Assignment #1

Instructions: Provide a summary of your selected photograph that includes: - A connotative examination of the text (big picture- what do we "discover" by looking deeper?) Next, respond to the following: How do Wing Young Huie (in your selected photograph) and Margaret Atwood (in The Handmaid's Tale) present the concept of "othering" through  image, layout/format, language, and/or color? You may compare the two texts/approaches, contrast, or both.

*You might choose to consider one or more of the following:  stereotypes, popular culture, elections, legislation, public information, the diversity of audiences, use of style and register,  forms of bias, deliberate manipulation of audience, and the selection of text type*

Photograph Collection title: We are the other
Author: Wing Young Huie
Date:2012-2013
Place of Publication: http://www.wingyounghuie.com/p709406511   

At first glance, one can see an Asian barber cutting the hair of an African American male. There is a chalkboard placed on possibly an African American, if you look closely (or zoom in) you can tell that it reads "I am a fair-minded person. I wish the world would do the same!". Assuming that the African American wrote the sign, he might be referring to the prejudices that he and so many other minorities have experienced. One can tell that the photo is taken at a barber shop because the Asian male is holding some kind of electric shaver. He seems very focused and determined to do a good job. I drew this assumption due to the lack of an expression on the barber's face, and the have his fingers are placed on the man's forehead. There is also a sheet on the client's body to prevent hair from getting on his clothes. Also, the tiled ceiling and typical office like florescent lights give the appearance that they are in a building meant for work. The photo is black and white, one reason that Huie may have chosen to make it that way is to show that the color of one's skin should not influence what one thinks of another.

Attwood and Huie present the concept of othering by showing a representation of certain groups of people, for example, women and minorities. Othering is when an individual or group becomes mentally classified in somebody’s mind as “not one of us”.Ultimately I believe that humans naturally have an inclination to engage in othering, due to evolution.Othering can be subconscious, and other times it's grossly blatant. The government and politicians continue to find ways to make use othering as a tool.