"Othering"

Photo courtesy of http://know.wingyounghuie.com/page/3

This photograph is part of Wing Young Huie’s collection Looking for Asian America: An Ethnocentric Tour. It was taken in 2001 in Baker, Montana, is called Demolition Derby and was posted on Huie’s blog in April 2012. In the background, the photo features a large crowd of various people and families seated in what appears to be a small stadium. Everyone in the background is white, they are of varying ages, dressed and arranged casually along the rows of seats. In the center foreground, a single Asian man stands alone. He is dressed in blue jeans, a leather belt, a short-sleeved beige button-up and a watch. The event seems to be popular for this community, and in general the people appear to be having fun. The Asian man’s facial expression is somewhat solemn and less excited than many of the other faces pictured.

On a deeper level, this picture speaks about racial identity and community. The Asian man clearly stands alone, not just physically but also in the sense that he is different than everyone around him; the rest of the people are white. While his attire is the same, his pensive face conveys his real sorrowful feelings about the situation. Described by Huie, on his blog, as looking “Photoshopped in,” this man clearly does not fit in. Some viewers could see this photograph as an image of inclusiveness because an Asian man is at this mainly white event, but the details of the photo make it clear that Huie is attempting “other” this Asian man. It is important to note that Huie identifies as an Asian American and how this may have prompted him to wonder about how this particular man feels, in comparison to how he appears in the photograph.

The way that Atwood presents “othering” in The Handmaid’s Tale is different than how Wing Young Huie does so in this photograph.

The perspective of Atwood’s narrator, Offred, a rebellious handmaid, allows for a better understanding of the main character and those on her side, while many secondary characters become “others.” In Huie’s photo the emphasis on the main figure that sets him as different from everything and everyone else in the scene. Furthermore, being of different forms, a novel and a photograph, the way the author and artist convey their messages are unique.

In Demolition Derby, Huie uses an interesting balance of contrast and integration. The main figure stands out, but at first glance his neutral colored shirt allows him to almost blend in to the crowd behind him. However, his position in the center foreground clearly sets him apart from the slightly unfocused white audience in the background. Compared to the general messiness and casual look of this said audience, the Asian man seems to be very clean and statuesque. His face is also turned in a different direction than most of the other people pictured and his expression is wistful, or even sad. The effect of using these visual layout tools is that the Asian man in the foreground is portrayed as separate from the rest of the situation. He appears lonely; his transparency furthers the idea that he might feel overlooked or ignored in his community. Although the man seems to accept his role on the outside by dressing nicely, his face reveals that his clothes are a facade used to disguise his lack of belonging. 

In The Handmaid’s Tale, Atwood uses language to create a format and style that clearly shows the differences between Offred and the other characters. Because of the perspective of the narrator, the clearest “othering” is seen towards the beginning before Offred has the opportunity to understand deeper motives and identify with secondary characters. She originally feels very alone in her new household in Gilead and perceives her superiors, the Commander and his Wife, as cold and foreign. Her early musings about them are fairly simple and observant, because she is distanced from them. As she gets to know them, particularly the Commander, Offred explores the idea of humanity and her descriptions become less critical and more emotional.

Another example of how Atwood creates “othering” in the novel is the use of color as a symbol for each social class. The visual difference furthers the social distance between the groups as it creates an easy indicator of who has the power in a situation.