Introduction
Otherness is the quality or condition of being different. In this world, people always come up with sets of differences that are based on the color of the skin, nationality, and even sexuality. These are the factors that we as individuals use to categorize ourselves as ‘us’ separating ourselves from ‘them’ or simply ‘the other’.
On most occasions, we give a lot of privilege to the group that we identify with in the society. We see the ‘other’ groups as irrational, immature, emotional, inferior and of a lower social status. Individuals categorized as the other are understood as lacking a sense belonging and generally different in some important areas. The other is usually seen as one who lacks some important characteristics that a group possesses.
In a society, the other usually has few or no rights at all, as such, he may be labeled as stupid or less intelligent or as one lacking in morals. He may therefore be treated as less human. Mostly, the other may be of a different, race, nationality, religion, or sex, and the group which categorizes the other may be a particular social class, a family, a community within a society, or the entire society (Melani, 2009).
Everywhere you go, you see him, in the market place in the banking hall and on the streets. Everyone seems to avoid him and ignore his existence. Even those who know him are hesitant to approach him because they know the consequences of doing so. The fact that he is not part of the crowd means that anyone acknowledging him will also be avoided or laughed at.
This is how Sherman (2011) has presented the concept of otherness. She explores the life of the Indians in the reservationists and the conflicts that occur in their daily life. We see that there are those who do not like associating with the old Indian lifestyle. They therefore regard those who are still practicing it to be behind, socially inferior, to lack something fundamental; they simply see them as the ‘other’ (Sherman, 2011).
Author’s perspectives
Sherman relates strongly to this story. First he was born of an Indian mother; therefore, he was not a full Indian just like Thomas in the story. He was born with a brain complication and therefore, he was not expected to grow up normally. Just like Thomas in the story, Sherman also grew up on an Indian reservation. In an effort to find a better education, Sherman enrolled at Reardon high school in Washington where he was the only Indian.
This shows that Sherman has at one moment felt and treated as the “other” in his life as it happened to Thomas in this story. Judging from his success in life, Sherman used this story to show that categorizing people as other is wrong because these others can sometimes be more helpful than those we regard as one of us (“Biography”, 2010, P. 1).
Sherman (2011) tells the story of Thomas who has been categorized as the other. First, he is categorized as the ‘other’ by Victor while in line at the trading post. He says that he saw Thomas talking to himself as he always did.
That he was a storyteller that no one wanted to listen to. He was even surprised that Thomas knew of his father’s death. In fact, Victor was embarrassed to talk to him. The people at the trading post were also surprised to see Victor talking to Thomas. This means that Thomas was already placed in a category that we will call the other. He did not want to ask Thomas for help.
We are also told that Victor used to beat Thomas for no reason at all as the other boys cheered on. The girl who came to his rescue also wonders why it was just him that they picked on and not other boys. Victor is also embarrassed when Thomas starts conversing with a beautiful lady in the plane. He called him ‘that crazy Indian story teller with ratty old braids and broken teeth’ (Sherman, 2011, p. 1).
Sherman (2011) is quite critical about the way that the society treats the others especially when it is on baseless grounds. Through the story of Thomas he shows that treating others as the other is so bad that it makes people ungrateful to others. An act of ungratefulness is seen when Thomas gave a lending hand to Victor.
Even after Thomas had helped out Victor, he says at the end of the story that he knew that he couldn’t be friends with him. He acknowledges that it is cruel, but real. The whole society has categorized Thomas as the other (Sherman, 2011).
References
“Biography”. (2010). Sherman Biography. Falls Apart. Web.
Melani, B. (2009). The other. Academic Brooklyn. Retrieved from: http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/cs6/other.html
Sherman, A. (2011). This Is What It Means To Say Phoenix, Arizona. E Notes. Retrieved from: https://www.enotes.com/topics/this-what-means-say-phoenix-arizona