Identity Mask Project
A Different Perspective
“…there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”
-Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Our looking-glass self is very important in the cycle of socialization. How we view ourselves, how we view the world, and how the world views us is a very critical part in realizing what our identities are, or what we want our identities to be. I have incorporated the concept of the looking-glass self into my mask to show that it has been a big part in my socialization. For example, I have seen and heard people say things about me and give me positive and negative sanctions for things I said or did. This has made me want to change my identity in some way, make it “better.” Though throughout my life and through my perspective of what I wanted my identity to be I have realized that one person’s identity is no better than the next person’s and that everybody is unique in their own special way.
The looking-glass self is only a small part in my socialization and the shaping of my identity. There is a book I have called Jump by Elisa Carbone. It is a book about where two teenagers who (one of them escapes from a psych ward and the other runs away from home) meet up at a rock climbing gym and decide to run away together to go on an awesome climbing adventure. Along the way Critter (the boy) teaches P.K. (the girl) about how he views the world. In the book he says that the future and the past do not exist, and that only the present exists.
My identity has most definitely been shaped around this book. When I was first reading it I did not know what the writer meant by how only the present exists and that the past and present do not. Throughout the book, the writer brought up more and more examples. But I only fully understood what the writer was saying when Critter talked about fear. At one point in the book Critter is talking to P.K. and he says that in life there is absolutely nothing to be afraid of because fear is always fear of the future and that you are always afraid of what might happen in the future. Considering that the future does not exist, fear itself does not exist.
I have read this book more than 20 times, and because of that, I have realized the true meaning of happiness. This is one of the biggest parts of my identity and I am definitely never going to change it. Even for me it is hard to believe that the biggest part of my identity was shaped by just a single book, though if I come to think of it many people’s identities could have been shaped by a single book. I am representing this in my mask with an eye on the forehead showing that I have a different perspective of viewing life (through Elisa Carbone's writing).
I have not ever thought of the things I like to do as “hobbies.” But when I discovered my love for photography I definitely thought of it as a hobby. The camera viewfinder looking into an outdoor scene on a filmstrip represents how I view the world as a majestic landscape and that I don’t view anything in the world as unnatural. All the images on the filmstrip are photos that I took. I wanted to do this to represent more about my identity and my style of shooting. The camera lens on the right side of the mask represents how the world views me.
All the elements of my mask work together to show all the socialization and the forces that have shaped my identity. The green background represents a more natural color that we see every day. Through words surrounding the camera lens, which are different positive and negative sanctions, I have shown what the world views me as through my own personal experiences. Most of the elements on my mask are outside materials that have been glued on. This is because I am not much of an artist. This is how I have incorporated the looking-glass self concept into my mask.
Rock climbing is absolutely my favorite thing to do; I don’t think that I would be nearly as happy if rock climbing did not exist. Though, when I think that I think that if rock climbing didn’t exist then I would have been socialized to love a different sport. One of my best friends, who is almost 60 years old, once said that “rock climbing is like breathing, if you don’t do enough of it, you’ll die.” But of course he was saying that for people who love to rock climb. I have shown my love for rock climbing by painting a rock climber onto the chin of my mask.
Considering I am only 14 years old I have a long way to go in socialization and the shaping of my identity. Though I am not going to worry about that right now because the future does not exist and therefore, there is nothing to worry about. But somehow in life we still feel worry and fear, but that fear and worry is only an idea. And we have the power to overcome the idea of fear. I end this essay with a quote from the book Jump from Critter, “There is no future destination, only here and actually no future or past at all, only now. And now is perfect.”
Identity Mask Project Reflection
The identity mask project was very fun and innovated. We used plaster strips to mold each others faces into our masks. We then painted them and drew things onto them that represented our identity. Also we each wrote an essay that talked about what was on our masks and how that incorporated into our identity. The sociology content that we learned and incorporated into the project was extremely helpful and gave me a great understanding of identity and socialization. The entire class was also very happy with the content in the project.
The most important lesson I learned about human society and the world I am living in was how we are almost completely nurtured into our lives. We have to be taught by our parents or guardians how to live and how to experience life in the world today. If we are not by taught anyone from the day we are born then the forces of nature that we are in will be our only guide in life. If I ever have kids then I will incorporate socialization in raising them so they can live their life to full potential.
Through this project I learned many different things about my identity and myself. I learned that I now have the full ability to overcome and branch out from the cycle of socialization. I learned that I can be able to make my own choices in life through my own personal experiences and my own perspective. I will incorporate sociology into the rest of my life so can always be taking it to the fullest.
The thing I am most proud of about my mask and essay is how unique it is and how I have been able to incorporate the looking-glass self concept into it. I think I was one of the few people who had the concept of the looking-glass incorporated into their mask and essay. Though I do wish I had a little bit more time to refine my mask, and some portions of my essay.
Like I said before, on future projects I would like to improve on refinement. That was probably the biggest flaw in my mask project was lack of refinement. I will remedy this next time by using some of the Habits of Heart and Mind. Perseverance will be the biggest drive for me in the big projects. I will strive for the best work I can do using perseverance. Although, the future projects may seem easy to some people, but that means that they are not working hard enough. I will use this as well in future projects.
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Animas High School 3206 North Main St. Durango, CO
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