Belonging has been an enduring theme within literature. Literary criticism on belonging examineshow belonging is portrayed and evoked within texts through relationships, environments andidentity. However, existing literature reviews on belonging within literature have someshortcomings. Belonging is a fundamental human need and drive. Literary texts that explore belonging, whetherit is finding or losing belonging, often examines relationships and how they fulfill or thwart the need to belong. For example, both Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre explore belonging through interpersonal relationships within families and between lovers. However,the focus on relationships in much criticism ignores how belonging can extend beyond human connections to environments and place. For example, much Romantic poetry portrays an intimate connection between the self and nature that provides a sense ofbelonging. Much criticism also focuses on how belonging is connected to identity, whether personal or cultural.Postcolonial literature, in particular, frequently portrays the tension between imported and indigenous cultures and how this shapes and challenges identity and belonging. However, there is a lack of acknowledgment of how identity categories like gender, race and class also intersect with belonging in powerful ways. For example, feminist literature often examines society's patriarchal mechanisms that have traditionally denied women full belonging. In summary, while there is a large amount of literary criticism on belonging, it has some shortcomings that provide opportunities for further analysis. There is scope to examine belonging more intersectionally and extend beyond human relationships alone to incorporate place and environment. A more holistic perspective that examines belonging in terms of identity, relationships and place within specific cultural and historical contexts will provide new insights into this significant theme within literature.