanged and unchanging? To answer this question we must first consider what change is. The Heinemann Dictionary defines change as 'to become or make different: constant alteration'. So therefore, according to this definition life is constantly changing and evolving... life is about change.

It could be argued that universal truths such as growing up, distancing yourself from parents and old people reminiscing as in Felix Skrzynecki is in itself unchanged and unchanging. But in order for these truths to take place individual change happens, hence the idea that we continue on unchanged and unchanging is false. Peter Skrzynecki's poems Felix Skrzynecki and 10 Mary Street both focus on a young migrant's battle to not only find his own identity but to adapt to a new countries way of life. Both deal with the detachment and change between father and son. The Door by Miroslav Holub looks at change as positive, progressive and preferable to stagnation while Hannah Roberts Sky High portrays change as a measure of time. These four pieces discuss change from an entirely different perspective but all focus on the inevitability of change.

Peter Skrzynecki's Felix Skrzynecki is a poem that discusses a young boy's progressive detachment from his father as he grows. The boy appears to be distancing himself from his father's world as he matures. The father is attempting to continue on with his life unchanged and unchanging which is shown in the first stanza. However the boys inability to conform to his father's life of reminiscence brings about change.

This change is underlined with conflict, but eventually acceptance of the inevitability of change by the father. The father's inability to alter the boys path of 'pegging his tent further and further south of Hadrian's wall's hows that he is resigned to the inevitability of change and that we do continue on, changed and changing. Two different perceptions of change are demonstrated in Felix, one with the son and the other with his father. The father shields himself from change and alteration whereas the son embraces the necessity for change.

As the father tries to hold onto the past and the routine life he once had his son is slowly drifting away, reaching out to the new. The more time continues the further apart they are becoming. Each stanza of the poem represents a stage of development in the boy and father's changing lives. It demonstrates the routine lifestyle that the father lives and his longing to hold onto his past. The poem begins "My gentle father" the adjective gentle demonstrating affection between the father and son whilst the use of "my" shows intimacy between the characters.

As the poem progresses our understanding of Felix Skrzynecki and his relationship with his son is increased. The child's alienated perceptions of his father are most defined in the fifth stanza. This is greatly due to the fathers need to hold onto his Polish culture demonstrated in the line. "Did your father even attempt to learn English?" The first stanza demonstrates the simplicity of Felix Skrzynecki and the routine order he has created for his life. It also shows the fathers hesitation to change and his conformity to routine. His need to live in the past and to hold onto his heritage is shown in the words.

"Spent years walking its perimeter From sunrise to sleep Alert, brisk and silent He swept its paths Ten times around the world" For the first time, during the last stanza, we can see that the father has finally come to the realisation that his son is slowly conforming to the Australian lifestyle and that change is occurring. The second piece Peter Sknzynecki's 10 Mary Street demonstrates change as unstoppable and inevitable. Just as Felix Skrzynecki, this piece also focuses on the detachment between parent and child. Yet this piece ends on a more conciliatory note, as though some type of understanding between father and son has occurred. 10 Mary Street represents a house, but more importantly it represents a home. It is viewed as a place of solitude where the family were able to hold on to their Polish background.

A place where they 'Kept pre-war Europe alive'. It discusses the slow and gradual detachment between father and son; yet, unlike Felix Skrynecki this piece focuses on the boy's perspective and observations of the house. This poem enables us to have a clearer understanding of the boys past and childhood. In this piece Peter Skrynecki uses the house and gardens as a symbolic example of change. The metaphor of using the lawns to symbolism change to the house shows the true nature that change is unstoppable and inevitable.

As lawn is always growing, change is also occurring. It discusses the father's necessity to 'keep pre-war Europe alive' and the routine lifestyle he feels he must hold onto to do so. The first stanza demonstrates this with the words. 'For nineteen years We departed Each morning shut the house Like a well-oiled lock, Hid the key Under a rusty bucket:' From the end of the third stanza, significant changes occur. The bracketed line ' (The whole block has been gazetted for industry) ' totally sifts the reader's perspective and a sense of realisation that change is inevitable confronts the reader. Not only in Skyrznecki's writing technique but also in his view and perspective's on change.

This stanza begins by discussing certain physical unchangeable features of the house. Then ending with a new perspective. The realisation that the house will be destroyed and that change will be forced upon them. The text, Sky high, focuses on change as being regressive. The piece is about the author's different perspective of an event, and the way in which time has changed and altered her views. We see two perspective, one of which is her as a young child and the other as a grown women.

Roberts outlines her childhood perspective of her backyard demonstrating a sense of innocence, freedom and naivety. Hannah Roberts's talks about climbing up the "silver skeletal arms' of the clothesline as a child. She sees this as representing a challenge. Although she is writing this piece from an adult's perspective, she does not disregard her stereotypical childhood images, nor does she describe them to be false or untrue. The title of the piece 'Sky high' represents the core issues and themes of the poem.

Thus demonstrating ideals such as uplifting, reflecting, top of the world and the height of happiness. It focuses on accepting change yet also reminiscing over past memories. It demonstrates Robert's change in attitude, physical appearance and maturity and shows that change is unstoppable and unavoidable. Hannah Roberts discusses the freedom and innocence she felt climbing up the "Silver Skeletal Arms" of the clothesline as a child. It then focuses on her as an adult reaching up to the same clothesline. The changes that have occurred over the years have made her incapable of climbing back up the clothesline.

Now she considers herself to be too old, heavy, mature and unsure to repeat the climb. This looks upon change as a measure of time. She has changed and altered physically and emotionally, but it is this change that has allowed her to reminisce over past memories. Holub's 'The Door' is a poem that deals with the necessity for change and the idea that any change, no matter how insignificant is better than non. It is a personal perspective on change of any sort being favourable to stagnation. The poet relentlessly pushes the reader towards the notion of opening the door by commencing each verse with the statement 'Go and open the door'.

The repetition of the imperative "Go and open the door" asserts and stresses the need to confront change and take risks. Even if you don't necessarily take the risk, the thought of change has, in some way changed you. Therefore stressing that we are always changing and that change is always occurring. No matter how minuet.

Holub's poem goes beyond a literal translation, expanding your horizons and perspective. This is done through the use of symbolism, metaphors, assonance denotation and connotation. Symbolism is used widely throughout this piece, allowing the individual to perceive what it is saying in their own way. This is shown in the words: 'Maybe outside there's A tree, or a wood A garden Or a magic city' This symbolizing natural change or demonstrating the size of change, large or small.

As the poems continues the language and tone changes from optimistic to desperate. The poem commences with the statement "Go and Open the door" placing a friendly, inviting and relaxed tone on the poem. During the third stanza the repetition of the same statement "Go and open the door" becomes a plea, as though commanding and pushing the individual to take the chance. The last sentence 'At least there will be a draught' puts forward the idea that although you may not find what you " re expecting or it may not be positive, change is unavoidable and always occurring. This piece challenges the individual to take a risk and that fresh air is preferable to stagnant air. As demonstrated in the text 'Sky High', 'Peter Skyrzynecki', '10 Mary Street' and 'The Door' change is inevitable and unavoidable.

All four pieces focus on several different aspects of change, yet all stress that we are constantly changing and change is always occurring. Therefore I feel that the statement that 'We continue on as we were, unchanged and unchanging' is false and untrue..