Everyday We're Othering

Wing Young Huie, 2012, Chicago Avenue, South Minneapolis, MN
http://know.wingyounghuie.com/image/25321609633

At first glance, it is noticed that this is an image of a dilapidated American flag.  The flag is torn, well-worn, and slightly pellucid.  The sky is bleak, meaning that is cloudy and a little gloomy.  The house on the left is yellow and appears to be in a well-kept condition.  In addition, the tree on the right side of the image appears healthy, as it has a plethora of leaves that are all green.  Based on the observations from above, it can be concluded that this is someone’s front yard.

Upon further examination, the presence of the dilapidated flag is surprising.  Both the house and the tree appear to be in good condition, so why wouldn’t the flag be?  Also, the American flag is a symbol for American freedoms and liberties.  The fact that it is broken down and slightly translucent in this image shows the photographer’s perspective of America not being as perfect as we all pretend it to be.  The house and other visible property being in good condition implies that the flag was intentionally left out of there to give a silent protest against the extreme nationalism present in our country. 

By protesting the society, the person who owns the flag is “othering” his or herself.  It is considered the norm to respect and almost worship our society, and this flag-bearer is doing the complete opposite, making him or her stand out.  There are traditions set by the military or precedent, and the flag waving in its beaten down state defies those precedents.  Another way to view this image is the photographer trying to make the government seem like the others.  The star “strangled” banner could be a symbol of how messed up the government is.

Offred, in The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood, “othered” herself, similar to this photograph, by implying she was the only “unbeliever” in her area.  An unbeliever is someone who does not believe in how the government is running the society. Being an “unbeliever” was a crime in the time of Gilead, and coming out as an unbeliever resulted in extreme punishment.  Dissimilar to Gilead, modern America allows for its citizens to protest the way in which it is run.  Being an “other” is also a little bit more celebrated in the United States, as we have all kinds of celebrations, for example, gay pride parades.  Both Atwood and the photographer created bleak images, either through words or through a photograph.