Heroic Identity 10.23.09
Prompt: What defines a hero and what is heroic about you currently, or what heroic qualities would you hope to develop as you age?
I think a hero is whoever you want them to be; normally I consider heroes to be great people who do great things, for example: Martin Luther King, Gandhi, and Spiderman, etc. But a hero can be whoever you wan them to be. I think a heroic thing about me is that a lot of people can come to me to talk, and feel comfortable with talking to me. Also, people know that they can trust me with whatever they tell me. A lot of girls look up to me as a role model because I am really strong, and I respect myself. I have been through a lot in my life, which makes me different from a lot of other people. I am always in a good mood, and never let things bring me down. I live life to the fullest all day, every single day. I hope to develop more heroic qualities as I get older such as good parenting skills, because I believe that your parent can be your hero, and whenever I have kids I want to be their hero. I also want to be strong and live a happy and healthy life with someone who makes me happy; or by myself, if that’s what I am happiest doing. I think that I can be a hero, even if it’s just in my eyes, if I live my life the way that I want to, and follow my dreams.
“Other” Identity 10.13.09
Prompt: In what ways or situations do I find myself treated as an “Other”?
I sometimes find myself being treated as an “other” when I am around a lot of rich people. I am not poor in any way, my mom has been single and still manages to support two kids and give us everything we want and need. But I feel as though since I am not snobby and wear designer clothes that exceed the amount of spending money I could do in an entire month, people look at me as though I am less fortunate, which is most definitely no the case. I also feel like an “other” when people talk about parents, specifically fathers. Yes, it’s true, I don’t talk to my dad anymore, but that does not mean that I don’t know what it’s like to have a dad, or a father figure. I feel as though people think I get uncomfortable for some reason when the topic of fathers or single parents gets brought up, like it’s a touchy subject for me or something, but it’s not. Another time that I always feel like an “other” is when I butt into “grown up” conversations. They always seem to act like I don’t understand what they are talking about, especially when it’s bad news that you wouldn’t want to tell a seven year old because they wouldn’t understand. It seems as though the elders in my family are convinced that I don’t know anything about life or death so they must simply put topics like that into code language. Like “mommy and daddy kissed and had a baby” (for life) or “he went away and won’t be coming back for a very long time” (for death). Basically what I am trying to say is that I feel like an “other” when I am with the elders in my family because they continue to treat me like a child no matter how many years go by.
Stereotypical Identity 10.1.09
Prompt: What is your perception of how you are perceived by others?
I think that other people look at me and see a mean girl, but I am really not a mean person. People say I just have this look about me that makes me look intimidating. I am an easy-going person and I am easy to talk to. I don’t lie to my friends about stupid stuff like if their hair, or if they have something on their face. If you ask any of them they will tell you that I am always honest. I feel like other people don’t like to talk to me because they think that I will be mean or not want to talk to them or something, that’s truly not the case. I have a lot of friends, and everyone who gets to know me seems to like me, but a lot of people don’t take the time to get to know me because I guess they think that I am mean or ignorant or rude. I know that a lot of people see me as a fun person, and people always ask me what the plans are for the weekend, because I always know what’s going on, so I guess people see me as the life of the party. My close friends say that I am very outgoing and unique; I never try to be like the crowd or do what other people do. People say that I used to be shy, but I don’t seem shy anymore. I guess there is some truth to that statement, but I never considered myself “shy” I have just always kept to myself, because I never felt the need to be loud or obnoxious for attention. The majority of people who meet me, talk to me, or even know who I am say that I am a fun person.
Familial Identity 9.18.09
Prompt: How are you positioned within your family dynamic and how does that influence your identity?
I am positioned in my family as a daughter of a mother who was just recently married. I have an adopted sister who we got when she was three, now she is ten. So before we adopted her I was an only child. My dad, who I no longer see, was married to a woman who had a daughter and three sons, but I stopped seeing them when I was seven, and I stopped seeing my dad. My mom’s new husband has a son and a daughter, which makes me the oldest sibling in the house. Being the oldest in the family makes me more responsible, and mature. I have had experience being an only child, a middle child and the oldest child. When I was an only child I always wanted siblings because I would get bored easily. Now that I’m the oldest child I just want to move out. All joking aside, I guess I like being the oldest child because I get the most freedom, and all of my younger siblings look up to me and ask me for advice. Not to mention that it’s really nice to be the one handing out the embarrassment, instead of getting embarrassed by your older siblings. As mean of an older sister I sound right now, I am actually lovely towards them. When my little step brother want to play football with me I always play, and when my youngest sister wants me to do her hair, I always do. I think that because I have figured out what it is like to be the middle child, and the oldest it is easier for me to get along with my siblings. Although I don’t know what it’s like to be the youngest child, I am sure I can imagine.
Cultural Identity 9.10.09
Prompt: How do you define culture and how does culture define you?
I define culture as someone’s background or way of life. Culture to me means what type of traditions someone practices and how they go about living every day of their life. My culture is Italian; I celebrate Christmas because I am Christian. I believe that the way I live my life reflects a lot of my culture and how I was raised. My mom always told me to be respectful and courteous. My family is very tight, and some people would say that was because I am Italian, because the stereotype of Italians is that they are very close with their family. I was also taught that in order for me to be happy in life I need to do things that make me happy. That is why I horseback ride and play piano. I also want to be a designer when I get older and get into college in New York City. I remember when my grand mom taught me how to sew, and I have loved it ever since. I think culture defines me by the things I do in my daily life, and the things I love to do for fun. I also think that your personality and the way you were brought up also reflect off your culture. Traditions too can reflect on your culture: the holidays you celebrate, and the way you celebrate them may be different from someone with a different culture. I think that culture affects your life and the way you live every day, and has an influence on who you are.
