The first thing I noticed in this picture were the messages written on the boards. The messages, "People say I'm an uh-oh Oreo (white girl that acts black) because I'm not your typical "white girl" " and "Because I use big words people call me an Oreo, but yet I have always lived in the hood!", contrast each other so much that it is hard to disregard them. After reading the messages I noticed the girls' clothing, the photo is in black and white so their outfits stand out more so than they would if it was in color. The white girl is wearing all white and carrying a black purse and the black girl is wearing black and dark gray and carrying a white purse. The colors that they are wearing contrast from their messages but in the same way that what they are saying does. This photo shows the weight given to stereotypes based on race and how if an individual is to go against them they are "othered". The stereotypes that are imposed upon us as a society impact us all heavily and negatively, but minorities receive the brunt of it. The messages that both girls have written enforce the negativity of stereotypes against blacks. For example, giving a name to a white person that "acts black" is saying that "acting black", if there is such a thing, using the word "uh-oh" to describe them is reinforcing the stereotypes that all black people are innately bad and the message on the black girl's board does the same. The use of "big words" is not some privilege limited to white people and living in the hood is not a life only reserved for blacks and other minorities. The black girl's message also shows her trying to fit into her stereotype by saying that she's not an Oreo because of the fact that she lives in the hood and whereas the white girl's message shows her wanting to break out of her stereotype of being a typical "white girl".
Both Atwood and Huie use color as a means of "othering". Atwood uses colors throughout The Handmaid's Tale to separate women from each other and as well as symbolically. Red, in the way that she uses it for the Handmaids' dresses, hints to fertility and the menstrual cycle but is also ironic because red is the color of passion yet Handmaids are in no way allowed to be passionate and stripped of the normal facets of human sexuality. Atwood also uses green, the color of the Marthas' dresses, to symbolize the jealousy the Marthas feel towards the Handmaids for their ability to bear children. Huie uses the colors black and white as a means of separating races. In all of the pictures from the University Avenue project he uses combinations of black and white photography, minorities, and messages written on chalk boards to portray "othering". In my chosen photograph this is exemplified because of the contrasting messages written on the chalk boards as well as the clothes both girls are wearing. The messages themselves contrast due to the problems each girl faces and the clothes do because of the style of photography Huie chose to use. Because he uses no color in this and many other of the photographs from this series the issues of "othering" he succeeds in portraying are stripped down to their deepest roots, black vs. white and good vs. bad. Although the images show other minorities as well as blacks the particular stereotypes against blacks are illuminated.
Victoria-
ReplyDeleteGreat first post- I enjoyed reading your interpretation of the photograph and how it relates to the concept of othering. Be sure you provide a full denotative examination first- what do you notice about the format, structure, color, etc. before moving in to your analysis of effect.
Your connection of colours between the photograph and the Handmaid's Tale is really good and I thought your analysis of the photograph was great, you go into detail about it and the stereotypes associated and continue to link it back to the photograph itself. Your explanation for the Handmaid's Tale othering is good but you could've gone in a bit more detail there about *why* it is othering otherwise your post is amazing!
ReplyDeleteVictoria, I think that the way you analyze the stereotypes about race is unique in that it accurately connects to how the photographer/writer portray the difference between individuals in society. Additionally, your analysis of the messages on the chalkboards is interesting, because you inadvertently question Huie's intention of displaying thGe concept of othering, as the messages reflect poorly on African Americans, even though the right chalkboard reflects the thought of an African American. Is Huie actually claiming that individuals are capable of "othering" themselves? Overall, great job!
ReplyDelete