Having a Hand in Freakdom

In class a couple days ago we were talking about the word “freak.”  A few of my classmates presented an etymology on the word, explaining that it came from the Latin phrase lusus nature which they translated to “freak of nature,” but the thing that one must remember about Latin is that it is hardly ever that simple (“freak”).

“Humans are the superior animals in this universe, we create a strong contact zone to other species in this world. This contact zone is what makes the world as it is now, balanced and harmonious. Sometimes, people will think of the idea of someone trying to break the zone. In Butler’s short story of “Blood child”, humans (Terrans) are dominated by worms(Tlic). The superior species and humans create a contact zone where they need humans to carry their young, and at the same time humans need their eggs to get longer lives. Even though it is a society that has a huge hierarchy, there is still a balance in it: worms give humans their eggs to eat, the humans incubate their offspring.

Introduction

Categories of identity that involve privilege or the lack thereof (examples include gender, race, class, sexual orientation) interact on multiple levels and often simultaneously in a way that cannot be fully separated in the understanding of it.

Kimberlé Crenshaw coined the term intersectionality to describe that overlap and interaction of identities. Her specific example is that her identity as a black woman must be examined as black womanhood rather than as blackness + womanhood * (Crenshaw). Part of her argument, then, when using her example, is that gender and race intersect in such a way that gender is experienced differently depending on the race of the individual.

In Exile and Pride, Eli Clare stitches together stories and experiences from his own life in order to create a memoir about trying to understand his identity. Although tales of the destruction of a local forest and histories of freak shows do not initially sound like similar stories, Clare relates the two misfortunate events with one common word: exploitation. To Clare, the word is not a pleasant one; to him, exploitation is “pure thievery” (Clare 91).” This definition of the word appears clearly in parts of his text, yet by thoroughly analyzing his words and drawing parallels, the meaning of “exploitation” does not remain quite clear.

Words dictate who you are. Therefore, “Handicapped” handicapped Eli Clare’s life.  “Disabled… That word used as a noun (The disabled or people with disabilities), an adjective (disabled people), a verb (the accident disabled her): in all forms it means “unable,” but where does our inability lie? Are our bodies like stalled cars? Or does disability live in the social and physical environment, in the stairs that have no accompanying ramp? … That word locates the condition of being nondisabled, not in the nondisabled body, but in the world’s reaction to that body.”  (Clare, 82).

Selena Martinez

Paper #5 (Revision on paper #4)

October 3, 2014

What is Normal?

Hate is a strong word, one that should be used sparingly to express a passionate, profound feeling. The definition that is given for hate by the Oxford English dictionary demonstrates the profound force and intensity of this term: “An emotion of extreme dislike or aversion; detestation, abhorrence” (Oxford English Dictionary 1). Clare discusses how hatred is used to marginalize people, make people feel ashamed of their different abilities, force people to accept certain identities, and isolate groups and individuals. Unfortunately, hate cannot always be ignored.

In the article ‘Arts of the Contact Zone’, Pratt discussed the contact zone which is formed where different cultures meet and clash. The literal definition of contact zone reminded me of my unforgettable trip to Lijiang in which I integrated myself from the multi-culture environment there. However, looking closer to the passage, I found no matter the bilingual 400-page letter Guaman Poma wrote to the King of Spain or the teachers teaching pupils by unifying the entire world in their own opinions all indicated that the contact zone contains a highly asymmetrical power relation between the two sides in the contact zone, usually leading to a mournful story.

To discover oneself is to discover ones identify. The importance of finding oneself is greatly exhibited in Eli Clare’s Exile and Pride. In this work, Clare takes the reader on a journey through time. He opens up about his insecurities, doubts, and clarity in his being. The only word that comes to mind, in the case of what Clare was telling the reader and looking for in his life, is identity.The word “identity” came about in the English language in the late 1600’s, around the time of the Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment. It comes from the Latin word “idem,” which translates to “same” and corresponds in use to how one relates to that the world around them. The finding of definition by relating to the surrounding environment is exactly what Eli Clare made out to do.