Published Paper Details:

'Alienation' and 'belonging' are less explored themes in the novels of James Welch and this paper aims to investigate the same in his novel Fools Crow. As advocated by Lewis Feuer: "the word 'alienation' is used to describe the subjective tone of self-destructive experience". He further states: "Alienation is used to convey the emotional tone which accompanies any behavior in which the person is compelled to act self-destructively" (Feuer, Lewis 116-132). And another meaning of the term is recorded as "to make estranged, to estrange, or turn away the feelings or affections of any one, to convert into an alien or stranger, to make averse or hostile or unwelcome". Humans have a natural 'sense of belonging' and it is so crucial for survival that Maslow had placed it in his needs of hierarchy ahead of safety and psychological needs. Scholars like Hagerty, Lynch-Sauer, Patusky, Bouwsema and Collier (1992) have defined feeling of belonging as "the experience of personal involvement in a system or environment so that persons feel themselves to be an integral part of that system or environment" (Collier, 172). "For a sense of belonging to develop it is necessary that the individual experiences a fit, acceptance, or connection with people, groups, organizations or environments" (Hagerty et al, 1992).