Friday, June 5, 2009
Reflection Letter to My Readers
My name is Anna Schmidt. I am a wife and mother of two, a nurse's assistant at a Seattle hospital and I hope one day to gain my degree in nursing. I absolutely love to read. When I'm not working, cleaning, cooking or taking care of my children, I'm reading. Writing, on the other hand, while I'm not horrible at it and actually enjoy it most of the time, can be quite challenging when I have to follow guidelines and clear objectives. One of my favorite quotes from the movie "Finding Forrester," the movie I watched for Intermission 1 in this class, was by the fictional Pulitzer Prize winner William Forrester: "No thinking - that comes later. You must write your first draft with your heart. You rewrite with your head. The first key to writing is... to write, not to think!" I loved this line because when I write at home, in my journal, for instance, there is no thinking involved, no analysis, no synthesis. This is why English 101 was so important for me, though. I needed it to make me think. I needed it to make me recognize how analysis and structure and synthesis can not only strengthen my writing, but how I read and take in what I'm reading as well. It allowed me to not only read some great essays by some amazing writers (from the text and by my fellow students) but also to learn to read between the lines, not just enjoying the words but enjoying the meaning as well.
The themes of English 101 were identity, community and tradition. Its focus was on belonging and individuals who challenged the idea of acceptance, whether in real-life characters in the essays we read, or fictional characters in movies. The material we used to shape and stretch our thinking about this theme did without a doubt make me more aware of these three aspects of my life and the world. I'm not necessarily an unobservant person but it's easy to get caught up with diapers and dinner and bills without realizing how complex the world is around me. The idea of being a part of so many communities, for instance, was something I'm not sure I thoroughly recognized until now. I had identified myself as someone with a simple, basic life - a mother, a wife, a hospital assistant, a reader. In reality, I was really someone who belonged to so much than that. I wrote one of my blog assignments on commuting to work and how this represents a community. The idea that I have something in common with a huge number of other individuals with the same goal, the same desire (a smooth, traffic free commute, in this case) was almost comical. Writing about it was interesting, fun and made me more appreciative of all the other communities I'm a part of.
My ideas about diversity were stretched in interesting ways as well. Before taking this class, I had kind of forgotten that diversity is not just different cultures but also distinctiveness; it is different people with different views, appearances, and ideas to share with society. This distinctiveness is especially apparent when those distinctive individuals are accepting and unapologetic of the fact that they may be viewed as outcasts and outsiders as a result. Kathy Wilson in "Dude Looks Like a Lady," Gloria Anzaldua in "How to Tame a Wild Tongue," Richard Rodriguez in "Blaxicans," and even Ellen Ullman's "Museum of Me" (even though her essay infuriated me) are all examples of writers who used their life and ideas to emphasize how diversity can be compelling and open the minds of their readers in stimulating ways. It was a reminder of how wonderful and amazing the world would be if everyone were able to understand that diversity does not limit us as a people, but allows us to be better.
My writing for the quarter was an attempt to integrate the ideas that I formed about diversity and people who exemplify it so well. The pieces I chose to include in this e-portfolio are representative of two types of writing styles, I believe. I selected two of my formal papers and two of my blog assignment. The papers were lengthy, structured and focused, even the one that needed revising. The blog assignments were focused in the sense that they were following a prompt, but they are more relaxed and casual. I'm certainly not implying that I didn't think about what I was writing when I completed the blog assignments, but they didn't feel forced in anyway, which made them more pleasurable to write, I think. I believe that both the papers and both the blogs exhibit the best of my writing abilities and I hope that they will be enjoyed by those who view this blog!
The themes of English 101 were identity, community and tradition. Its focus was on belonging and individuals who challenged the idea of acceptance, whether in real-life characters in the essays we read, or fictional characters in movies. The material we used to shape and stretch our thinking about this theme did without a doubt make me more aware of these three aspects of my life and the world. I'm not necessarily an unobservant person but it's easy to get caught up with diapers and dinner and bills without realizing how complex the world is around me. The idea of being a part of so many communities, for instance, was something I'm not sure I thoroughly recognized until now. I had identified myself as someone with a simple, basic life - a mother, a wife, a hospital assistant, a reader. In reality, I was really someone who belonged to so much than that. I wrote one of my blog assignments on commuting to work and how this represents a community. The idea that I have something in common with a huge number of other individuals with the same goal, the same desire (a smooth, traffic free commute, in this case) was almost comical. Writing about it was interesting, fun and made me more appreciative of all the other communities I'm a part of.
My ideas about diversity were stretched in interesting ways as well. Before taking this class, I had kind of forgotten that diversity is not just different cultures but also distinctiveness; it is different people with different views, appearances, and ideas to share with society. This distinctiveness is especially apparent when those distinctive individuals are accepting and unapologetic of the fact that they may be viewed as outcasts and outsiders as a result. Kathy Wilson in "Dude Looks Like a Lady," Gloria Anzaldua in "How to Tame a Wild Tongue," Richard Rodriguez in "Blaxicans," and even Ellen Ullman's "Museum of Me" (even though her essay infuriated me) are all examples of writers who used their life and ideas to emphasize how diversity can be compelling and open the minds of their readers in stimulating ways. It was a reminder of how wonderful and amazing the world would be if everyone were able to understand that diversity does not limit us as a people, but allows us to be better.
My writing for the quarter was an attempt to integrate the ideas that I formed about diversity and people who exemplify it so well. The pieces I chose to include in this e-portfolio are representative of two types of writing styles, I believe. I selected two of my formal papers and two of my blog assignment. The papers were lengthy, structured and focused, even the one that needed revising. The blog assignments were focused in the sense that they were following a prompt, but they are more relaxed and casual. I'm certainly not implying that I didn't think about what I was writing when I completed the blog assignments, but they didn't feel forced in anyway, which made them more pleasurable to write, I think. I believe that both the papers and both the blogs exhibit the best of my writing abilities and I hope that they will be enjoyed by those who view this blog!
Introduction to a Writing That Demonstrates Critical Thinking
My second paper was written on working mothers and how they are a community. This paper represents my critical thinking skills as a writer because it reflects my ability to effectively analyze an issue and use synthesis to strengthen the ideas I presented. In writing this paper, I spent a tremendous amount of time thinking about how exactly working mothers represent a community, how they are supported within this community and how they are supported within the larger community. I wrote it with the idea of analysis constantly on my mind - am I just sharing information or am I really investigating, scrutinizing and studying the subject? Analysis asks the writer to explain what something means, why something works, and hopefully in the end give the reader a better understanding of the topic, and I think I was able to do this with this paper.
An example of analysis in this assignment can be seen in the thesis itself: “By looking at these experiences [of the different generations of working mothers], one is able to gain a better understanding of how communities can dramatically change over time and also how communities serve the needs of the people in them.” This assertion immediately shows the reader what I’m going to be trying to make them understand - that by examining and really looking at these difference perspectives, a better awareness of what makes a community is formed.
The use of synthesis was used also when in the paper I wrote about Sarah, a working mother in the 1970s, and the support for her by not just the community of working mothers in which she belonged, but also by the larger communities surrounding her, including her family, neighborhood, city and beyond. By integrating her experiences and that of Catherine Latterell’s “assumption” about the role of community from the text, a synthesis within the paper developed: “Sarah did not feel that her community “supported her personal goals,” (Latterell 90), but she also did not expect this support.”
An example of analysis in this assignment can be seen in the thesis itself: “By looking at these experiences [of the different generations of working mothers], one is able to gain a better understanding of how communities can dramatically change over time and also how communities serve the needs of the people in them.” This assertion immediately shows the reader what I’m going to be trying to make them understand - that by examining and really looking at these difference perspectives, a better awareness of what makes a community is formed.
The use of synthesis was used also when in the paper I wrote about Sarah, a working mother in the 1970s, and the support for her by not just the community of working mothers in which she belonged, but also by the larger communities surrounding her, including her family, neighborhood, city and beyond. By integrating her experiences and that of Catherine Latterell’s “assumption” about the role of community from the text, a synthesis within the paper developed: “Sarah did not feel that her community “supported her personal goals,” (Latterell 90), but she also did not expect this support.”
Community and Working Mothers
The question of whether working mothers are considered a community and whether they are supported by the larger community around them can be evaluated by examining the experiences of different generations of working mothers. By looking at these experiences one is able to gain a better understanding of how communities can dramatically change over time and also how communities serve the needs of the people in them.
Communities are not just the blocks, neighborhoods or cities in which individuals live. As Catherine Latterell, in “Remix”, writes: “People belong to many different communities based on their interests, needs, and values, and as these shift, so do the communities they identify with” (86). This broad and expanded definition of community technically supports the idea that working mothers are indeed part of their own community. They are a group of people unique from others because of their dual responsibilities to their careers and families. At some point in their lives, children will grow and leave the home, and working mothers will reevaluate their role in the community of working mothers, just as Latterell indicates in the last portion of her explanation. Latterell also writes in her book that a major assumption of communities is that “they will support us and give us what they need to lead productive and happy lives” (90). A mother in the 1970s, a time when working full time and raising a family was certainly not unheard of but was less common, has one perspective on both these ideas. Another mother, raising her children and working full time at the end of the first decade of the 21st century has another perspective.
Sarah Richardson worked full-time at the University of Washington School of Nursing for about fifteen years, from the mid-60s to the late 70s. During this time she also had a husband, a home and four children. When questioned as to whether or not she felt she was part of a “community” of working mothers, she was initially unclear (and mildly irritated) about what was being asked. She mentioned that there were other mothers who worked with her, but that working and mothering were simply not issues they discussed. She did not look to other moms for camaraderie or support, which may be considered part of what helps to define why people consider themselves part of a community. “I just put one foot in front of the other. I just did it. I didn’t have any other choice, just like all the other working moms I knew,” Sarah said. She indicated that working wasn’t a decision she made for personal fulfillment but that her family needed the income. When asked whether she felt supported by the larger community – her country, her neighborhood or her family - again, she questioned what exactly that meant. “Do you think you worked too hard? Did you feel like you were given help from those around you because they recognized you had more on your plate than other mothers?” the interviewer asked. “Heavens, yes! Of course, I worked too hard. Every working mother works too hard, and there’s no way around it,” she responded. Sarah did not feel that her community “supported her personal goals,” (Latterell 90), but she also did not expect this support. When she was working, she mentioned several times, mothers just did their jobs at work and at home, without a lot of fuss about it. In the 1970s, apparently, communities were not there for working mothers because, as Sarah explained, it just was not necessary. There were likely the same demands on working mothers’ time and attention as there are now, but the community of working mothers and the community as a whole did not stress the importance of giving mothers the resources that exist today. The experience of Sarah Richardson is evidence that working mothers in the 70s did not see themselves as part of a community because at that time the support usually provided by communities was not needed, wanted, or recognized.
The experience of a working mom in this decade is quite different and shows how communities have the ability to evolve. One only has to spend a few moments on the internet “googling” the phrase ‘working mom’ and literally thousands of online networks will appear. One such website, www.workitmom.com, offers at their own site “blogs, resources, and community for working moms.” Most working mom themed websites are very similar to this. Groups of working mothers are able to come together and share their concerns and the challenges they face, and give each other advice on how to best juggle work and home effectively. There are other resources and assistance given to working mothers today as well. According to an article on the website www.equalityhumanrights.com entitled “Twenty-first Century Dad,” fathers play a significantly greater role in child-rearing and household duties than years ago. There are also more quality childcare options available (something Sarah indicated was always a challenge for her), and the community as a whole seems to be less hesitant to acknowledge the challenges facing mothers balancing home and work.
Women today are able to be less apologetic about the desire and the right to work outside the home without guilt. They have resources that help maintain themselves as a community and are supported by each other and by the people around them far more than thirty years ago. Sarah commented at the end of her interview, “There wasn’t much hoopla about the whole thing, this working and being a parent.” Clearly, the community surrounding working mothers has greatly changed since then and the function it serves has changed as well.
Resources:
1. Latterell, Catherine G. Remix: Reading and Composing Culture. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2006.
2. Sarah Richardson. Personal interview. 3 May 2009.
3. Harker, Lisa. “Twenty-first Century Dad.” June 2006. Equality and Human Rights Commission. 4 May 2009 http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/Documents/Gender/Employment /21st _century_dad.pdf
4. Work it, Mom! 4 May 2009.
Communities are not just the blocks, neighborhoods or cities in which individuals live. As Catherine Latterell, in “Remix”, writes: “People belong to many different communities based on their interests, needs, and values, and as these shift, so do the communities they identify with” (86). This broad and expanded definition of community technically supports the idea that working mothers are indeed part of their own community. They are a group of people unique from others because of their dual responsibilities to their careers and families. At some point in their lives, children will grow and leave the home, and working mothers will reevaluate their role in the community of working mothers, just as Latterell indicates in the last portion of her explanation. Latterell also writes in her book that a major assumption of communities is that “they will support us and give us what they need to lead productive and happy lives” (90). A mother in the 1970s, a time when working full time and raising a family was certainly not unheard of but was less common, has one perspective on both these ideas. Another mother, raising her children and working full time at the end of the first decade of the 21st century has another perspective.
Sarah Richardson worked full-time at the University of Washington School of Nursing for about fifteen years, from the mid-60s to the late 70s. During this time she also had a husband, a home and four children. When questioned as to whether or not she felt she was part of a “community” of working mothers, she was initially unclear (and mildly irritated) about what was being asked. She mentioned that there were other mothers who worked with her, but that working and mothering were simply not issues they discussed. She did not look to other moms for camaraderie or support, which may be considered part of what helps to define why people consider themselves part of a community. “I just put one foot in front of the other. I just did it. I didn’t have any other choice, just like all the other working moms I knew,” Sarah said. She indicated that working wasn’t a decision she made for personal fulfillment but that her family needed the income. When asked whether she felt supported by the larger community – her country, her neighborhood or her family - again, she questioned what exactly that meant. “Do you think you worked too hard? Did you feel like you were given help from those around you because they recognized you had more on your plate than other mothers?” the interviewer asked. “Heavens, yes! Of course, I worked too hard. Every working mother works too hard, and there’s no way around it,” she responded. Sarah did not feel that her community “supported her personal goals,” (Latterell 90), but she also did not expect this support. When she was working, she mentioned several times, mothers just did their jobs at work and at home, without a lot of fuss about it. In the 1970s, apparently, communities were not there for working mothers because, as Sarah explained, it just was not necessary. There were likely the same demands on working mothers’ time and attention as there are now, but the community of working mothers and the community as a whole did not stress the importance of giving mothers the resources that exist today. The experience of Sarah Richardson is evidence that working mothers in the 70s did not see themselves as part of a community because at that time the support usually provided by communities was not needed, wanted, or recognized.
The experience of a working mom in this decade is quite different and shows how communities have the ability to evolve. One only has to spend a few moments on the internet “googling” the phrase ‘working mom’ and literally thousands of online networks will appear. One such website, www.workitmom.com, offers at their own site “blogs, resources, and community for working moms.” Most working mom themed websites are very similar to this. Groups of working mothers are able to come together and share their concerns and the challenges they face, and give each other advice on how to best juggle work and home effectively. There are other resources and assistance given to working mothers today as well. According to an article on the website www.equalityhumanrights.com entitled “Twenty-first Century Dad,” fathers play a significantly greater role in child-rearing and household duties than years ago. There are also more quality childcare options available (something Sarah indicated was always a challenge for her), and the community as a whole seems to be less hesitant to acknowledge the challenges facing mothers balancing home and work.
Women today are able to be less apologetic about the desire and the right to work outside the home without guilt. They have resources that help maintain themselves as a community and are supported by each other and by the people around them far more than thirty years ago. Sarah commented at the end of her interview, “There wasn’t much hoopla about the whole thing, this working and being a parent.” Clearly, the community surrounding working mothers has greatly changed since then and the function it serves has changed as well.
Resources:
1. Latterell, Catherine G. Remix: Reading and Composing Culture. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2006.
2. Sarah Richardson. Personal interview. 3 May 2009.
3. Harker, Lisa. “Twenty-first Century Dad.” June 2006. Equality and Human Rights Commission. 4 May 2009 http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/Documents/Gender/Employment /21st _century_dad.pdf
4. Work it, Mom! 4 May 2009.
Introduction of Writing That Demonstrates Revision and Reseeing Work
My first paper of the quarter was written about identity and personal choice. I didn't do poorly on this paper but I could have done a lot better if I had spent more time going back and making sure the content of my paper supported my thesis. I had some good ideas but my thesis, which wasn’t particularly strong to begin with, really got lost. I summarized essays from the text instead of analyzing and I just feel I could have done much better with my ideas if I had spent some time thoroughly reading through the assignment. It asked that there be some conclusion about the relationship between identity and personal choice, and I really didn’t show that very well.
In the first part of the paper I wrote about Firoozeh Dumas and the challenges she faced as someone with an “un-American” name and her choice to change it. The following is just a few sentences from the paper that I ended up removing in the revision: “The author describes her life after her decision to change her name from Firoozeh to Julie as much easier. Later, after college when Dumas began looking for a job, she even found using her American name provided her with more interviews.” There is nothing new or insightful being shared by me, the writer, about Dumas. In the revision, I went back to the paper and eliminated any unnecessary summaries and instead, substituted more analysis, which is what would have made this a stronger paper.
In the first part of the paper I wrote about Firoozeh Dumas and the challenges she faced as someone with an “un-American” name and her choice to change it. The following is just a few sentences from the paper that I ended up removing in the revision: “The author describes her life after her decision to change her name from Firoozeh to Julie as much easier. Later, after college when Dumas began looking for a job, she even found using her American name provided her with more interviews.” There is nothing new or insightful being shared by me, the writer, about Dumas. In the revision, I went back to the paper and eliminated any unnecessary summaries and instead, substituted more analysis, which is what would have made this a stronger paper.
Identity and Personal Choice
Original Paper:
Identity is defined by The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language as “the distinct personality of an individual regarded as a persisting entity; individuality.” There are many things that contribute to the development of an individual’s sense of self and individuality, including where a person is born, his or her parents, the values they were raised with, their gender and the experiences they have growing into an adult. While all these factors play a powerful role in shaping identity, one of the most influential is the idea of personal choice.
Catherine Latterell, the author of Remix: Reading and Composing Culture, emphasizes the idea of personal choice shaping identity and explains that “rather than seeing all matters of identity as determined by larger cultural forces that are beyond our control, this viewpoint recognizes that individuals participate in and make decisions about their identities (11).
Firoozeh Dumas, the author of the essay “The F Word,” writes of identity from the viewpoint of a young person attempting to assimilate herself into another culture. She arrived in the United States as a girl with a name difficult for some to not only accept as part of who she was, but a reason to tease and embarrass. Dumas chose to change her name to combat these difficulties. She writes: “I wanted to be a kid with a name that didn’t draw so much attention, a name that didn’t come with a built-in inquisition…” (61). The author describes her life after her decision to change her name from Firoozeh to Julie as much easier. Later, after college when Dumas began looking for a job, she even found using her American name provided her with more interviews. This unfortunately came at a price. Her decision to be Julie or Firoozeh depending on whose company she kept, and especially when the two groups overlapped, began to wear on her and as a consequence, created unhappiness in her life. As an adult Dumas became more comfortable with herself and cared less about what others thought of her. She began to recognize that her choice to change herself, even in something as minor as a name, was limiting her ability to be who she truly was: Firoozeh.
In the headlines recently was a story of Texas Representative Betty Brown (R), who proposed the idea of gently encouraging new Chinese immigrants to assume a new, more American name. The Houston Chronicle quoted Ms. Brown as saying: “Rather than everyone having to learn Chinese – I understand it’s a rather difficult language – do you think that it would behoove you and your citizens to adopt a name that we could deal with more readily here?” Ms. Dumas would certainly be able to explain to Representative Brown why exactly it would not behoove any
person new to a foreign land to sacrifice the identity that comes with something as sacred and personal as a name for sake of convenience. Making the personal choice to change one’s name, as Dumas illustrated in her writing, is making the decision to change how others will see that individual and as a result, see themselves.
Revision:
There are many things that contribute to the development of an person’s sense of self and individuality, including where a person is born, his or her parents, the values they were raised with, their gender and the experiences they have growing into an adult. Even the seemingly innocent things about someone's culture, like the food, the music, the clothing, all can have a powerful influence over the way someone looks at themselves and how they define themselves. While all these factors play a significant role in shaping identity, one of the most influential and thought-provoking is the idea of personal choice.
Firoozeh Dumas, the author of the essay “The F Word,” writes of identity from the viewpoint of a young person attempting to assimilate herself into another culture. By changing her name, Dumas seemed to feel she would be able to change her identity in some way and be accepted more readily as an American. She writes: “I wanted to be a kid with a name that didn’t draw so much attention, a name that didn’t come with a built-in inquisition…” (61). It did not appear that Dumas realized at the time what kind of sacrifice she was making to her own sense of self. When Dumas had to balance the people in her life - her family and friends who knew her only as Firoozeh, and her co-workers and friends who knew her only as Julie - a kind of identity crisis seemed to form in her life. The fact that at one point she referred to herself "as those characters in soap operas who have an evil twin" (62) tells the reader that making the choice to change her name had a forceful impact on her individuality. Dumas was almost in a no-win situation with her decision, it seems. When she finally decided to permanently leave the name Julie in the past, she was every once in a while reminded that she was an immigrant by the number of people who were still unable or unwilling to pronouce her name. When she was Julie she was sacrificing her Iranian identity and when she was Firoozeh she was sacrificing her uncomplicated acceptance as an American. No one's identity lies only in their name, but for Dumas, it certainly influenced her life in interesting ways.
In the headlines recently was a story of Texas Representative Betty Brown (R), who proposed the idea of gently encouraging new Chinese immigrants to assume a new, more American name. The Houston Chronicle quoted Ms. Brown as saying: “Rather than everyone having to learn Chinese – I understand it’s a rather difficult language – do you think that it would behoove you and your citizens to adopt a name that we could deal with more readily here?” Ms. Dumas would certainly be able to explain to Representative Brown why exactly it would not behoove any
person new to a foreign land to sacrifice the identity that comes with something as sacred and personal as a name for sake of convenience. Making the personal choice to change one’s name, as Dumas illustrated in her writing, is making the decision to change how others will see that individual and as a result, see themselves.
Identity is defined by The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language as “the distinct personality of an individual regarded as a persisting entity; individuality.” There are many things that contribute to the development of an individual’s sense of self and individuality, including where a person is born, his or her parents, the values they were raised with, their gender and the experiences they have growing into an adult. While all these factors play a powerful role in shaping identity, one of the most influential is the idea of personal choice.
Catherine Latterell, the author of Remix: Reading and Composing Culture, emphasizes the idea of personal choice shaping identity and explains that “rather than seeing all matters of identity as determined by larger cultural forces that are beyond our control, this viewpoint recognizes that individuals participate in and make decisions about their identities (11).
Firoozeh Dumas, the author of the essay “The F Word,” writes of identity from the viewpoint of a young person attempting to assimilate herself into another culture. She arrived in the United States as a girl with a name difficult for some to not only accept as part of who she was, but a reason to tease and embarrass. Dumas chose to change her name to combat these difficulties. She writes: “I wanted to be a kid with a name that didn’t draw so much attention, a name that didn’t come with a built-in inquisition…” (61). The author describes her life after her decision to change her name from Firoozeh to Julie as much easier. Later, after college when Dumas began looking for a job, she even found using her American name provided her with more interviews. This unfortunately came at a price. Her decision to be Julie or Firoozeh depending on whose company she kept, and especially when the two groups overlapped, began to wear on her and as a consequence, created unhappiness in her life. As an adult Dumas became more comfortable with herself and cared less about what others thought of her. She began to recognize that her choice to change herself, even in something as minor as a name, was limiting her ability to be who she truly was: Firoozeh.
In the headlines recently was a story of Texas Representative Betty Brown (R), who proposed the idea of gently encouraging new Chinese immigrants to assume a new, more American name. The Houston Chronicle quoted Ms. Brown as saying: “Rather than everyone having to learn Chinese – I understand it’s a rather difficult language – do you think that it would behoove you and your citizens to adopt a name that we could deal with more readily here?” Ms. Dumas would certainly be able to explain to Representative Brown why exactly it would not behoove any
person new to a foreign land to sacrifice the identity that comes with something as sacred and personal as a name for sake of convenience. Making the personal choice to change one’s name, as Dumas illustrated in her writing, is making the decision to change how others will see that individual and as a result, see themselves.
Revision:
There are many things that contribute to the development of an person’s sense of self and individuality, including where a person is born, his or her parents, the values they were raised with, their gender and the experiences they have growing into an adult. Even the seemingly innocent things about someone's culture, like the food, the music, the clothing, all can have a powerful influence over the way someone looks at themselves and how they define themselves. While all these factors play a significant role in shaping identity, one of the most influential and thought-provoking is the idea of personal choice.
Firoozeh Dumas, the author of the essay “The F Word,” writes of identity from the viewpoint of a young person attempting to assimilate herself into another culture. By changing her name, Dumas seemed to feel she would be able to change her identity in some way and be accepted more readily as an American. She writes: “I wanted to be a kid with a name that didn’t draw so much attention, a name that didn’t come with a built-in inquisition…” (61). It did not appear that Dumas realized at the time what kind of sacrifice she was making to her own sense of self. When Dumas had to balance the people in her life - her family and friends who knew her only as Firoozeh, and her co-workers and friends who knew her only as Julie - a kind of identity crisis seemed to form in her life. The fact that at one point she referred to herself "as those characters in soap operas who have an evil twin" (62) tells the reader that making the choice to change her name had a forceful impact on her individuality. Dumas was almost in a no-win situation with her decision, it seems. When she finally decided to permanently leave the name Julie in the past, she was every once in a while reminded that she was an immigrant by the number of people who were still unable or unwilling to pronouce her name. When she was Julie she was sacrificing her Iranian identity and when she was Firoozeh she was sacrificing her uncomplicated acceptance as an American. No one's identity lies only in their name, but for Dumas, it certainly influenced her life in interesting ways.
In the headlines recently was a story of Texas Representative Betty Brown (R), who proposed the idea of gently encouraging new Chinese immigrants to assume a new, more American name. The Houston Chronicle quoted Ms. Brown as saying: “Rather than everyone having to learn Chinese – I understand it’s a rather difficult language – do you think that it would behoove you and your citizens to adopt a name that we could deal with more readily here?” Ms. Dumas would certainly be able to explain to Representative Brown why exactly it would not behoove any
person new to a foreign land to sacrifice the identity that comes with something as sacred and personal as a name for sake of convenience. Making the personal choice to change one’s name, as Dumas illustrated in her writing, is making the decision to change how others will see that individual and as a result, see themselves.
Introduction to a Writing that Illustrates Audience and Voice
The first blog assignment was about the items our wallets contained and how it helped show who we were. I chose this piece to illustrate awareness of an audience simply because it was written with the intent to share what the contents of my wallet showed about me. I know who I am and why what I choose to keep in my wallet is a reflection of who I am, but the people who might have read the blog certainly didn’t until they finished reading it. Here’s a short excerpt that very clearly shows how I am speaking to an audience and sharing my own voice in the writing: “What information could someone glean from these items is pretty minimal. My address. My height, weight, eye color. The fact that I wear glasses. That I'm an organ donor. Where I bank and my insurance provider. That's about it for the major details. The fact that I carry so little in my wallet is probably more revealing than its contents, really.”
This piece was a great one for “stimulating others’ thinking” because I think most people, after reading it, would probably begin thinking about their own wallets and what it told people about them. Self-reflection can be fun sometimes, and this writing was an example of that, I think.
This piece was a great one for “stimulating others’ thinking” because I think most people, after reading it, would probably begin thinking about their own wallets and what it told people about them. Self-reflection can be fun sometimes, and this writing was an example of that, I think.
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