Belonging

Belonging has been a crucial theme, raising critical questions like who belongs in a community? Who decides this? And the characters on the Avenue play out these questions. Clearly, the residents believe Walter Bishop does not belong. Sheila, when speaking with Brian, says, “And don’t you go feeling sorry for Walter Bishop. People like that don’t deserve sympathy. They’re not like us” (74).

The residents believe Walter does not belong, but never cite the true reason for their dismissal of him. There is a litany of complaints against Walter: his physical appearance and constant engagement in photography are considered odd—but that is not criminal. He acted strangely when his house was burning with his mother inside. Instead of a more usual response, like running towards the building and shouting that his mother was inside, he stood in front and dropped the groceries he...