Migrant Hostel Analysis

Change is depicted an as aspect of life which can propel us down unexpected paths, this can either be resisted or embraced by individuals. Peter Skrzynecki portrays these notions throughout his poems ‘Kornelia’ and ‘Migrant hostel’. The poems are supported by the stylistic devices used throughout his poems to further emphasise the meaning behind, often used are personification, symbolism and similes. The two texts chosen Joni Mitchell ‘Big yellow taxi’ Martin Luther king ‘I have a dream’ further contrast the notions of change that Peter speaks of in his poems, proclaiming change will modify the permanency in one’s livelihood, Change Is often unwanted but is necessary and to fully comprehend change one has to embrace it. These composers have

Peter Skrzynecki explores this notion through his poem Migrant hostel. Migrant hostel speaks on life not being permanent insinuating that change will overcome and that the immigrants had to adapt to the new life. When the poet speaks of the instability of change within the life of the immigrants, he uses the birds as a metaphor of life not being stable and definite. In relation to the birds Peter uses zoomorphism to further accentuate the notion of change “we lived like bird of passage” the birds symbolise impermanence in the migrants’ lives, the birds never stay in one place they are always changing locations. The birds correlate with the migrants and empathise with not having a stable residence to call home. This poem shapes our understanding by assuring the reader that there is no permanency in the world but just temporary times in life. Peter Skrzynecki presents the temporary side of life through imagery, using the weather and the seasons to express how it is never one weather or one season. “Always sensing a change in the weather: Unaware of the season” Peter delineates the instability within things we cannot control, the weather and the seasons change but they are never the same, this often catches us

The poet explores this notion in the poem ‘Kornilia’, when written Kornilia the other of Peter is reluctant to the change that Is occurring as her son adapts to the western culture. Kornilia questions herself as to where she went wrong with Peter “Where did I go wrong?” the tone and imagery in this is reluctance and regret towards her son and the overall cultural displacement. This influences the mindset that change is a given. This poem portrays change as a device that influences our thinking, that change at times is undesired. Over time within the poem it is a clear image of unwillingness to adjust to the change she is now forced to face which in hindsight is a positive progression for the family, Kornilia has not progressed she begins to be withdrawn from her “new world” and stilling longing for the old. To further highlight the uncertainty of change the use of metaphors helped convey the concept “Her feet make no imprint” Kornilia stayed constant she was at a halt, she didn’t change she refused it. The change in her life wasn’t only altering her lifestyle but was changing her only son