Author: currin.12

Text Review Assignment – “Divergent”

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For this text review assignment, I chose the fictional 2014 film, Divergent. This film portrays the life of a young girl, Tris, as she battles the ideologies of the futuristic society she lives in. In her society, it is divided into various “factions,” or groups, where the people must choose the faction they will devote the rest of their lives to. Although Tris discovers that she does not just belong to one faction, but is a “Divergent,” and belongs to all. These factions present the chosen identities of the people, where they encounter one another through judgement and responsibility.

Although this is a fictional culture presented in the film, it is paralleled to our own world today. The five factions are Abnegation, Erudite, Dauntless, Candor, and Amity, where each faction presents specific qualities and responsibilities the people identify with. These factions are similar to reality as these groups reflect status, where members of the society strive to “fit in,” and have a sense of belonging which is prominent in life today.

This compares to works discussed in this class, specifically the work Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi as this novel develops on a young girl’s life and how she is battling society in the journey to discovering herself similar to Tris in the film, Divergent. Both of these main characters struggle with expectations presented in reality among their family’s beliefs, whereas they both stray off of their family and work towards discovering their own identities.

The producer of this film, and author of this novel raises questions and ideas for all, including myself. The main question gathered includes how these factions relate to reality today, as well as what the “divergent” signifies. As mentioned before the factions relate to how these are societal standards as well as status implemented in life today. The divergent signifies those who do not comply to societal expectations but rather surpass the basic customs. This work inspires conversation around identity and power as well as injustice. This relates to this class as the class focuses on identity in relation to power, and the sense of “otherness.” Within the film there are those characterized as outcasts, including the “factionless,” and “divergent.” These are those who do not belong to one specific faction, but rather belong to none or all. This presents an “other,” sense of reality as these humans are treated different as not enough, and “different,” where they do not fit in and are powerless. This inspires conversation as it presents the question to oneself as they must fixate on what faction they feel they belong to and how it is represented in society today.

https://www.deviantart.com/arelberg/art/5-Divergent-Factions-422549923

         

Diary of Systemic Injustices Showcase: Gender Pay Gap

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women vs men tug of war money

Systemic injustices are witnessed everyday of our life. An injustice I witnessed, discusses women’s intelligence in relation to their wage. According to “Independent,” a popular news source, women have been reported to “outperforming” men within academics although after they graduate there are not receiving the same pay in the United Kingdom. There are even more differences in wages depending on those with different backgrounds where those of color receive less. There are statistics recorded where there are differences in wage averaging from $5,000 to $20,000 in relation to men, depending on the area one lives in. This is not just a difference in currency, but a difference in treatment and respect. Those who do the same work, should receive the same pay regardless of the gender they identify as. Even if it is a dollar difference, or a 20 thousand dollar difference this inequality should not be present.

Although this focuses on education in the United Kingdom, these statistics are similar to those in America, especially with pay. This can spread among the world, as if lower wage becomes a “normal” outlook, then other countries will see this as a standard and expectation. This creates a huge impact on mental health, rights, equality, and overall the world’s presence and outlook. Gender is not a reason to title anyone, or make them feel less important. One’s gender is not an identification of one’s abilities or a determining factor of one’s rights. This impacts not just the history of women fighting for our rights, not just the present day women struggling to pay for their family, but also the future women scared of what changes there may be in the years to come. This presents a dementing outlook on both women and men, where this makes women feel as not enough, and makes men feel as though they are more powerful. This introduces not just years, but decades of fear of what can become and what else may become unequal. This is identified as a systemic injustice, as women are being mistreated and unappreciated defined by their gender.

Women are associated with labels of not being enough and are being represented as “others.” Within this class we discussed the feelings associated with being seen or treated as an “other” according to de Beauvoir. In result of this wage gap, women feel as though they are secondary to men and shadows of them, rather than feeling as a human being. This makes them feel as an “other,” not just in the eyes of society but in the eyes of themselves. This impact also is relevant within women’s determination and work ethic. Women are failing as a result of knowing their outcome is not equal, creating a setback in their mentality and work ethics. This is systemic because it is not just an individual being mistreated, but half the population, where the government and society are creating order that is not equal, where others are just sitting back and accepting.

The categories of identity in play are identifying one according to their gender. Being paid less despite having higher intelligence is mistreatment and unequal. This makes women feel as though they the “third world country” despite them excelling further in positions men are not.  This is identifying people based on their natural appearance and physical representation instead of who they truly are and their potential. In order for this wrong to be right, wages must be met. Wages must be set equal within specific jobs, no matter what someone’s gender, background, or ethnicity is. There must be equality in the workplace, as the workplace is what creates reality, and reality is what creates life within humanity. This difference in wage presents inequality not just within the workplace but outside of it, where women still feel as though their identities are insignificant. This treatment is effective throughout the daily life of women, where they are viewed as secondary to men and are stereotyped as “weak, and “sensitive.” This holds back women’s abilities in the workplace and in their everyday life as they constantly feel pressured and diminished.

This systemic injustice is similar to the novel, The Leavers, by Lisa Ko. This novel illustrates the life of immigration, where a young boy, Deming, is left by his mom in the United States. Deming is adopted into a new family where he attends school as the only student of color. This is similar to this issue of wage gap, as immigrants and women both have stereotypes associated with them making them feel as not enough and as “others,” where their background identifies who they are and what they deserve in the eyes of society. Deming feels as though he does not fit in, and constantly compares himself to those around him. Women also feel as though they too, do not fit in, as they do not receive the same rights as men. Similar to Deming, women are left out into society without any guidance, but rather ideologies that limit their abilities.

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/student/news/graduate-employment-and-earnings-are-rife-with-inequalities-nus-head-says-a6982141.html

Women Still Paid Less Than Men: Oregon’s Gender Pay Gap

https://www.wealthmanagement.com/industry/unequal-pay

The Leavers: Change in Relation to one’s Identity and Belonging Context Presentation

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“The Leavers” is written by Lisa Ko and is a novel portraying the life of a young boy, Deming, as he struggles with deportation as his Chinse Immigrant mother, Polly Guo, abandons him in the United States. This novel expands on his journey to overcome this in relation to his surroundings and limits. His mother insisted they move together and is not taking no for an answer. The next day he is awakened to the disappearance of his mother without any notice or communication. He is left to fend for himself and is left with the blame his mother placed upon him. He is left with his siblings and friends, as well as the confusion of why his mother left him introducing the upsetting truth and awakening of his life.

This course discusses the topic of negotiating identities, where change in one’s life can alter one’s identity. The article, “Lost in Transition,” expands on the Social Identity Model of Identity Change where new surroundings and change requires vulnerability where there must be recovery, as well as discovery. When one is exposed to change, they must rely on themselves and what they know to adapt. It provokes a sense of “starting over,” and having to enforce new roles and establishment. Interactions must be placed as well as a sense of embeddedness, where one’s mental health is severely impacted. With change there may be an association of introduction as well as abandonment. Abandonment introduces trauma, which elicits behavioral change. According to the article on “Parent Abandonment: A Unique Form of Loss and Narcissistic Injury,” there is a sense of hope affiliated with abandonment as one may fantasize on reunion. This causes one to distort reality, which further impacts their development.

In this novel a boy’s life changes where his mother leaves him in the United States where he is introduced to a new awakening in his life. His mother is an immigrant who moved to the United States in search of money, but as soon as things fall apart, she leaves her family behind. As mentioned in the articles, this change provokes a sense of reality where one must learn to adapt and rely on themselves. Their comfort is altered, as well as their sense of “home.” The young boy must find his sense of belongness without his mother figure guiding him, as he is demented by the fear and confusion of her disappearance. What are other impacts change has on one’s identity?

Ballentyne, Susie, et al. “Lost in Transition: What Refugee Post‐migration Experiences Tell Us about Processes of Social Identity Change.” Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, vol. 31, no. 5, Sept. 2021, pp. 501–514. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1002/casp.2532

Hines-Martin, Vicki P. “Community Displacement, Environmental Change and the Impact on Mental Well-Being.” Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 22 Oct. 2020, eds-a-ebscohost-com.proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/eds/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=1103c21d-3e85-4047-a052-c83256856098%40sessionmgr4008&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#.

Mishne, Judith. “Parental Abandonment: A Unique Form of Loss and Narcissistic Injury.” Clinical Social Work Journal, vol. 7, no. 1, Spring 1979, pp. 15–33. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1007/BF00761356.