What's in a Name?

What's in a Name?

Names are our identity. They are what we respond to, what we are known as, and how we define our differences. However, very rarely do we consider the origin of our names. My name is very special to me because I have never met another person who spells his or her name the way I do. This is part of what makes me unique. My name, Ashlea, stems from the traditional spelling of "Ashley." Ashley is directly translated to mean "one who dwells in the ash grove" which presents little to no personal meaning. My parents simply chose the name because they liked it (along with the fact that their favorite character on the Young and the Restless is named Ashley). The spelling of my name came from my Godmother, Lea Edmondson. My middle name, Turner, was the maiden name of my grandmother, Delia Turner. Lastly, my last name, White, comes from my father's English descendants. Though paternally my family is German and were of the Klopp family, maternally, the White family are descendants of King Henry VIII. Altogether, my name is who I am, and I love it. It is unique, yet personal, and a little bit crazy (kind of like Henry). I feel like my name is the perfect representation of me.
As a young adult growing up in an ever-changing society, I find myself facing the "two of me" dilemma constantly. I especially find that I am a different person in front of my family than I am with my friends. I cannot decide whether this is a good or bad thing. In front of my family, I am polite, I do not use colloquialisms, and I severely sensor my topics of conversation. However, when I am with friends, I feel that I let down all of my restraints. I am an extrovert, so being one part in a whole changes me. I strongly dislike being alone. but depending on the people I am with, I am a very different person.

 

cuz

Othering

 

This photograph is entitled Father and Sons and was taken in the Springs, California by Wing Young Huie. This picture captures three presumably Hispanic men in their home holding photographs of loved ones from their homeland. In the background, a lamp without a shade sits on a metal folding chair under a poster of Mickey Mouse and several other Disney characters.

 

The first man, the father, looks forlorn and pensieve, as if gazing into an unknown future. The second man, the first son, looks defensive or angry. The third man looks blank and emotionless, with a slightly melancholy glaze behind his eyes. At first glance, the men are dressed nicely, in collared shirts. However, the third man has paint spattered across his jeans, indicating that they may be old or that he works a "blue collar" job.

 

This photograph is a strong representation of the "othering" that occurs due to immigration processes. Primarily, many immigrants are forced to leave family members and friends behind in order to begin their new lives. This causes many immigrants to be alone in a new country, and therefore alienated.

 

In addition, the racism in many MEDCs such as the United States leaves immigrants without jobs, relationships, and success. Such alienation is portrayed in Huie's photograph. The three men from two separate generations are alone without multiple family members. They are portrayed as unhappy, and their undecorated, small looking home reflects an unsuccessful life for the men.

 

An important point that Huie wishes to make in this photograph is mentioned in her blog. She explains the Mickey Mouse poster behind the men. It is there due to their belief that if they visit Disney World, they will truly have found success in the United States. Huie reports that they have not yet found it.

 

"Othering" is portrayed in this work through socioeconomic class and race. Huie uses the depressing setting and attitude to portray a growing international issue in which othering is prominent. Similarly, in The Handmaids Tale, Margaret Atwood uses the difference between social class to portray "othering." For example, Atwood uses the commander/handmaid relationship to portray the different treatments and privileges that are received based on social class. Similarly in this work, a difference in social class and race has robbed these men from many privileges that natives of their migrant country may enjoy.

 

 

 

Works Cited

 

 Atwood, Margaret. The Handmaid's Tale. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1986. Print.

Huie, Wing Young.  Father and Sons. Wing Young Huie, 2014. Web. 14 Sept.     2014.<http://know.wingyounghuie.com/>\

"The Handmaid's Tale." Spark Notes. SparkNotes LLC, 2014. Web. 14 Sept. 2014.< http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/handmaid/characters.html>.