The Sense of Belonging in TJ Klune's The House in the Cerulean Sea

Bc. Michaela Maruškinová

Bachelor's thesis

Abstract:

This thesis aims to identify the aspects of the sense of belonging taken from Hagerty and Patusky’s Developing a Measure of Sense of Belonging from 1995. After an introduction to the concept of the sense of belonging, the next part deals with antecedents that have to be met in order for characters to consider themselves a part of a social group, with identifying factors necessary for the group to exist. Then it is possible to apply those to the two kinds of sense of belonging, each of them applicable to The House in the Cerulean Sea, and lastly the consequences of an established sense of belonging are given attention, accompanied by the prerequisites that have allowed these consequences to happen.

Abstract:

This thesis aims to identify the aspects of the sense of belonging taken from Hagerty and Patusky’s Developing a Measure of Sense of Belonging from 1995. After an introduction to the concept of the sense of belonging, the next part deals with antecedents that have to be met in order for characters to consider themselves a part of a social group, with identifying factors necessary for the group to exist. Then it is possible to apply those to the two kinds of sense of belonging, each of them applicable to The House in the Cerulean Sea, and lastly the consequences of an established sense of belonging are given attention, accompanied by the prerequisites that have allowed these consequences to happen.

Keywords

found family, belonging, TJ Klune, queer topics, childcare, social groups

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 22. 4. 2024

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 20. 6. 2024
• Supervisor: Mgr. Pavla Buchtová
• Reader: Mgr. Lucie Podroužková, Ph.D.

Masaryk University

Faculty of Education

Bachelor programme / field:
English Language for Education / English Language for Education