In my reading of stories of home, I was contented to find the six stories I read to share a common thread: home is defined by the feeling of safety. Whether it was a family member that brought comfort, or the familiar aspects of a hometown, home is a state of feeling comfortable.
I read the blogs of Maya, Emilia, Jade, Nargiza, Sarah, and Georgia. Here are some similarities I found:
– In all six stories, safety and comfort was the overarching signifier of all concepts of home
– Most authors suggest elements of a physical place can be home, but in each story a physical place is not the most important aspect of home
– All six authors related home to a sense of a loving family
– Specifically Nargiza and Georgia note quality time with family gives them a strong sense of home
– Emilia, Jade, Sarah, and Georgia acknowledge home is defined by symbols, as well as sensation triggers
– Both Emilia and Jade reference the importance of family heritage and immigration as a way to identify home
I related to Sarah’s story about searching for and discovering home. Sarah wrote a story about not knowing what home was to them as they moved from place to place. They’ve had opportunities and were objectively successful where they lived, but still did not feel “home.” Unlike Sarah, home to me is wherever I can live authentically; Sarah sees their mother (and father) as the definition of home. Sarah’s story also brought up a great question: “So what happens when that person or home leaves this earth?” This is essential to consider when thinking about the importance we put on family and specific places; as Sarah writes, once those things are gone are we “homeless”? Further, I was affected by Emilia’s symbols of home that they have found in Italy. Not only do they have familial roots in Italy which creates a strong sense of home and belonging, but different triggers like the hills and taste of tomatoes reminded them of their home in British Columbia.
I was interested to see that no other blogger perceived home as I did. My relationship with my family does not appear to be as strong as expressed in these six stories, so perhaps that is why. Maybe I’ve had to develop a more abstract sense of home because of my relationship with my family as well that I’ve never lived in one place for more than two years. After reading some of these stories, I felt wistful for some aspects of home (specifically the more permanent ones like the family home). Overall it was pleasing to read some fellow classmates’ fond feelings of home as well as gain insight into select individual’s stories of connection to their concepts of “home.”
Works Cited
Afful, Sarah. “Dressed by my Mother.” Sarahafful, 28 January 2020, https://blogs.ubc.ca/afful/2020/01/28/dressed-by-my-mother/. Accessed 3 February 2020.
Alimova, Nargiza. “Assignment 2:2.” Engl 372: Oh Canada, 28 January 2020, https://blogs.ubc.ca/nargizaalimova/2020/01/28/assignment-2-2/. Accessed 3 February 2020.
Brandoli, Emilia. “Assignment 2:2: Home.” English 372: Oh Canada, 29 January 2020, https://blogs.ubc.ca/emiliabrandoli/2020/01/29/assignment-22-home/. Accessed 3 February 2020.
Greer, Jade. “Assignment 2:2- Stories, People, and Nature: What Home Means to Me.” Canadian Literary Genres, 2 February 2020, https://blogs.ubc.ca/jadegreer/2020/01/29/assignment-2-2/. Accessed 3 February 2020.
Masaki, Georgia. “Assignment 2.1: Home.” Oh Canada, 27 January 2020, https://blogs.ubc.ca/georgiamasaki/2020/01/27/assignment-2-1-home/. Accessed 3 February 2020.
Sumel, Maya. “Assignment 2:2.” Ooh Canada!, 29 January 2020, https://blogs.ubc.ca/mayasumel/2020/01/29/assignment-22/. Accessed 3 February 2020.