Teens in high school and middle school often use a fake identity to meet the “social standard”. People often do this to try and fit in with others and not be judged for being the way they really are. Because of ideology, we feel more insecure about expressing our true identity. These poems express how society shapes our identity and how to break through the social chains we have in our lives today.
Anne Willow’s poem “Identity” tells the story of how Anne was treated throughout high school and college. Less attractive than most girls, others would often think she was a boy. People also would tell her how to act and dress to look more like a “real” girl. Desperate for approval, Anne went along with what these people said. She bought trendy clothes and started wearing more and more makeup and became something she’s not. Even after her attempts at trying to fit in, people labeled her a whore because of how she looked even after taking advice from the same people calling her names. As she goes along with this fake identity, she realizes this isn't who she really is. “I didn't want to dress like this.” Anne decides to ditch this persona and become who she was really meant to be.
Throughout Anne’s school career she sees herself desperate for acceptance, because of this she would sacrifice her own individuality to accomplish it. If everyone goes along with this belief that society has put upon us there will be no uniqueness between people. Since Anne doesn't have anyone to lean on for support she begins to fade away from her own individuality and she becomes what society wants her to be. After becoming someone others want her to be she is still made fun of. Struggling being treated like this, Anne is able to break through the constraints and become who she is really meant to be. She learns a valuable lesson, and that lesson is to be yourself and to not let anyone else change that.
Anne Willow’s poem “Silenced” tells her thoughts on today's society. Wanting to express her own opinions, Anne is silenced throughout her life by others that don't agree with her views. In her poem she states, ”But my opinions are wrong” she feels this way because people don't take her seriously. Anne, discouraged of being talked down to, gives up trying to express herself. She says, “I keep my thoughts locked away it isn’t worth [fighting with you]”. Anne feels frustrated and insulted because she cannot express her true identity. What she wants is for people to let her speak her mind without her being judged. “I think people need to shut up.”
Anne Willow expresses her feelings in her poem “Silenced”. Anne tells the reader that in today's society we are silenced by others with opposite opinions. These people are single-minded and cannot see anything besides what they believe in. When we try to us express our true feelings or identity, we want to talk to people that will listen to us and encourage us to think out of the box and help you cultivate yourself to become who you are.
The story “The Flowers” by Alice Walker introduces Mayp. Mayp is a happy 10-year-old girl “She [feels] light and good in the warm sun”. Shes introduced as happy and adventurous but the time of post-civil war changes that. “Turning back on the rusty boards of her family's sharecropper cabin”. As she wanders around she stumbles upon a dead man that was hung long ago. “It was only when she saw his naked grin that she gave a yelp of surprise”. This finding takes away her innocence shown in the beginning, now she is exposed to death and sorrow.
While she examines the body she sees an old noose next to the man's skeleton. “It's the rotten remains of a noose, a bit of shedding plow line now blending benignly into the soil”. Since she finds this her her childhood innocence is replaced with the idea there is prejudice and mistreated people in the world. Mayop now has a different outlook on the world from what she experienced.
The poems and short story “The Flowers.” “Identity,” and “silenced,” are three pieces of writing that are all about the same topic, identity. Each of these branch off explaining identity in different ways. During the years of “teenhood”, we are often pushed by others to act or dress a certain way to meet their standards. These two poems and short story is written to tell young people that you should be yourself and you shouldn't let society tell you otherwise. These three writings all told me how to be myself in a different way, they also tell people to be original and unique and not like everyone else.
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