In Lili Wilkinson’s novel ‘Pink’, many individuals from the novel investigate the various ways the sense of being able to belong is significant. This is supported through Ava’s experience of trying to fit into the standards of the people around her to feel included and validated. But, through the experience of wanting to belong and fit in, Ava learns more about herself and how she never needed to change herself in the first place. However, the broader message of the novel would be, that some characters from the novel suggest that changing yourself to fit in and have that sense of belonging is not required. Firstly, it is through the experience of trying to fit into the standards of the people around you, to feel included and validated, to …show more content…
Throughout the novel, Ava struggles to feel as though she needs to fit in and find herself, all she wanted was, “to be with people who fit [her]” and “wanted to be normal” because she never knew who she exactly is, she didn’t feel like she belongs in her skin, and now she wanted to be for sure and she questions, “should being yourself be this tiring?” suggesting that she doesn't know what it is like to be herself normally. However, through those experiences of trying to figure herself out, she concludes that she never had to change herself for anyone’s approval, “[she] never had to choose, maybe [she] never did”, and this was achieved by her going through the experience of wanting to feel like she belongs, thus it was significant for her to go through that experience for her to grow into a better person and a new mindset for her to not always needing to try and fit in so much. Now, she can be seen happier, even as Sam vocalized, “I’m glad you’re happy”. Therefore, Ava trying to belong, she undergoes self-development for the realisation that she never needed to change herself to fit in, and this is all executed by the importance of feeling like you have to