In this term paper, I will try to work out the different meanings of the word “home” and observe, how the connotations of the noun changed for emigrants. Additionally, I will apply Martin Heidegger's theory of "Bauen, Wohnen, Denken" to the understanding of home in Colm Toibin's "Brooklyn" and Frank McCourt's "Tis".
The pictures of overcharged refugee ships on the frontpages of our daily newspapers, talk shows discussing possible bans of immigration on the radio and video clips of scared children hiding in shelters - the topic of emigration is omnipresent. Every year, there are millions of families leaving their old identities behind, seeking better lives in different countries.
Since 1800, roughly ten million Irish people have emigrated from the island. Events, such as the Great Irish Potato Famine, a period of starvation and illness from 1845 to 1851, or economical crises, caused mass emigration. During the depression of the 1950s, the act of emigration almost became a passage rite and three out of five Irish children emigrated. Since most people in Ireland were rather poor and the ship fares were costly, it was uncommon for complete families to emigrate. Mostly, parents sent their children to another country, in order for them to find a job, earn a living and send remittances back to Ireland. Most Irish emigrants settled down in England, Scotland, South Wales and especially in North America. Nowadays, there are 34.5 million people with Irish ancestry living in the United States of America. That is 11.1% of the total American population and more than six times the population of Ireland.
After their arrival in the United States of America, Irish emigrants were facing a variety of difficulties arising from religious and cultural differences between Ireland and the United States. A major difficulty for Irish emigrants was the meaning and the usage of the word home.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Home
2.1 Just a word?
2.2 Home in Colm Toibin's Brooklyn
2.3 Home in Frank McCourt's Tis
2.4 Comparison between Eilis Lacey and Frank McCourt
3. „Building, Dwelling, Thinking“
3.1 The concept
3.2 Heidegger's theory applied to the act of emigration
4. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This academic paper examines the complex definitions and emotional resonance of the term "home" for Irish emigrants. It explores how individuals cope with the displacement caused by migration by comparing the literary portrayals of characters in Colm Toibin's "Brooklyn" and Frank McCourt's "Tis," while simultaneously applying Martin Heidegger's philosophical framework of "Building, Dwelling, Thinking" to the experience of settling in a new country.
- The linguistic and semantic ambiguity of the term "home."
- Literary analysis of Irish emigration narratives in contemporary fiction and autobiography.
- Application of Heideggerian phenomenology to the physical and cultural act of relocation.
- The psychological challenges of identity formation after emigration.
- The role of memory and physical space in constructing a sense of belonging.
Excerpt from the Book
Home - just a word?
The fact, that the word home is among the 300 most frequently used English words shows, that it is a common expression in the English language (Wordfrequency.Info). But what does it stand for? A quick look in the Chambers dictionary shows, that home is not easy to define. Is it „a habitual dwelling place“ (Schwarz 799)? Or maybe „the residence of one's family“ (Schwarz 799)? What, if you are not living with your parents anymore? Are you homeless? Especially emigrants face the difficulty of defining a home, when being torn between different places. Not being able to define a home eventually leads to homesickness, due to the human need to attach themselves to an ambience where they have the control over the ever-changing joints of place, society and time (Tekenli 324-334).
A notable amount of scholars affirms the theory, that home is connected to one's identity. Garold Lantz, a professor at King's College in the USA, even feels, that home is an expansion of the own identity (Lantz 29).
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This chapter provides an overview of historical Irish emigration patterns and introduces the central challenge faced by migrants: defining the meaning of "home" in a new cultural environment.
Home: This section investigates the semantic nuances of "home," analyzes the experiences of characters in "Brooklyn" and "Tis," and draws comparisons between their respective trajectories of relocation and integration.
„Building, Dwelling, Thinking“: This chapter explains Martin Heidegger's philosophical concept of "dwelling" and applies his phenomenological perspective to the practical realities and internal shifts experienced during the act of emigration.
Conclusion: This final section synthesizes the findings, confirming that "home" is a multifaceted construct that transcends mere geography and is redefined individually by the migrant experience.
Keywords
Irish Emigration, Home, Identity, Heidegger, Building Dwelling Thinking, Brooklyn, Colm Toibin, Frank McCourt, Tis, Migration, Belonging, Displacement, Phenomenology, Cultural Assimilation, Homesickness
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the challenges Irish emigrants face in defining the concept of "home," integrating literary analysis with philosophical theory.
What are the primary themes addressed?
Key themes include the impact of emigration on personal identity, the linguistic ambiguity of "home," and the phenomenological relationship between individuals and their living spaces.
What is the primary objective of this work?
The goal is to demonstrate that "home" is not a fixed physical space but a subjective construction that evolves through memory, experience, and personal adaptation after migration.
Which scientific method is utilized?
The author employs a qualitative approach, combining literary textual analysis with the application of Martin Heidegger’s philosophical framework regarding existence and space.
What is discussed in the main body of the text?
The main body examines characters Eilis Lacey and Frank McCourt, contrasting their feelings of displacement and attachment to Ireland versus their new lives in America, filtered through Heidegger’s "Building, Dwelling, Thinking."
Which keywords best characterize the paper?
Key terms include Irish Emigration, Home, Identity, Heidegger, Displacement, and Belonging.
How does Colm Toibin’s work serve the research?
In "Brooklyn," Toibin's character Eilis Lacey illustrates the transition from the familiar comfort of Ireland to the necessity of creating a "home" in a foreign boarding house.
How does Frank McCourt’s autobiography provide contrast?
Unlike Eilis, McCourt shows a more detached approach to the concept of "home," as he never truly felt settled, illustrating the difficulty of defining home for someone with a fragmented past.
Why is Heidegger's theory relevant here?
Heidegger’s theory helps distinguish between a simple residence and a true "home," explaining how humans attach meaning and identity to their surroundings during the process of settling.
- Quote paper
- Hendrik Wonsak (Author), 2015, The difficulties Irish emigrants face in using and defining the term home, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/353950
