What's in a Name?

The name Patrick has always had various meanings and values to me. It’s a fairly unique name, so much so, that I had only known two other Patricks until going to Governor’s School. I met three there. (Coincidence? I think not!) To me, my name stands for everything I have ever done and will ever do. It is the signature to a life that only I have lived. On a wider scope, my name is what sets me apart from other people with other names. Whenever I asked my parents why they named me the way they did, they would reply by saying it was the only name they could both agree on and that it meant differently to each of them. My dad would say it’s been a name frequently used in the family, so he just wanted to uphold that tradition. My mother would just say it sounded "pretty".


After taking IB English 3, I've come to realize that having a name like Patrick definitely sets me in the realm of white privilege. I will never have to worry about being judged poorly prior to a job interview or meeting based on my name. With my white name, nobody would ever guess that I’m half Colombian and that I have a long line of Hispanic blood in my family. Odds are, I won’t be othered and I will be treated with respect unless I prove someone otherwise. It is unfortunate how racist our society still is today, but having a name like mine really helps me hurdle over obstacles that countless other ethnics must face daily.


My name has usually brought me many differing yet often intertwining identities. When I used to play baseball, I would just be one with the team. Each person had a specific role on the field that they were expected to fulfill. In that sense, some of our individuality was lost in the effort to make a stronger whole. In order to win, we had to think for ourselves yet communicate with each other and work together as a team. It was difficult to be both an individual and a team member at first (I’m talking about T-ball times, folks), but over the years, I managed to easily pull my weight as well as supporting and communicating seamlessly with others on the team. I’d like to note how I refrain from saying MY team, because it really isn't. It was OUR team because it wouldn’t have functioned or be the way it was without every single person doing their specified job every time we played. A team is just like a colony of ants– if every member works together on the same focus, they can carry out things they simply couldn’t do by themselves.



To be an individual in a larger whole means that you won’t often get recognized for what you do. Your and everybody else’s individual achievements are seen as the team’s achievements. Unless you really stand out positively (like the time I hit a game-winning triple) or negatively (like the time I gave away the game-losing walk) then the praise or criticism drops on the team and not the individual. In that sense, the team can act as a safety umbrella for all the individuals to fall under.

Post #1

Photographer Wing Huie took this seemingly ordinary picture of David and Lou in South Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2012. Upon first glance, you can see two adult men, one white and one black, casually sitting on a porch outside. It is clear that these two friends are wearing glasses and have similar facial hair. In addition to exhibiting similar poses, these two friends appear to not be too photogenic nor pleased with the photographer based on their facial expressions. Despite their lack of interest, they seem relaxed and content with where they are, solely based on their posture and residential location. Through the reflection in the window, you notice a short, wide building which is most likely a small office building. Paint is peeling off the railings and the house looks relatively small from what is seen in the photo. The windows are large and high, typically found on one-story homes.

The interracial "bromance" shown in the photo depicts the photographer’s interest in diversity among lower income communities. Both men, especially the one on the left, are casually dressed in what appears to be midday. This indicates that they either work part time or do any odd jobs available. Due to the clear paint peelings, one can assume they cannot afford to keep their humble abode in pristine condition. The piece presents an intriguing situation where two racially different men of different backgrounds come together to form an inseparable friendship of over seven years. These “brothers from another mother” don’t care about any racial barriers, and neither should the viewer.

Both Wing Young Huie and Margaret Atwood present “othering” in some shape or form within their works. In David and Lou, the two men are dressed in considerably different apparel and are of different races. This is enough to instill a sense of othering between the photo’s characters. Also, the pillar erected between the two men acts as a literal divider of the white man and the black man. The photographer purposefully took the photo at such an angle to make it easier for the reader to distinguish between the individuals.

In Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, “othering” is clearly seen in the social classes as well as gender. For example, each class has a designated color to wear and duty in society. The Bible is manipulated to support “othering” by defining the societal rules. Only a select few men of authority are allowed to read it, so no one can really disprove the gospel verses. Public information is highly filtered and censored by the government, so much so, that people in Gilead are completely unaware of the events and norms in other countries.