So, What's in My Name?

According to babynamewizard.com, the name Emily is derived from the Roman family name Aemilius and means to excel or rival. Now, I do not believe this played any role in my parents' motives for naming me Emily. In fact, I believe that this is the case for most people in our society. People have strayed away from the meaning of names and are beginning to name children based on what sounds right. However, my name is not completely meaningless! My middle name is Susan, named after my aunt and godmother. All of my siblings were named the same way: random first names and meaningful middle names. I love this tradition, and plan to continue it. However, I am going to add a little twist. The middle names of my children will be family names, but their first names will be after my favorite book characters (yes, I'm THAT nerdy). This is not only because I love these characters, but also because the personalities, values, and characteristics of these heroes will be the vehicles with which I teach my children how to be an admirable and honorable people. 

Truth be told, I never really liked my name. It is so popular in my generation that it always made me feel insignificant, ordinary. I would have rather had a unique name that did have more meaning to it. I wish I was named for something more meaningful than "it just sounds right" or "she just looks like an Emily". On the other hand, I have always loved it when my friends and family called me Em. For the exact opposite reason as to why I dislike Emily, I love Em because it feels more personal, intimate, special, more unique to me. The nickname was only created because it is a shortened version of my full name, but only my family and closest friends call me Em; therefore, it is much more exclusive. 

Regarding my last name, I believe I will change it when I am married. This belief is very traditional, but all the same I will probably follow through with it. However, Arundhati Roy in The God of Small Things makes a great point. The mother of the two main characters believes "choosing between her husband's name and her father's name didn't give a woman much of a choice" (Roy 37). I could not agree more with this quote, and never realized this chauvinistic idea existed because it is so ingrained in our society. With that said, I will take my husband's last name, but this is because this quote has made me think: does it really matter which I choose if both options are virtually the same? No, it really doesn't. On top of that, my last name, Fordice, is much too clumsy for a hyphenated name, so that's out!

I can completely identify with the idea of being more than one person. There are definitely two me's, as Anne Quindlen points out: "there are two me's, the me who is the individual, and the me who is a part of a family of four...", but perhaps not in the same way. For ten years, I have switched between my mother's and father's houses five times every two weeks as a result of their divorce. For ten years, I have not spent more than a week in the same bed. Because of this, I lead two very different lives simultaneously. At my mom's house I follow her rules, her conventions, and try to be who she wants me to be. Similarly, at my dad's house I act more independent, but still follow my dad's completely different set of rules. This brings a whole new meaning to "you're under my roof, you follow my rules" and, frankly, it's exhausting. This combined with the struggle to become who I want to be in the whole of society is quite difficult. 

The dilemma posed by being an individual and, at the same time, a part of a bigger picture is that the people who look after you and are in charge of you may want you to be someone other than who you really are. And yet, this should not stop you from playing the role you want to in the whole of society. This roles presents itself in the form of your job, your vote, your beliefs, and your contributions. You must take your place in society. Be your own individual and a part of society in equal measure. 

Decode this secret message :)

The Concept of Othering

The Concept of Othering

 

http://photos.wingyounghuie.com/p929219206/h6b00ac63#h6b00ac63

The photographer Wing Young Huie snapped this beautiful shot for his University Avenue Project sometime between 2007-2010. Now, I call this image beautiful not for conventional reasons, but because of the powerful message it sends. Huie has taken dozens of photos like this one: black and white, with only one or two people, holding a chalkboard with a meaningful message inscribed on it. However, this message hit me harder than all the others. The man in the photo is staring off into the distance wistfully, and his chalkboard reads: "Race is an unfair tool by which to measure a persons character." This man has obviously been a victim of racial discrimination. The severity of this issue is portrayed in this photo, and the true words written on the chalkboard are supported by the look on this man's face: pain, morose, solemn, and critical. However, what you do not see in his face is hopelessness, pessimism, or anger. The man still believes in the goodness of people, no matter how they have clearly wronged him. 

In the bigger picture (no pun intended), there is our modern day society. Modern society has constructed norms, taboos, and most importantly "isms". By "isms" I mean racism, sexism, chauvinism, misogynism, anti-Semitism, and more. These are ridiculous constructs of society that are meant to separate anyone who is different in appearance, culture, belief, and many other things from those who are culturally accepted. These isms create "others". People who are perceived to be different, inadequate, or socially unacceptable. The man in this picture was once, and may still be, an other. 

Huie presents the others in a black and white scene, and he gives them a board. This chalkboard, in turn, is a voice. On this board and with this voice they can write their inner feelings, thoughts, ideas, beliefs, or just anything about their personalities that may reach the viewer. Most of the others just want to prove that they are just like everyone else. They have thoughts, beliefs, and most of all feelings that should be acknowledged by the people around them. Similarly, Margaret Atwood uses her fiction to highlight real issues, and bring them to light. She gives her characters their thoughts, feelings, and voice to tell their story. However, Atwood uses more words, and lets the reader's imagination take care of the rest. Both author and artist create vivid images pertaining to discrimination, and both are powerful. Nonetheless, the man in Huie's image wants to be seen, and the woman in Atwood's book wants to be heard.