Not Emily Dickinson, but Roald Dahl "Yesterday Was Beautiful"

Belonging conceptual analysis

Concept 1: Approach A

Trauma can cause a sense of not belonging to one’s self, family and place.

The traumatic experience in Dahl’s Yesterday Was Beautiful is reflective of the German bombing of Greece projected through the nostalgia of the disconnection that war can lead to. Consequently, this reveals that trauma can cause a sense of not belonging to one’s self, family and place. Thus, the persona in the story moves from the physical to the metaphysical world where war has transformed him into an old man who does not perceive he to be the person he is in the present. Dahl reveals a sense of not belonging through the progression of understanding to empathy, which transcends as a relationship between the responder and the main character. This evident in the nostalgic approach

The old man looked up slowly, turning his head but not moving his shoulders…He looked at the pilot and he was like a blind man who looks towards something but does not see.

The sense of not belonging is emphasised through the simile, which reveals that the man is detached from himself, his surroundings and his state of mind. The use of past tense builds a relationship with the responders allowing them to perhaps perceive the sense of not belonging in Joannis Sparkis life. Further by delving into this dissatisfaction, the responder may correspond to this feeling in their own lives. Thus, the experience of not belonging enables Dahl to understand how a traumatic event can cause different perceptions of oneself, which can lead to disunity internally, which causes the external sense of alienation to family and place to follow.

Concept 2: Approach B

Time can cause change to perceptions of one self

The perception of one’s self corresponds to the personal, cultural, social and historical context one is exposed to. In order to belong, perhaps one must find one’s self, and then ideally belong to other groups such as family, common interest groups and places. However, time or progression can cause change to perceptions of one self, from not belonging to belonging and from belonging to not belonging. Dahl’s historical setting emphasizes this sense of time; further the events of World War II influence the changes in personal, cultural, social and historical context that cause Joannis Sparkis to perceive hi self differently. ‘The name seemed to have a significance for the old man and he smiled’, the foreboding tone and use of third person portrays that time can change the perception of oneself. The third person reveals the disunity between Joannis Spark is, highlighting that one’s changing context can have influence on one’s perception of self. By viewing himself in the third person, he has revealed that he has two identities that cannot forge together into one identity due to the trauma and event of World War II. He does not belong to himself anymore, and thus has perceived himself differently. This perhaps is further alluded to by the title ‘Yesterday was beautiful’, the past tense arguably reveals that when one belonged it was wonderful, but now it is a disunified, disconnected and alienated place where belonging does not flourish, it lingers in the air in a sense of limbo. The perception of oneself can change due to the nature of time. Time can bring changes to our cultural, social, historical and personal context which can alter our perceptions on belonging to one’s self.

Concept 3: Approach C- Approach A + Approach B

The temporal nature of existence

Temporal existence signifies each individual’s universal belonging to each other. Death is inevitable. Dahl explores this sense of belonging by highlighting the futility of war. ‘There’s no one here’, the simplistic style reveals this notion of belonging. Further, the references to death of his daughter, conveys how each individual perceives death in relation to their context (social, historical, personal and political).

It is just something that you should remember.’ The pilot stood on the road waiting. ‘Maria. Her name was Maria.’

The nostalgia creates feeling that when Maria, died Joannis lost apart of himself. Although we belong temporally when those who we belong to, or who belong to apart of us depart we can feel disorientated and isolated. There repetition of the name ‘Maria’ further emphasises this notion. The nature of death is also perceived differently later on,

‘Kill them all,’ she said softly. ‘Go and kill every man and every woman and baby. Do you hear me, Inglesus? You must kill them all.’ The little brown ball of paper became smaller and more screwed up. ‘The first one I see I shall kill.’ She paused.

The imperative tone portrays the need for death, in order for the wife to feel a sense of belonging, after war and the death of her daughter has caused isolation and depression. The dialogue ‘the first one I shall see I shall kill’ reveals to the responders that death is really temporal and random, but the message that arises is when someone who we love dearly dies we can progress into a state of limbo, of alienation. This is the fundamental aspect of belonging via the universality of the temporal nature of existence; someone will experience this loss of belonging. But its universality arises from its circumstantial nature. Loss of belonging through finally belonging to each individual can be tough, but it allows for each individual to challenge the perception of each self and in the process enrich ourselves. Therefore, perceiving ourselves in new ways, individual to our own experiences.