Social interactions are an essential part of all relationships; they are the determining factor of the perception of the world around them and of their own identity. This idea is presented in a number of unique texts including As You Like It by William Shakespeare, The Lost Thing by Shaun Tan and The Blind Side produced by John Lee Hancock. Society and its expectations can have a significant impact on one's ability to adapt to an environment. Some individuals, however, challenge society and break down social barriers in order to improve or limit an individual's aptitude for assimilation. Being affiliated with a particular individual or group can make a person feel accepted as they can gain a new sense of perspective on the world. People's connections to society and others can enhance or narrow their views of belonging. Societal expectations can create social barriers that prevent someone from maintaining a sense of acceptance. Society and the world try to find a place where everything can fit, and individuals who do not belong in society are often ignored. Society in Tan's picture book The Lost Thing finds a place where everything can fit and for everything that is left out, the "nameless objects", the "troublesome artefacts of unknown origin[s]" and for the " things that just don't belong,” there is the “Federal Junk Department.” This suggests that there must be a solution for individuals who do not blend into society, preventing their ability to be accepted he play As You Like It, the disconnection and exile from the court or more technically from society meant that the characters no longer fit social standards. Shakespeare uses dramatic irony when the audie... center of the paper. .. “then in [his] person [we] shall die,” Shakespeare is exaggerating his views on love and belonging However, the weddings that conclude the play represent the restoration of a place where all belong to their own place. Marriage is “when earthly things become even / atone together” (a5 s4). As a result, both texts amplify the importance of relationships and draw parallels to the sense of acceptance that is directly proportional to one's personal interactions with others. Therefore it can be seen that belonging is central to how individuals are characterized. One's connection or acceptance emerges from relationships with people and places. Belonging is a different distinctiveness characterized by association, acceptance and relationships. This is represented in Shakespeare's As You Like It, Hancock's The Blind Side and Shaun Tan's The Lost Thing..