Gender and Identity
Teenage "Non-Black" Black Female
Identity
I see myself as a smart, weird and quiet person. I'm definetly not a confident person with high self-esteem and at times I'm very emotion. I am a proud support of the LGBT community. I'm a daughter, youngest of eight siblings, and aunt of eleven nieces and nephews. I am a hardworker when it comes to school and work. I think I'm creative, I make jewelry or draw on my free time. I'm the type of person someone can count on even if I can't help them with what they need I'll try.
In the play Twelfth Night, the character Viola is a servant to Orsino. Viola sees herself as a good trickster because of the success with her disguise. She also believes that herself and other women are weak when it comes to men and love. "I am the man. If it be so, as ’tis, Poor lady, she were better love a dream. Disguise, I see thou art a wickedness, Wherein the pregnant enemy does much. How easy is it for the proper false In women’s waxen hearts to set their forms!" (II.ii.23-28). pg.2. In the quote Viola is talking about how Olivia sent a ring as a token of her love, while Malvolio thought it was the other way around. She also states how many women are weak and will fall for a man just for his looks.
Gender
I am a middle-class black teenage girl that comes from a big family. I believe because I'm a black female people think that I will be loud, rude, and speak in an uneducated way. When I meet older women they want to help me and support me with anything I do, but if I were a guy I don't think they would be as supportive and not help me as much. My father treats my brother differently from the way he treats me, he yells at my brother quite a lot but seems to never yell at me. I think if I were a guy my dad would do the same to me.
Viola is a female that can't work for Orsino because she is not a male. She is forced to dress as a man to support herself in her new life. She has to hide her real identity from everyone, which gets harder to do as she gets closer to people. She limited herself to only telling people snippets of her real life playing it off as if she's talking about a different person.
Some of my Jewelry
Types of Sexualities
An unfinished Chibi Charmander drawing
Perception
My peers see me as a quiet girl that stays to herself. My friends see me as a goofy person with high hopes and dreams. People in my family would say I'm quiet at times and other would say I'm really silly and funny. To my teachers I'm quiet and motivated to do my best.
I believe the other characters in Twelfth Night see Viola as rude and/or a challenge or problem. Malvolio, Sir Andrew, and Sir Toby all seemed to have a problem with Viola because of Olivia. They also see her as a coward because she didn't stick up for Antonio. "A very dishonest paltry boy, and more a coward than a hare. His dishonesty appears in leaving his friend here in necessity and denying him" (III.iv.351-353). pg. 18. Sir Toby is stating here that he believes Cesario can't be trusted and is a coward for letting Antonio go down alone.
Similarities and Differences
A similarity between Viola and myself is we both put the feelings of another person before our feelings. I believe we are both also ambitious because we both try really hard to do something and complete it.
A difference is she was willing to lie to people, while I really don't like to lie to people because it causes problems in the long run. Another difference is that I will be there for people and stick up for them if they need someone.