There is an overwhelming societal urge to conform. Societal isolation is dread by members of all ages, races, and personalities. This point is examined in the essay “Pretty Like A White Boy” by Drew Hayden Taylor, an aboriginal man who struggles to find his place in society. The question that must be then asked is, “Is this a desirable trait for future generations to possess?” Should today’s youth be taught to attempt to conform at all costs, even that of their personal heritage and values? Taylor suggests that this overwhelming desire to belong is often too great for a person to overcome; he illustrates this by focussing on his physical appearance, his interaction with society, and the significance of his eyes. Taylor describes the importance of how a person portrays him or herself to others, and the detrimental effect that not fitting in physically can have. Taylor is forced to overcome quite the predicament.
His white skin and blue eyes make him stand out compared to others in both his native village and in the city. Taylor describes how “It wasn’t until [he] left the Reserve for the big bad city, that [he] became more aware of the role people expected [him] to play, and the fact that physically [he] didn’t fit in” (Taylor 106).
The inability to integrate completely into a culture left him feeling very isolated. Taylor examines the differences that exist between native and white culture to demonstrate how difficult not belonging to either would be. He takes a somewhat comical approach, but through his juxtaposition of the two cultures in terms of food, big tits, and respect for elders he demonstrates how he does not fit into either culture completely. During Taylor’s struggle to find his niche in society he “often tried the philosophical approach about the whole thing” (107).
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He was able to conclude that because “[he has] both white and red blood in [him]” (107) he must be “pink” (107).
As obscure as this thought pattern seems to an outsider it appears to be a reasonable solution to Taylor. As a result of his inability to fit in physically, Taylor was left feeling very secluded. The way in which a person perceives him or herself has a lot to do with how he or she interacts with society.
Taylor describes the role of interaction using two examples in his essay. He firstly describes an interaction between himself and a little girl on the set of a film. The litter girl responded to Taylor’s declination of a cup of tea by saying, “See, you ” re not Indian, all Indians drink tea!” (108).
A child was likely used as a literary device to make a blunt statement, because by nature children will say what they think, while neglecting the consequences. Stereotypical thoughts, such as those expressed by the little girl, are constantly occurring in society. Taylor discusses this both from the views of the natives and those of the white people.
The effect of stereotyping on individuals is demonstrated through Taylor’s comment, “In order to live in both cultures I guess I’d have to find an Indian woman with big tits who [lived] with her grandmother in a cabin out in the woods and can make Fettuccine Alfredo on a wood stove” (109).
This comment brings attention to the fact that stereotypes are often not very realistic of the way things are. The other situation through which Taylor demonstrates the significance of people’s interactions with one another is his experiences with casting directors. His frustration with this is portrayed in his comment, “Politics tell me it’s because of the way I look, reality tells me it’s probably because I can’t act. I’m not sure which one is better” (107).
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This comment demonstrates that he is upset by his inability to completely integrate into society.
The entertainment world is based on stereotypes, many of which are physical. Taylor’s experiences in auditions demonstrate the debilitating effects that stereotypical. After an extended period of not fitting in, it is human nature to go to often drastic lengths to attempt to conform. Taylor describes “one depressing spring evening” (107) when he “dyed [his] hair black.
Pitch black” (107).
This quotation comes near the end of the essay where Taylor’s frustration is most evident. It shows that people will often go to drastic lengths to change themselves into something that better blends in with what they believe society wants them to be. Taylor uses words such as “depressing” to demonstrate that altering one self is not a solution to their problem of not fitting in. This is despite the idea that the way in which a person perceives him or herself has a lot to do with how other people perceive them. A person’s eyes tell others a lot about that person and allow a person to learn a lot about the world that surrounds them.
A common metaphor that used in society is that a person’s eyes are the window to their soul. With so much emphasis placed on conforming and belonging, it is then safe to assume that if a person’s eyes set them apart, it becomes even more difficult for that person to feel accepted. Numerous times throughout his essay Taylor comments on the significance of being different through direct comparisons of his eyes and the eyes of others. He uses a comical approach through his comparison of himself to Kermit the Frog.
He does this when he says, “If I could sing, my song would be ‘It’s Not Easy Having Blue Eyes in a Brown Eyed Village'” (106).
This gives a humours twist to the very real feeling that Taylor is experiencing of unhappiness due to his inability to fit in as a direct result of his eyes. As the essay progresses however, he begins to become increasingly serious. He progresses from classifying his blood type as pink, to dying his hair black, to “officially [seceding] from both races” (110).
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Reality is... something that is neither derivative nor dependent, but exists necessarily, as stated in Webster s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary. What this means is that reality does not exist because of something; there is nothing existing because of it; yet, still it exists throughout everything. The way that this is possible is because reality exists solely in the mind. By saying that, it ...
Instead of trying to conform to preformed groups, Taylor declares himself a Special Occasion. This is not the most practical solution to his problems but, shows great progression.
As opposed to trying to be something he is not, he makes the conscious decision to be his own person, or in this case race. Taylor finally is able to see the world clearly and he makes the decision to celebrate his distinctiveness. Since the beginning of humankind to present day man has been involved in a constant struggle to feel a sense of belonging. This struggle is evident at all levels of society, no matter a person’s race, sex or age. Drew Hayden Taylor examines this societal issue through his description of his struggle to belong. Taylor is forced to deal with the fact that he is not able to integrate into both native and white culture.
Throughout the essay he demonstrates this fact in many ways including focusing on his encounters with people, his physical appearance, and the frustration of having different eyes. He uses many literary devices including humour and symbols to enhance the story, and also stress his point that in the end it is more important to be happy with oneself, than change to fit in with others. To end the essay Taylor declares himself a Special Occasion. This is Taylor’s way of stating that there is no one who truly fits the definition of a particular culture, but that this uniqueness should be celebrated as opposed to hidden.
