wrote this out by hand in 1 hour, can anyone take a read and give me a quick mark as to where this will score? also,what can I do to improve the paragraph on the text, im struggling to adapt MOTW to different prompts and are my real life examples explored enough in depth? thanks!
Having a sense of being different makes it difficult to belong. 685 words
Groups and communities provide individuals with security, support and acceptance in our lives, by definition humans are not solitary creatures. The need to belong is an intrinsic motivation in which we feel accepted and valued through sustained and meaningful connections which validate our role in society. However with this mind, the integration between ourselves and the groups we belong to are difficult if alternate views, ideas and belief are shared. Our membership, to certain groups such as race, culture and gender which are predetermined before our creation may distant our idealistic selves from our actual selves.
The idea of differing views of or physical self and our ideal self is explored in Carson McCullers' novel "The Member of the Wedding". The protagonist Frankie Addams' self perception is contrasted to her physical self, and this diference leads to her to feel as though "she was a member of no group." Frankies' attempts such as changing her name, in an effort to integrate into society elicits the difficulty in establishing a meaningful connection if an individual has a sense of being different. Astute readers are able to make the implications of McCullers' writing, McCullers' herselfi s analgous to Frankie. The obvious conclusion can be drawn, through paralysis McCullers' perception of her ideal self and actual physical self were disconnected and through writing, McCullers' hopess to underscore "the need to be known for her true self and recognised".
In reality, our identity may be shaped by various factors that restrict our self confidence or debilitate the quality of our social interactions. These include race, gender, sex but are not limited to class, income and country. The technological revolution and creation of the internet provides a new medium for creating connections to groups online to satisfy our intrinsict motivations. Our virtual identities can fluctuate freely, we can change avatar, race, sex, name, culture, ideas and even species. Whether it be through forums, virtual worlds such as "Second Life" or social platforms such as Facebook, we can create our idealistic selves which satisfy our sense of belonging, albeit unrealistic. Our senses of being different in the real world are simply left behind, therefore manifestation in virtual worlds can be rewarding and promote positive self-growth, although it is undermined by the artificial connection we share online. Virtual worlds such as "second Life" offer respite from reality, individuals can partake in activities such as clubbing, nightlife, business owning and even sexual intimacy. Afore events which they may not participate in real life due to their self conceived identity.
The society we live in stereotypes individuals according to their culture and ethnicity. As such, individuals who do not live up to the standards of their cultural expectations may feel berated for their identity. For instance, Chris Lilley's mockumentary "We can be Heroes" character Ricky Wong, is a thinly veiled critique on the demanding nature of the upbringing of Asian children. The typical Asian stereotype from society pressures children of especially Chinese descent into conforming to excessive study habits and as such, if high marks are not obtained they will be viewed as failures not only by their families, but also from their culture. In a bestselling book by Amy Chua, Amy reveals the resulting academic achievement driven by the extreme expectations of demanding mothers - colloquially named "Tiger Mums". The underlying issue with "Tiger Mums" is the loss of childhood and self choice, ultimately resulting in a loss of identity. These children may later struggle to integrate into society and lack self confidence due to much of their time spent on pedantic study habits, which result in a different identity to other children. Furthermore, if they do not meet the expectations placed on them by their parents they may feel berated for being different, and hence they lose their sense of belonging to their culture.
Ultimately, the quality of our lives is determined by the quality of our connections to others and ourselves. If our self perceived views differ from ideas and beliefs of the groups we belong to, a smooth integration into a group where our presence is valued will become difficult.
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