In the story "Missing", Butler seems to have an identity crisis. Throughout his story, he always refers to his blonde hair. That seems to be a problem for him. 
I can remember growing up having the same identity problem. I am the first born out of a set of triplets, and all my life I have had an identity crisis, much like Butler. I seemed to be the "odd ball" out of the other two children. I have the blonde hair and they both had brown hair. My sister has dark brown and my brother has light brown, but nonetheless, it was darker than mine, and my and my dad have brown hair too. I was the one that stuck out in family pictures because of my bright blonde hair. When I was growing up, my sister and brother would always team up against me, which added to my identity crisis. I was hardly referred to as Ashley, but as one of the triplets, Ryan's sister, Erin's sister, and so forth. I was stuck in a place where I didn't know who I was. It's sad, but up until I went to college, I didn't have my own identity. Now that I am in college, though, I have an identity, and because not many people at TCU know my brother or sister, I am Ashley, not Erin's sister, or Ryan's sister, and especially not one of the triplets. Butler's identity crisis is a little deeper than mine, though. He has traveled to a completely different world, where he doesn't fit in, not only because of his hair color. He finds a way, though, to be accepted. All he needs to do is to quit worrying about his hair color. It makes him unique in his own special way.
I can remember growing up having the same identity problem. I am the first born out of a set of triplets, and all my life I have had an identity crisis, much like Butler. I seemed to be the "odd ball" out of the other two children. I have the blonde hair and they both had brown hair. My sister has dark brown and my brother has light brown, but nonetheless, it was darker than mine, and my and my dad have brown hair too. I was the one that stuck out in family pictures because of my bright blonde hair. When I was growing up, my sister and brother would always team up against me, which added to my identity crisis. I was hardly referred to as Ashley, but as one of the triplets, Ryan's sister, Erin's sister, and so forth. I was stuck in a place where I didn't know who I was. It's sad, but up until I went to college, I didn't have my own identity. Now that I am in college, though, I have an identity, and because not many people at TCU know my brother or sister, I am Ashley, not Erin's sister, or Ryan's sister, and especially not one of the triplets. Butler's identity crisis is a little deeper than mine, though. He has traveled to a completely different world, where he doesn't fit in, not only because of his hair color. He finds a way, though, to be accepted. All he needs to do is to quit worrying about his hair color. It makes him unique in his own special way.
4 comments:
I think that everyone goes through a similar identity crisis at one point or another, but I cannot imagine how complicated it must be when there are two others sharing your birthday. I didn't have siblings growing up, but my mother did and used to tell me how much she hated being David's sister. I'm sure that is the worst title to wear because it completely robs you of who you are and forces you to define yourself through your brother or sister. Since I had no siblings, I was often defined as "so-and-so's girlfriend" which was a title I was thrilled to leave behind when I came to college.
I can completely relate to you. I have red hair and my entire family has dark brown hair. By entire family I don't just mean my parents, but both sets of grandparents all aunts and uncles all 36 cousins. I have actually had neighbors and friends from school as me if I am adopted. When I had huge issues with this. I know now that I have a great great grandfather who had bright red hair so once I got into highschool I realized that it really didn't matter what everyone else thought just that I am comfortable in my family. Although they all comment on my "pretty red hair" and how diffrent it is I know that they are not judgeing me or viewing me as an outcast.
It must be really hard to be different from everybody else. I had always thought about how horrible it should be for identical twins and how people must get them confused all the time. But you, Ashley, who has different hair color from your siblings, should be happy, to be the different one. It may sometimes make you feel like an outcast, but on the other hand, you are unique.
I can't really relate to this except for the first born part, but I can definately see where you are coming from when comparing it Butlers' "Missing." I don't think it is so much as an identity crisis, but his ongoing perception of fiting in that he has carried from his past. He looks at his past and says well i didn't fit in back then with my own kin, so even though these people treat me nice, how can I possibly fit in with them.
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