Otherness: Classification Owing to Differences

Part A Otherness is described as an individual or group of people that are different than the social normal role in society or within a community. Otherness can be classified in terms of gender, race, sexual preference, ethnicity, nationality etc. Otherness is the quality of being different or distinct from what is known as socially acceptable to society. Those who are considered others, by virtue of the difference from the dominant groups, can have power taken away because of their place in their social, religious or political views. Otherness is socially accepted within their own groups, but the outside world views them differently and does not understand or accept their views for different reasons. Otherness can be identified in many different situations in the social world. For example, in the early to mid 1900’s, African Americans were considered others by white people. The whites treated them differently, and the African Americans were not considered normal in the social world. Even today, there is constant controversy between white people and African Americans because of the treatment their ancestors received in those days. The world has definitely came along way in those views, but the controversy still lingers. People should really stop and think before judging another individual. Just because they may appear different to what is normal does not mean they do not deserve respect. So many times, either consciously or subconsciously, decisions made are through the scope of Otherness.
Part B:
I chose to read Sherman Alexie “This is what it means to say Phoenix, Arizona”.
Part C: Otherness is represented in the story in different ways. First, otherness is experienced by the Indians. They have a separate position in normal society from the rest of the world. An example from the story that shows the Indians feel othered would be from the following quotes. “ There were these two Indian boys who wanted to be warriors. But, it was too late to be warriors

References: Alexie, Sherman. “This Is What It Means To Say Phoenix, Arizona”. Esquire, 1994.