Analyzing Growth Through Physical Journeys

Area of Study Synthesis Task

The process of a physical journey is often filled with significant experiences that provide growth opportunities for the individuals involved. While the connotation of a journey differs from one person to the next, the experiences are never neutral.

Various composers have represented different perspectives of journeys. Peter Skrzynecki explored the physical and emotional journeys of migrants in his poems “Migrant Hostel” and “Immigrants at Central Station – 1951”. Kenneth Graham, in his novel “The Wind And The Willows”, illustrates different reactions to the journey from the known to the unknown.

This idea is also explored in Robyn Davidson’s feature article “The Getting There” as she explains how the process of climbing the Himalayas was so enriching for her. The personal development that comes from physical journeys is illustrated in Joe Turtel’s film “Cool Runnings”.

Through these texts, it has been possible to examine a range of different journeys and the impact they have on those who undertake them.

Peter Skrzynecki’s poem “Migrant Hostel” portrays the difficulties experienced by migrants as they journey towards a new life in Australia. The experiences of the migrants in the poem reflect the poet’s experiences as a child when he immigrated to Australia with his parents. For many of these migrants, the physical journey across the sea is only part of the long process of emotional, social, cultural, and economic challenges they face. The first stanza of the poem describes the “arrivals of newcomers” and the lack of security they feel.

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They are left “wondering who would be coming next” which suggests the transient nature of the hostel. Their lack of social stability is illustrated in the way “nationalities sort each other out” looking for comfort among those with similar cultures. The concept of an ongoing journey is suggested through the image of “a homing pigeon”. This simile is extended to the third stanza where the migrants are described as living “like birds of passage” as they journey from one side of the world to the other “sensing a change” in their lives. The fact that they are “unaware of the season” reinforces their insecurity. In the last stanza of the poem, the metaphor of “a barrier at the main gate” reinforces the migrant’s feelings of powerlessness. The barrier represents their physical and emotional confinement to the hostel. In the final lines of the stanza, the poet suggests the migrants have mixed feelings about the hostel. For some, it represents a new life “that had only begun” while others were dying” because of the hardships of their journey. The idea that the migrant’s journey is a stage-by-stage process is explored in “Immigrants at Central Station – 1952”. This poem represents one more stage in the journey towards a new life.

Skrzynecki focuses on the continuing journey of migrants in his poem “Immigrants and Central Station – 1951”. He writes in the past tense which creates a reflective tone suggesting his proximity to the situation. The opening words “it was sad” suggests certain anxiety among the migrants as they “waited anxiously” for the train. The atmosphere of the poem is gloomy, an image that is created through words such as “rained”, “dampness”, “silence” and “empty streets”. The speaker’s feelings about this stage of his journey are expressed through the simile “like cattle bought for slaughter”. The image of livestock waiting for their doom is a powerful representation of the crowd of migrants waiting for the train to take them into unknown territory. The lack of control of their destiny is reinforced through this image. The use of the repetition “it was sad to hear the trains whistle” brings an end to the waiting and the reader understands that the journey is about to continue. The lack of control over their own lives is suggested by the “word of command” that the train’s whistle signifies. There is no rejoicing from the migrants but rather apprehension and a sense of inevitability as “a guillotine” their past is severed and they move towards an uncertain future. The last 2 lines of the poem create a powerful change of how the “glistening tracks of steel” appear to control the fate of the migrants, who are drawn inevitably on their journey by the whistle of the train. The “tracks of steel” evoke an image of hardship and lack of compassion that the migrants would experience on their journey.

In the extract from Kenneth Graham’s novel ‘The Wind In The Willows’, the concept of the journey from the known to the unknown and the challenges and obstacles of this journey are explored. The physical journey of Toad, Rat, and Mole represents a metaphorical journey of life and personal experience. Graham explores this concept through the juxtaposition of the characters, which represent different human attitudes towards journeys. Toad represents those who actively seek to explore and experience “the whole world” through adventure. Toad’s romantic ideal of “a horizon that’s always changing” is contrasted with the conservative and cautious Rat who needs to “stick to my old river and live in a hole and boat as I’ve always done”. Mole symbolizes those who are torn between the desire to journey and the desire for security. Graham’s characters symbolize the human desire for change and the contrasting fear of its consequences. He compares the person who is content with a simple life, the impulsive being who is willing to risk everything for the thrill of adventure, and the quiet follower who enjoys comfort but also lusts after the unknown. The characters illustrate how the concept of a journey means different things for different people. The fact that Rat is not willing to venture out of his comfort zone and Toad needs “the open road, the dusty highway” reinforces this idea. Similarly, as the feature article “The Getting There” suggests, this text supports the notion that the outcome of the journey is not necessarily the most significant part, but that the process and the enrichment which comes from the experience are more important. Toad’s appropriation of the phrase “I’m going to make an animal of you, my boy” implies a process of growth through embarking on a journey. For Rat, and to come to extent of Mole, it will be necessary to find the inner strength and courage to embrace the new experiences that Toad is suggesting. Like Davidson in “The Getting There”, Graham advocates the idea that a physical journey may have the potential to enrich one’s life.

The feature article “The Getting There” is about Robyn Davidson’s desire to journey to the glacier Pandari which is the nearest one to her house in the Himalayas. She embarks on the physical journey and along the way she meets several interesting and inspiring people.

For Davidson, the process of the journey becomes more important than reaching the destination is explored. The title “The Getting There” suggests that the article will focus on her experiences throughout her physical journey through the Himalayas.

In the epigraph, she refers to the “soaring scenery” as “all very well” suggesting that it was almost incidental and does not compare with her experiences throughout the “trek”. She uses alliteration here to highlight for the reader the beauty of the scenery, then dismisses it and focuses on her experiences throughout her journey. The use of the pun “the highest point” to describe both the glacier and her emotional response emphasizes this concept.

The article is written in the first person narrator’s point of view. This is effective because of the proximity of the writer to the content of the story which creates credibility and authenticity. Davidson presents the recount of her journey in chronological order at the same time providing a humorous description of the people she meets and the effect they have on her.

The visual of a huge mountain range with snow-covered peaks and dangerous-looking cliff faces provides the reader with a sense of how hard Davidson’s physical journey was and the superimposed picture of her holding a lamb is a contrast between the harsh mountains and the special moments she had on her adventure. Upon reaching the summit Davidson is disappointed that it has shrunk” because the snow “has melted” yet she maintains that the journey has been “worth the trek because of the people” that she has met on the way. The text describes that what one learns on the way in the process of discovery is far more momentous that the destination itself.

The film, “Cool Running” directed by Joe Turtle is about four men in Jamaica who decide, after failing at other sports, to try and compete in the Winter Olympics in the bobsledding event. The only problem is that their native country has no snow and none of them have ever bobsledded before. Much of the film focuses on the hardships the team faces in practicing for the event and the actual event itself. The film revolves around the physical journey from Jamaica to Canada, as well as the rite of passage that the characters undergo in their attempts to succeed at the Games.

The film illustrates in detail the frustrations of the team practicing bobsledding on a wheeled coffin on the hard soil instead of snow. By emphasizing these hardships, the audience is positioned to empathize with the team and their tribulations. Through the characterization of Derice, Tyrone, and Bobby, the story of the inner struggle to overcome the physical and emotional obstacles of the journey is illustrated. The juxtaposition in settings between Jamaica and the Olympic venue is used by the director to highlight the different stages of the team’s journey.

The team eventually gathers enough funds to go to the Winter Olympics but is tormented and pushed around by the traditional “Winter Olympic Elite countries” such as the Swiss and the German teams. A turning point in the film is when Tyrone is pushed around helplessly by a particular German team member. Bobby takes him aside and for the first time, the two characters interact positively with Bobby encouraging Tyrone to stand up for himself. This Journey to the Winter Olympics impacts significantly on Tyrone’s life as he has never been able to stand up for himself, especially to his father who “treats him like a two-year-old”. When his father arrives at their hotel and tells Tyrone to “come home, it’s enough of this nonsense”, Tyrone challenges his father for the first time and refuses to leave. It is obvious this Journey has been a rite of passage for Tyrone and that he has matured and developed better self-esteem.

The characters all speak in a heavily exaggerated Jamaican accent which brings authenticity and a sense of not belonging to the winter game of bobsledding. The scenes which focus on the Jamaican team are accompanied by traditional Jamaican music, which serves to reinforce the distance they have traveled. The challenges and conflicts encountered on this journey shape the individuals of the team and lead them to a deeper understanding of themselves. The film expresses the journey as a process of growing up from a state in which the individuals are driven only by their desire to win to an understanding of themselves.