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Today we finished reading The Simple Gift. After having a chat about the novel as a whole (and hoe charmed Billy is throughout the story) we moved on to the Belonging rubric. The text demonstrates strong connections to people and place, identity and relationships and three main characters all make choices not to belong at some point in the story.
Billy chooses to leave his home and not belong. He develops very close relationships to Old Bill and Caitlin and develops strong connections to Bendarat, his carriage, McDonalds and the house. He finds acceptance and understanding through Caitlin and the library. Caitlin chooses not to belong in her upper class world and with her family. She develops a new identity through her relationship with Billy and becomes more accepting and understanding of Old Bill. Old Bill chooses not to belong to society in order to deal with his pain and loss, but in the end develops connections to the world again through his relationship with Billy.
