According to Ursula K. LeGuin, having a destination is positive; however, the essential factor is the actual voyage itself. A journey signifies travelling between locations or more generally, advancement from one phase to another.
The importance of a physical journey is not determined by which part, the journey or the destination, is more difficult. Instead, it is based on how the traveler reacts to their experiences, handles obstacles encountered along the way, and what they ultimately gain from their voyage. Immigrant Chronicles by Peter Skrzynecki, Cast Away (2000) directed by Robert Zemeckis, and Finding Nemo (2003) co-directed by Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich all employ various techniques to examine the idea of journeys. Although each piece emphasizes the hardship of both traveling and arriving at a destination, they also underscore personal development and transformation. Crossing the Red S
...ea by Skrzynecki demonstrates this concept as it conveys themes of hopefulness, alteration, and bravery through physical travel.
In his poem, Skrzynecki draws extensively on religious imagery, likening the immigrants’ journey across the sea to the biblical tale of Moses leading his people to the Promised Land. The title itself, “Crossing the Red Sea”, alludes to the story of Moses parting the waters. The line, “(And the seas touched the eyes of another Lazarus who was saying a prayer in thanksgiving for miracles)”, evokes the Lazarus of Bethany, who was brought back to life by Jesus. This association suggests that the migrants too were granted a kind of rebirth or salvation from death.
This link leads to Cast Away, a movie about a FedEx deliveryman named Chuck (played by Tom Hanks) who survives a plane crash and is stranded o
a deserted island for four years. Chuck's survival through the crash is impressive, but similar to the struggles faced by the migrants in Crossing the Red Sea, his hardships are far from over. As time passes in Crossing the Red Sea, the migrants begin to open up to themselves and others: "Voices left their caves and silence fell from its shackles, memories strayed from behind sunken eyes". The use of the word "shackles" creates powerful imagery and alludes to the violent and confining pasts of the migrants. This imagery is also present when the color of red poppies is compared to blood: "'Blood leaves similar dark stains - when it runs for a long time on stones or rusted iron.' " The stark contrast between the poppies and the blood creates a sudden and horrific juxtaposition.
This piece draws a parallel between the harsh realities faced by migrants in war-torn countries and a dramatic plane crash scene in the movie Cast Away. The contrast emphasizes how their lives have been marred by the violence, turning what was once beautiful and peaceful into a scary and bloody world. Similarly, in the plane crash scene, the camera angles and loud noises immerse the audience in the action, creating fear and suspense. This opening scene of violence is a starting point for Chuck's journey, while for migrants, violence marks the beginning of theirs. The rest of the movie offers a stark contrast to this pivotal scene, with a more subdued tone.
Despite minimal use of dialogue or music, Chuck's struggle for survival in the depicted scenes is unforgettable, with silence serving as a key factor in grasping the difficult physical
journey and daily challenges he confronts. In both Crossing the Red Sea and Cast Away, characters undergo emotional and spiritual transformation in the pursuit of a brighter future, with Chuck enduring four years of physical hardship that significantly impacted him in emotional, personal, spiritual and psychological ways.
It is apparent in Finding Nemo that both Nemo and Marlin transform as a consequence of their physical journeys, with Marlin realizing he cannot constantly fear the world and must rely on others and his environment. In his quest to locate his son, he is motivated by necessity. This necessity is also reflected in Crossing the Red Sea, where migrants seek land or any viable option for a new home. They search for shorelines, peaks of mountains, and green rivers.
The scene in Finding Nemo where Marlin frantically swims around the ocean searching for his son highlights his constant need to find Nemo. Marlin's desperate calling and flurry of movements, amidst other fish and plant life, emphasizes his despair. While Marlin's journey is a necessity, from Nemo's perspective, the motivation of the film is to prove independence and confidence outside of familiar territory. As Nemo travels, he realizes that despite his small size and deformed fin, he can survive without his father's constant care.
In a particular scene, the Tank Gang in the fish tank come up with a plan to break free. This leads to Nemo getting trapped in the filter, with Gill refusing to offer any assistance: “Nemo: Can you help me? Gill: No. You got yourself in there, you can get yourself out.” This situation compels Nemo to fend for himself, much like his unavoidable expedition
when he is taken aboard the boat. This can be likened to Skrzynecki’s poem depicting the act of leaving home.
The poem portrays a persona who is instructed to relocate to a rural area for work without any say in the matter, as conveyed by the phone call: "You must go." The persona's compliance is due to their sense of vulnerability and lack of preparedness. They're compelled to obey the orders given by the authorities if they wish to retain their job. Consequently, the persona's obedience comes across as passive and unthinking: "Our dull-witted, frog-mouthed obedience," as they're caught off guard by their ignorance and faith.
Despite the persona's efforts to make a positive impression during an interview, they were not taken seriously and had to endure a three-hour wait for a brief two-minute exchange. This is reminiscent of Nemo's father who also dismisses him, stating "you believe you can accomplish these things, but it's impossible Nemo!" In the persona's case, they were disrespected and largely ignored by the interviewer who failed to make eye contact and only glanced at their application papers from behind. The audience quickly forms an opinion of the interviewer based on his appearance which is likened to that of a hawk with a crew cut and Tally-Ho paper skin - characteristics associated with unfriendliness and toughness. However, whereas in Finding Nemo both Marlin and Nemo develop independence as a result of their journeys, the outcome of the persona's situation is different.
Leaving Home depicts the persona's overwhelming despair, as he is trapped in a state of hopelessness and terror. In contrast, Migrant Hostel explores the experience of adapting to unfamiliar surroundings. The poem
portrays the life of an immigrant residing in a hostel, and employs bird imagery as a recurring motif. The persona likens himself to a homing pigeon circling to orient himself, while acknowledging that he has lived like a transient bird for more than two years.
Comparing migrants to migratory birds, the poem portrays their constant need to move from one place to another. It depicts a lonely and depressing mood as the migrants feel cut off and isolated from the world. In the poem, a barrier at the main gate seals off the highway and their doorstep. This feeling of isolation is similar to that portrayed by Chuck in the movie Cast Away, where he experiences moments of loneliness and sadness while being physically isolated from the rest of the world.
The immigrants portrayed in Migrant Hostel feel like outsiders in Australian society, experiencing discomfort and even shame. This is evident in the line, “it rose and fell like a finger pointed in reprimand or shame”. Similarly, both Migrant Hostel and Cast Away address the hardships of transitioning to a new environment. However, these works differ in that the migrants in Migrant Hostel chose to leave while Chuck in Cast Away was forced to. Despite these differences, both explore the emotional journey of isolation and loneliness that comes with adapting to change.
After analyzing Peter Skrzynecki's Immigrant Chronicles, as well as the movies Finding Nemo and Cast Away, it is challenging to determine which is more arduous: the journey or the destination. While journeying, individuals may undergo experiences that may be burdensome to endure due to the changes they encounter. However, just undergoing a transformative journey
can be challenging in its own right. Ultimately, how individuals view their overall journey experience is what truly counts.
