Wing Young Huie Photograph Response

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This photo was taken by Wing Young Huie in 2012-13. It is part of one of his collections, and is entitled, "We are the Other." It is not disclosed what city or even what state this photo was captured in.

When looking at this photo there are many different things that pop out right away. There is an elderly asian man sitting down in what appears to be a barber shop. This man is holding a bright red guitar and seems to be playing some sort of tune; although, his face seems to express feelings of violation and almost confusion.The guitar's olden, oversized, and decorative style almost makes it seem like it is some sort of antique - possibly with sentimental value. When the background is looked at closely, one can tell that this barber shop is likely tailored for caucasian people: every single model haircut that is on the mirror behind the man is of a white person. One of the other peculiar aspects of the above picture is the man's attire. In what appears to be a run of the mill low to middle class barber shop, this man is dressed up in a suit: very unusual indeed.

It clear that Huie was very particular about this image. There was careful positioning and scaling done in order to present this man in a way that clearly shows his racial minority. The way that the pictures of caucasian models surround his head in almost a halo pattern shows the viewer what society intends the status quo to be. This is where the collection's title "We are the Other," comes into play; the asian man is being made to believe that anyone not caucasian is essentially an "Other." The focal point of the image, the asian man, does not appear to be one with society. His uncomfortable posture, disconcerted face, and unusual attire show the viewer that he does not fit in with those that he is currently surrounded with. When looking at the guitar he is holding, it can be deduced that it is a tie to his family and to his culture. The guitar's unique design, coupled with the ease with which the man handles it, allows the conclusion to be made that this is an item that the man has been with for years and has brought with him always. Ultimately, even though this man is obviously out of place in his environment, he seems to be ultimately content. His guitar allows him the necessary tie and connection to his old life that makes being in this unfamiliar and uncomfortable place bearable.

In Margaret Atwood's, The Handmaid's Tale, the concept of "othering" is seen very clearly through the language used in the book. The Republic of Gilead worked hard to set out very clear roles and rules in its society. Whether you be a Commander, Handmaid, or Guardian, your pre-prescribed function in society was a very public matter. Thus, those that deviated from their roles were effectively "othered." The people in Gilead, including Offred, bought into these normalities so quickly and so deeply that their actual language was affected. Atwood uses Offred to show this multiple times. During the exposition of the book Offred describes many of the roles in society and speaks of them as if they are logical, as if any deviation would be fanatical, and ultimately ... "other."
The way that Huie displays "othering" is very different. Instead of having explicit rules that people of a society must obey, Huie instead displays a world where the color of one's skin can causes "othering." The very intentional layout of the photograph displays a world where whiteness is the overwhelming majority, and anything else is a wrong minority. The asian man in Huie's picture is quite obviously this rare minority where he lives. The very careful layout that Huie employs conveys to the viewer the intense and overwhelming feelings of "otherness" that the asian man feels due to his race - no matter any connection he may have to another place with other people. Even though the two creators, Atwood and Huie, use very different techniques to show the cultural concept of "othering," both did a very good job at conveying the idea and relating it to their specific narratives and stories.

Citations:
- Atwood, Margaret, 1988. The handmaid's tale. New York: Anchor Books, a division of Penguin Random House,  LLC.
- Huie, Wing Y. https://www.wingyounghuie.com/p709406511/e7d6afb79.