Appearance Means Everything

Appearance means everything Here’s something to think about. Have you ever been competing for something such as a job and wondered what made you lose to your competitor? Your first instinct would probably be that they have more intelligence or are more experienced and knowledgeable but what it that wasn’t the reason? Maybe, it had nothing to do with any of that. Maybe it had to do with your sex orientation or color of your skin, or even the quality of your clothes. In our society, appearance has always been taken into affect when it comes to making decisions. Although it may be unfair, the way you look can either increase or decrease your chances or succeeding or failing in this world. In fact, appearance has been crucial for years now and will most likely continue into the future. In the poem, “Pet Fly” by Walter Mosley, there are many examples of how ones appearance truly affects them. In this poem, there are four particular employees who work at the same office but on different floor levels based on their appearances: Rufus Coombs, Mr. Averill, Ernie, and Mona Donelli. Rufus Coombs was the main character of the poem “Pet Fly” In the beginning; he tells us that he had just graduated from Hunter College with a B.A in Poli Sci which makes us believe that he has surplus intelligence. However, he has been working in the interoffice mail for three weeks now and is working in the basement. Originally, he had applied for a professional-trainee position but a personnel officer had told him there was “no availability” in that field. (Pet Fly). Later, he is told that two other men also applying for that job were hired. Rufus’ knowledge is obvious and proven from graduating Hunter College but he still wasn’t offered the job that he deserved. Because Rufus Coombs is an African American man, Carter’s home decided to oversee the fact that he has the skills to earn this job and look more at his sex orientation and appearance and base it on that. The fact that such a