What's in a name?

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Our names define us, to a certain extent. In my opinion, names were a bigger deal during Beowulf's time than they are now, but we can find many instances in our lives today in which we are affected by our names in some way. Looking at different parts of my full name enables me to analyze different trends that I see. My first name has never truly impacted me or my life in drastic ways. Other than many people mispronouncing or misspelling it, I cannot think of any strong effect that my first name has had. One nickname that I have been given, however, is "Banana" or "Ana Banana." These have developed through rhyming, but they are not uncommon nicknames for someone named Ana - this silly nickname has existed for many years. Something interesting about my name is actually the lack of a name. I was never given a middle name, which usually alarms people at first. In Argentina, it is very common to only have a first and a last name, whereas here in the United States, almost everyone has a middle name. This clearly portrays cultural differences, and how they can affect someone and how they are perceived in society. Finally, my last name - Iglesias. When many people first see or hear it, they immediately notice that it is from another language. Many mispronounce it, spell it incorrectly, or even attempt to say it in Spanish. Although most people "have fun" with my last name, it definitely has an impact on the way people view me - some people form stereotypes about me, based on my name, that never leave and that always have an effect on the way they see me, be it negatively or positively.

Many dilemmas can result from being "two," or both an individual, as well as part of a larger group. I see this in many different aspects of my life. A small-scale example is in group projects at school. While every member of the group must work together to create a great project, different grades are awarded, most of the time, to each individual student. This means that I must not only assure myself that I am being well-represented as an individual in this larger group, but also that the product that we all create together in the end is strong. This creates some problems at times, like unfair distribution of responsibilities, and group members who begin to boss everyone else in the group around. 

Another example of being "two" that I have experienced comes into play at dance conventions/competitions. I attend these competitions with my dance studio, meaning that I am there to represent CC & Company Dance Complex. But, I am also there to represent myself well, for there are several solo achievements awarded in addition to group awards. This presents a kind of moral dilemma in a sense, because although I am a member of the larger whole of my dance studio and I must work together with everyone else in order to perform well in the competitions, I also want to make myself stand out. The moral or ethical question that is raised in this kind of situation is, "How much of the team's success am I willing to sacrifice in order to succeed, myself?" Being "two" is something we see in our lives daily, yet something that many of us have still not figured out completely. There is a constant struggle present in all of us between furthering one's self in society, while at the same time working for the good of "the group."

Wing Young Huie Response

Wing Young Huie - Young Girl Wrapped in Dora the Explorer Blanket, We are the Other (2012-2013)
URL: http://photos.wingyounghuie.com/p709406511/h7f32b48c#h7f32b48c

Young Girl Wrapped in Dora the Explorer Blanket, photographed by Wing Young Huie, was published in 2012 in South Minneapolis, MN. Upon first examination of this photograph, one can see a young girl that seems to be around ten years old or so. She is wrapped in a towel that has a drawing of the character of Dora, from the cartoon television show Dora the Explorer, printed on it. She appears to be very content, as shown by the smile on her face, with an older lady by her side, potentially her mother. Finally, it is evident that she was either getting into or out of the red minivan behind her prior to this photo being taken. This appears to be set in a city - there is a building in the background.

By looking deeper into this photograph, a connection can be made and a relationship identified between this girl and the towel she is wrapped in. It is apparent that she looks an awful lot like Dora and it is not a bad assumption to claim that this young girl is Hispanic or Latina, like Dora. The usage of this towel could be merely by coincidence, but that is hard to believe. The simple fact that she is having a photograph taken of her in this towel and that she appears to be genuinely smiling is reason enough to believe that she particularly likes this towel and deliberately chose to wrap herself in it. This can be interpreted to suggest that she has a stronger connection with Hispanic or Latino characters than with characters of other ethnic origins.

Although they go about it in different ways, Wing Young Huie and Margaret Atwood both present the concept of "othering", meaning the deliberate portrayal of a person or a group of people as different, in their work. Wing Young Huie achieves this through image, as he has taken a photograph that allows the viewer to implicitly eventually see the alienation of the pictured young girl, as well as the entire Hispanic population. Huie wishes to depict the fact that many Latinos are associating with Latino TV shows and characters, separating them from the U.S. culture. All of these implications, which relate to the idea of "othering," are identified simply by looking at this one photograph - there are no words needed. Therefore, Wing Young Huie illustrates the "othering" of Hispanic people in the U.S. through an image.

On the other hand, Atwood also brings up "othering," but by using a completely different method. Instead of doing this through a photograph, she presents it in the dystopian novel The Handmaid's Tale. This in turn means that she utilizes a different approach - layout, or format. In this book, the main character, Offred, is presented as socially isolated by the society of Gilead. The limitations placed on the freedoms of Offred and the other handmaids, such as not being able to read or write, force them into a life lived in seclusion, during which they can only freely think at night when they are alone in their rooms. Atwood shows this by separating the novel into different sections, some examples being Shopping sections, Night sections, and various others. This allows for the reader to clearly see the difference in Offred's, and the other Handmaids', actions and thoughts in different sections and therefore the fact that the Night sections are the ones in which Offred is most able to retain some of her suppressed freedom. Because of the use of different sections, an element of format, in The Handmaid's Tale, the isolation of Offred and the other Handmaids is clearly shown, along with the concept of "othering."