Lack of Support and Sense of Belonging

    Throughout my reading of the story, one of the aspects that I found to be very impactful would be the lack of support and sense of belonging that Danny experiences as he desires to try to be become an legal through means of acting as a legal should. To see this lack of support and sense of belonging we can look towards the reactions of others (like Tommo and the person who replied to his internet question) during Danny's first year as an Illegal because it gives us a clear look at how he is not welcomed or supported in his struggles while having the very real possibility of being kicked out from Tommo's place.

    To start off, we can examine Tommo's furious reaction to when Danny explains to him that someone from back home had spotted him. Almost immediately after Danny tells Tommo about his possible exposure to a women from back home, Tommo says, "Get out right now. Get out. I'm a citizen" straight to Danny's face regardless of how Danny feels (38). Although this event had happened early on in the book, I feel that it clearly expresses the overarching rejection of Danny by the citizens of Sydney. Tommo immediately trying to chase Danny away illustrates how Danny is not really supported at all and he always has a constant fear of being caught, put to trial, and charged heavily for his status as an illegal immigrant.  Even Danny himself knows that Tommo can't be trusted that at as he knows "Tommo would betray him in a second" which I feel is an important point that highlights that Danny knows he is not welcome at Tommo's place and it is not home for him in Sydney rather it is just a means to be used (39).

    The next person that highlights that Danny really did not have a place or home in Sydney was the person that responded to Danny question on how to get an extension on his student visa as the language the person uses creates a hard perception on the character of an illegals immigrant and how Danny should not think he is safe. One example is how the person believes that Danny is "Honest or (more likely) dishonest" which is an important description because there is a hard bias that is shown in the person's words as he uses the words "more likely" as a way to express that he thinks Danny and "dozens like" him are liars and can not be trusted (39). By showcasing that sense of distrust towards Danny, the person is expressing that many of legals in Sydney may not trust Danny for the sheer fact that he is an illegal immigrant. I personally feel that the distrust is highly important because Danny can be pushed away in a heart by like Tommo while if he wants help or wants to help then people like the person on the internet will just assume he is a liar. 

Overall, I believe that Danny's first year as illegal highlights a fundamental struggle for illegal immigrants which is that they have a lack of support or sense of belonging as it seems that they're walking on thin ice. Danny faced first hand that Tommo could betray him in a second through Tommo's quick reaction to want Danny out of there when Danny assumes he is exposed which shows that he really had no place of belong to during his first year. Danny also had faced how the legals may automatically distrust him because he is illegals immigrant when the person on the internet replied to his question with a hard distrust for Danny immediately.  I believe that lack of support and sense  of belonging is important to understand because we have to realize that illegal immigrants are people as well with their own struggles and emotions and not all are the same as others, so thats why we have to listen to understand their story and be patient. 

                                                                                                                                                                       

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