From the Archive - We Gave Them An Inch, Fargo, North Dakota (1999)
http://know.wingyounghuie.com/page/2
At first glance of this photograph, I see a man with a confident stance. He is wearing sunglasses that block the vision of the viewer from seeing his eyes which prohibits him/her from making a connection with the man. He is standing in front of a shop that seems to be somewhat empty. He is wearing sturdy jeans, a bracelet and a T-shirt. As I dig deeper into the photograph, I notice the man has scarred arms. He is seemingly Native American in looks and as I read his shirt which reads, "We gave them an inch and they took 5000 miles", I confirm that my assumptions are correct. His shirt is referring to when the Europeans first colonized America, which was primarily home to the Native Americans. This man presents himself in a way that encourages the concept of "othering". He presents himself as "unlike the rest of us" by wearing a shirt that uses the words "We" and "They". This is meant to influence a specific audience. If the audience happens to be fellow Native Americans, the use of "We" and "They" provides a sense of camaraderie within the Native American community by this use of "othering". However, the opposite effect is accomplished when the audience happens to descendants of the European colonizers. This diversity of audiences provides different perspectives of the same topic of this "othering". It can make people feel included or isolated.
As presented in this picture, Margaret Atwood also uses the concept of "othering" in her book, The Handmaid's Tale. She displays Offred as a character that does not fit in with society in her thinking and perspectives. Some readers might relate to Offred by feeling like an outsider in their community, while others might feel distant from her because of their devotion to the specific culture that surrounds them. Every perspective will very due to this ever-present diversity of audiences.
Good post Marin! I really liked how you pointed out and analyzed the words on his t-shirt, I think it really helps to explain the meaning of the "othering" and what types of things can convey this idea. I also liked how you mentioned that "othering" can make people either feel included or isolated depending on which side of it they are on.
ReplyDeleteMarin, I think your analysis of the photograph was very good. I agree with the concept of othering giving not only a sense of inclusiveness but provides the opposite feeling as well. The Handmade's Tail shows this concept in the socioeconomic status' too. These groupings can provide a sense of accomplishment (Commander) or a sense of failure (Marthas, Handmades, and Daughters). Good job!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Carrie's comment- I love that you looked at the language used on his shirt when thinking about othering in the photograph.
ReplyDeleteI wish you had thought about Atwood/Offred's use of 'we' and 'they'/'them' and how that might connect to your understanding of othering!
I really liked you analysis of the man and his clothing. I agree with Carrie and found your idea of 'othering' in the language of the man's clothing to be especially interesting. The use of the words 'we' and 'they' really made me think of the different emotions that the shirt could produce. The creator of the shirt must feel a large amount of hostility towards the Europeans who came and took his ancestors land. The man in the photo must feel the same hostility considering the fact that he purchased the shirt and wears it. This joint hostility,anger, and sadness plays a unifying factor among Native Americans. People with a European background might feel a bit of guilt or sadness when they read the man's shirt. I believe that a majority of these European decedents don't want to acknowledge the guilt that they feel, causing a further isolation between the "we" and the "they."
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