Individuals who have experienced an unconventional or life-altering event will inevitably face judgments from the wider society, thus dictating whether those individuals feel a sense of belonging of truly valuable belonging. This concept of the importance of external factors on a person's sense of belonging is depicted through the novel Room written by Emma Donoghue and Gwen Harwood's poem "In the Park". In its descriptions, “In the Park” effectively captures underlying themes of the consequences of motherhood, such as diminished social status and alienation in both a personal and societal context. Similarly, Room offers the difficulty of raising a child independently under unusual circumstances only to be criticized by society at large. Both texts focus on the seemingly fleeting life of a mother as she builds up to childbirth, where she is forced, by societal expectations, to sacrifice her time, her personal leisure, and the factors that once allowed him to belong to the world. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get an Original EssayThe poem “In the Park” presents the idea of ​​a mother removed from “societal norms” to care for her children . The mother's "neglected state" and her struggle to adhere to the family role is conveyed through the phrase "Her clothes are out of fashion" alongside connotations of spacing out while her children "squabble" at her feet. Plus, her ex-husband says “oh but for the grace of God…” after their obligatory little conversation. This further highlights her degraded appearance which stereotypically does not fit the expectations of the typical housewife. Thus, children in this context may be seen as barriers to belonging while on the other hand, their inability to conform to social expectations attracts criticism. This notion is also present in Donoghue's Room, which nevertheless takes place in different circumstances in which the mother is forced to raise her child Jack in confined confinement. She deviates from societal norms to provide the best education despite difficult conditions. Moving away from the norms in the context of “Room” however explores darker themes unlike “In the Park”. “Nothing scares mom. Except maybe old Nick. as Jack tells it, referring to the power that the father figure exercises over the family. These sacrifices the mother makes to keep Jack safe later backfire when the media labels her as a woman who raised (as quoted) "a child born of rape." Thus, she can no longer belong to society due to the loss of her former social identity. The concept of moral and social responsibilities based on community is inferred from both texts. Therefore, responsibilities are seen as common obligations that are carried out without challenge. In Harwood's "In the Park," there are notions of the mother "feigning positivity" despite her disjointed lifestyle. The structure of the poem helps distinguish between the individual's expected outward production and the true inner thoughts. This is emphasized when the mother first begins small talk; “It’s so sweet to hear their chatter, to see them grow and flourish.” However, later, as her former husband leaves, the metaphor "They ate me alive", silently directed towards her children, constitutes strong symbolism of her hidden difficulties. The mother is expected to hide because she cannot express her internal thoughts to others to.