Warm up: Write a brief paragraph explaining how you see the idea of the "other" demonstrated in the readings for this unit so far ("Learning to Read" and _The Book Thief_). This should be virtually all analysis only (your observations after thinking critically about the text(s) ). You should draw from the information you read on the literary concept from the previous homework reading.
For homework:
Respond to at least TWO of your classmates' posts and enter into an analytic conversation regarding their comment. Your comment should add something new to their ideas, and not merely echo what has already been said. You may respond in a variety of ways that extend the discussion:
- You may respond in a way that approaches their idea(s) differently, helping your peer to see a different interpretation of the texts
- You may elaborate on their ideas and add new info or examples that agree with their analysis
- You may offer additional evidence from either different texts we've read or real world examples that could also support their ideas and analysis
- You may complicate their analysis by showing how their interpretation may not be as strong in other parts of the texts they or you cite
- You may altogether disagree with their analysis -- politely -- and offer alternative analysis, AND explain why their interpretation may have some logical gaps (degrees of rightness)
Your initial comment is due within the warm up time
Your response to two peers is due by the time you walk in for the next class (next week)
In the Book Thief, Liesel is the only person in her class who cannot read or write, which causes her to be put in lower level classes. She is "othered" because she is a 10 year old girl in a first grade class, which makes her feel like an outcast. The teacher also others her by not letting her read in front of the class when everyone else is allowed. In "a Learning to Read and Write," Douglass is "othered" because he is a black male slave, which automatically puts him in the lowest position in society. He also cannot read or write, while the little white boys around him can, and that also others him.
ReplyDeleteDouglass is othered further because the couple who owns him as a slave. They are the reason he cannot read or write and also the reason he is a slave and cannot be free. I agree with what Ella said about Leisel being othered by her teachers and another example of this is in her class the teachers don’t call on er as much as other students.
DeleteI agree with what Ella is saying, but furthermore, Douglas’s enslavers also other him because they won’t allow him to learn how to read and write. By denying Douglas the knowledge of reading and writing, they try to keep him ignorant about his current situation as a slave and shut him out from society. By keeping Douglas ignorant, he won’t be aware of the injustices he goes through, thus there is a lesser chance he will rebel against his enslavers. The mistress and her husband other Douglas to cut him off from society and keep him ignorant so there is a lesser chance he will rebel.
DeleteI agree with this however I think not being able to read or write is an effect of being othered, not a cause.
DeleteIn both the Book Thief and Learning to Read and Write, Liesel and Douglas are othered because they cannot read and are not being taught to. Liesel is put into a grade with younger kids which shows how she is being separated and looked down upon by her teachers and also those around her. Liesel being separated from the rest of her age group because she cannot read demonstrates that she is being othered. Her teachers unconsciously other her. Douglas is not taught to read or write because he is African American. He is not taught to read or write because the social pressure around him emphasizes that it could be dangerous and could lead Douglas to gain power. Because of this fear of him gaining power, he is being separated from white people and their education systems. Douglas being separated emphasizes different ways society can other people, even using everyday things like the ability to read and write.
ReplyDeleteSimilar to what Aila said, those at the top of the social hierarchy did not want African Americans to gain power. In Ms. C's "Literacy = Power," the author discusses how literacy is a substantial form of power. The author explains, "If one wishes to change or participate in society, she must invoke the discourse of that society, or she will fail to be recognized" (C 4). The slave owners at the time of Fredrick Douglas did not want to give slaves the opportunity to participate in society, so they deny them access to writing, a key form of power. The slave owner's exclusion disables African Americans from participating in the dominant culture of their society. This exclusion is a form of othering.
DeleteGoing off of what Aila said, Douglas was othered in two ways by white men. First, in a social way. He was pushed and looked down upon, having to serve and work for them and not treated as an equal. Secondly, in an educational way. He was not given the same opportunities to learn to read and write as white people. He was not seen as valuable enough to take the time to teach unlike white people were they were handed to white people very easily.
DeleteIn "Learning to Read" by Fredrick Douglass and in "Book Thief" by Markus Zusak, othering is demonstrated in the ways the protagonists are treated due to their politically influenced environments. Both Liesal and Fredrick are being othered by a higher power in each of their societies. For instance, Liesal is othered at school due to the fact she cannot read as well as other children. She is facing prejudice from her politically influenced school environment and is made fun of for it. Fredrick Douglass is also othered by white men and women in his society because they are higher ranked than him in his politically influenced society. He is restricted from learning to read which separates him from people in his society that can read due to their skin color. He is facing prejudice, much like Liesal, all because of the way society others him for who he is.
ReplyDeleteLike what Laura said about Liesel in school, Liesel also was denied the opportunity to read aloud in front of her classmates because she is othered in her society for who she is and her abilities. Because Liesel is different and doesn't have the same skills as her classmates, she is othered and seen as an outsider which causes her to be separated from the rest of society, also like Douglas. Douglas is also othered by his society for the color of his skin by the higher white men.
DeleteI agree with Laura, but furthermore, although Liesel and Douglass are both othered by white men and women who are of a higher power, it is--to an extent--for different reasons. Liesel is othered because she is not as advanced in reading as her peers are, which causes her to be placed in a lower level class. She is not allowed to read in front of her class because her teacher feels she is not ready or capable of the task. Douglass, however, is othered solely because of the color of his skin and his ethnic background. So, although Douglass is also othered for not being able to read or write, the primary reason for his othering is his race.
DeleteIn The Book Thief, the idea of othering is shown in many different examples. The most obvious example are the Jewish people. Jews are othered by Nazi Germany and most of the society at the time. They were killed, looked down upon, and hated by most people at the time. Jews weren't allowed to be in certain places and their society around them caused them to be cautious when in public because they might get killed. Liesel is also othered because she can't read. This is shown by how Liesel is not allowed to read aloud during class and she is also separated by being put in lower classes when she should be with her age group. Hans is othered in their society because he isn't a Nazi supporter. This is demonstrated by how Hans is rejected by some jobs he applied to which leads it to be very difficult for him to get a job. In "Learning to Read and Write," Douglas is othered because of the color of his skin. At first glance, people automatically other Douglas because he is a slave. They restrict slaves from reading and writing, having an education, being in certain places, and basically almost anything that doesn't involve serving their master. In the beginning of the story, the reader can assume that Douglas' master is othered for being kind and caring towards Douglas by her society because she soon changes her perspective on slaves and starts to become mean and strict towards Douglas. The mistress probably noticed that she was being othered and that is why she changed her ways.
ReplyDeleteFurthering what Justina said about the Jewish being othered, because the majority of Germany at the time was becoming more and more influenced by the Nazi party, the dominant culture of Germany therefore became Nazis. So when the majority of society rejects the Jews, it is othering because it is the larger, dominant culture excluding a minor culture.
DeleteI fully agree with what Justina is saying, however, regarding the end of her paragraph, I believe the mistress wasn’t being othered by her society. “Othering” is when a person or a group of people are alienated and cut off from society. The mistress wasn’t cut off or alienated by society which is why I believe she wasn’t othered, but more that she was influenced. I believe the husband and the society influenced the mistress into believing that slaves don’t deserve proper care and treatment. Overall, the mistress was influenced, not othered, by society into changing how she treats her slave, Frederick Douglas.
DeleteLike Lauren, I agree that the mistress is not being othered. I understand what you are trying to say though; maybe instead of saying that the mistress is othered, you can say that she is unique in the sense that she is a master who is kind and caring to her slave, while most masters are not. I don't think she ever realizes that she's othered (because she isn't othered in the first place), but she gives into the influences and habits of her husband. Living in a patriarchal society, she slowly starts to realize that the norms of owning a slave are to be strict and harsh, and she follows that stereotype.
DeleteFrederick is othered because he is a black male slave. He is at the very bottom of the social hierarchy. His masters keep him at the bottom by forcing him to do their work and by trying to stop him from learning how to read and write. Liesel is othered at school by her peers because she can't read, and so is her foster father Hans when he decides not to support the Nazi party. The people othering him are the majority of people in Germany, since almost everyone was sided with the Nazi party. The Jews are also majorly othered because they are blamed for all the problems happening in Germany. Hitler and the Nazis make the Jews out to be ugly, evil thieves. They claim that in order to raise Germany up to its former glory, the Jews must be taken out of society. The Nazis and their supporters deliberately other Hans and the Jews, but Liesel is not othered by her teachers and classmates on purpose.
ReplyDeleteAnother contrast between Liesel and Han's othering is that Liesel tries not to be othered while Hans would rather be othered than join the Nazi party. Liesel makes an attempt to fit in by learning how to read. However, she still struggles to be at the same level as her peers, On the other hand, Hans deliberately rejects the Nazis (but not openly because that would be dangerous).
DeleteThis is more of a comment in reply to Mia's comment than a response to Katy's, but I'm not sure if Hans would rather be othered than join the Nazis. He tries to join the party to get work, and, although he disagrees with them, tries to outwardly conform. Like Mia said, Hans rejects the Nazis in secret, but he's still fighting the othering.
DeleteAdding on to Mia's response, Nazis would deliberately other people who outwardly disagreed with them, but since Hans was more private about his beliefs, he was not deliberately othered. He chose to other himself, but he wasn't seen as much of an other by his community.
DeleteI like your ideas on comparing Liesel and Douglass othering. Yet a difference I feel that takes place between the two is that Douglas was given the chance to prove himself whereas Liesel was not. She was shut down learning to read whereas Douglas was not as much as it was just rare he was able to read. An example of Liesel not being able to prove to those who othered her, was when she wanted to show her classmates and teacher she could read yet she was shut down and not given a chance.
DeleteIn The Book Thief, the concept of the “other” is shown when Liesel is prohibited from participating in the oral class reading. Othering is when a person is excluded from a group or dominant society. When Liesel’s teacher prohibits her from participating in the read-aloud section of class, it separates Liesel and her abilities from the rest of the class. The teacher creates a division between what Liesel can do and what the class can do. This separation between Liesel and class is an example of othering because it demonstrates how Liesel is excluded from the dominant society of her class, or the section of her class that can read.
ReplyDeleteSo like, you may want to edit this to include the relationship between otheirng and the Fredrick Douglas article. As for what you do have, I think it would boost your analysis if you mention that the teachers seperate her subconciously or state how they are unaware of the affect the seperation has on her because of their positions of power in the school society.
DeleteOthering is shown in "Learning to Read and Write" in an obvious, but maybe not so pronounced way. In the text, Douglass describes how he will be a slave (and in turn oppressed) all his life because he is a black man. Black men of the time were othered by white men who were coincidentally the dominant race of the era. They were put down, berated, hated and excluded from many parts of society by a certain group of people, which is an example of othering.
DeleteThis is a good connection to The Book Thief, but you should describe how othering is portrayed in “Learning to Read and Write”, and describe the connection between the two.
DeleteYou could also add how her ability to read and write (or lack thereof) puts her into a lower class grade and how that others her further. For example: she can not participate with her peers group in activities they are doing because she is in a lower grade level.
DeleteIn the societies described in both works, "The Book Theif" and "Learning to Read and Write," othering is present. In "The Book Theif," being a Nazi is dominant culture in society, so for people who are not Nazis or do not support them, they are alienated or othered. Jewish people at the time were othered beyond their control, based on the Nazi hatred for Jews that led to oppression. On a smaller scale, Hans is also othered due to his lack of support for Nazis. He rejects the dominant culture by choice, resulting in his "othering" seen in his inability to get a job. There are also examples of othering in "Learning to Read and Write." The dominant culture of the time was being a white slave owner, and the narrator, Frederick Douglass is not this. He is a black slave and he is othered because of his lack of ability to be a part of dominant culture. This is demonstrated through the behavior of his mistress. When Douglass first became her slave she was gentle and kind, but as their difference in culture and socioeconomic standing became apparent, she changed her attitude. She became mean spirited and cruel, othering Douglas and putting him at an even lower level than her in society. Her behavior here mimics that of the society at the time and how slave owners would other slaves.
ReplyDeleteThe harsh way his mistress treats him is an example of othering, but the most important thing about the mistress is how she starts out sympathetic towards slaves and then becomes cold-hearted due to societal pressure. Because the mistress' change in attitude is her most defining characteristic, by saying that her behavior mimics that of society, it implies that society also starts out kind towards slaves then becomes mean. It seems like you are saying only her cruel behavior is an example of othering, but it's not clear. It might be misleading to say that her behavior mimics that of society.
DeleteI agree that the dominant culture in Learning to Read and Write was white slave owners, but would like to add that this hierarchy was created by the white slave owners and that black males like Douglass were othered because of their possible threat to the white slave owners.
DeleteIn The Book Thief and “Learning to Read and Write,” two large groups are both othered by the dominant group in society. In The Book Thief, the Jewish community is othered and blamed for all of Germany’s problems. Alex Steiner, Rudy’s father, makes mention of the propaganda that the Nazis were producing, and it sounds like the party was blaming the Jews for problems that hadn’t even occurred yet. There are also smaller-scale instances of othering. Hans Hubermann, who is not a member of the Nazi party and once painted over slurs on a Jewish shop, is basically blacklisted and has a hard time finding work. His son, Hans Jr., articulates it well, when he says “you’re either for the Führer or against him--and I can see that you’re against him” (105). That seems to be a pretty common philosophy in the characters in the book, as shown with the shopkeeper who demands a Nazi salute by everybody who enters her shop. In “Learning to Read and Write,” the black slaves are othered. In one of the readings, it was suggested that othering is a defensive instinct, and that viewing the others as inhuman is a way to rationalize treating them as such. A clear example is shown in Frederick Douglass’ mistress, who is originally sympathetic with him. After she is forbidden from teaching him to read, she convinces herself that teaching him to read would have been a disaster. Douglass says that she became even more convinced of it than her husband, who was the one who originally stopped the lessons. In both of these works, othering is the dominant group’s survival strategy. In “Learning to Read and Write,” the wealthy white men try to stay at the top of the socioeconomic hierarchy. They other the black men (and women) in an attempt to keep them at the bottom of the hierarchy, because there must be somebody at the bottom of the scale. In The Book Thief, it seems that the Germans need somebody to blame for their country’s economic problems. The Jewish people, one of many targeted groups, were a community large enough to blame but small enough to wipe out, and happened to be a convenient scapegoat. Othering is not necessarily done consciously, but in both of these instances, it probably was.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe othering is a defensive instinct, so much as it is a tactical ploy that people at the top of the hierarchy use to keep power. That and the societal pressure of the time is why the mistress becomes cruel.
DeleteThe "other" is demonstrated throughout The Book Thief and "Learning to Read and Write" when the speaker established a division in a community because of beliefs and appearance. In The Book Thief, Hans is "othered" by choice because of his stance on the Nazis. He does not openly support the Nazis and Hitler , or support them at all, which causes him to lose business. Also, Liesel is "othered" from many children her age because of Hans' lack of support for the Nazis. Liesel is not in "Hitler Youth" which makes her feel left out, but the reason she is exluded is her and her family do not openly support the Nazis. Jews are also "othered" in the BT because of their culture, which can be determined by appearance or beliefs. In "Learning to Read and Write," Douglass is not allowed to go to school because of his race, which is determined by his appearance. Douglass finds himself an "other" since he isn't allowed to be apart of the white academic culture.
ReplyDeleteUmmmmmmm....isn’t Leisel a hitler youth??? For your analysis on “Learning to Read and Write” you could talk more about the social heirarchy and expand on what it means to be a slave rather than a free person. You have the main points down. Just elaborate on the reasoning or context about that time period. If his race is the key factor, what about his race? Or if that’s hard ot back up you could use general terms like the ones we discussed in class, like it was traditional to prevent slaves from educating themselves because the people at the top of the social heirarchy didn’t want them to revolt. That’s why slaves weren’t allowed in the normal education of white society.
DeleteFor your analysis of _The Book Theif_, I think you are combining Leisel's she was othered to Hans' reason. Leisel was othered in her academic life because she couldn't read and write, not because of Hans' political beliefs. Just like what Arielle said, Liesel is a Hitler youth. For "Learning to Read and Write," I feel that Douglas' othering is bigger than just white academic society and more attached to society as a whole. He is othered completely, he has no power, so because of this he cannot be a part of white academic society. You are on the right track, I just feel like your analysis could zoom out a little bit.
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DeleteSimilar to Arielle and Oliva, for "Learning to Read and Write" I would argue that Douglas is not just othered by academics but that that he is othered by society as a whole, because of his race. I would suggest many going more into depth about his race, slavery, and how that contributed to him being othered (difference in appearance, culture, etc). As for Liesel being othered because her families views, I would say that there's not much sound analysis for that argument and it would be easier to argue that Liesel is othered by her classmates because of her reading level. Though the analysis on Hans being othered is great!
I agree with your analysis on Hans and feel it brings apon a new topic of othering that is not recognized as much. Whereas the one for douglas was a bit more confusing, because yes Douglas is othered but he is othered more than those that can read and write. Because of his race and the period of time the story takes place, he was othered because of his race and not only the fact he could not read and write part of his life.
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ReplyDelete"Othering" is being alienated by the dominant culture and being excluded outside of the dominant place. Zusak's, The Book Thief, takes place in the holocaust. Jews are being persecuted and are kept in concentration camps. The nazis are the dominant culture in society. People might other because they feel threatened by other cultures. The Nazis othered the Jews because they were threatened by them, which takes place in the The Book Thief. Jews are being alienated in concentration camps and anyone who doesn't agree with the Nazis are othered too, for example Hans. In Douglass' "Learning to Read and Write," he talks about the time where African Americans were slaves. In this time, wealthy white men who owned land were the dominant culture. They othered Africans Americans and made them slaves. African American men were mostly othered because they were a threat to the superior culture. In "Learning to Read and Write," Douglass is being othered and is a slave. Even when Douglass wants to be educated the masters won't let him because they don't want him having any agency and relate to the dominant culture. In both The Book Thief and "Learning to Read and Write," education is a part of the dominant culture, so Liesel is othered for not knowing how to read and write. Douglass is already being othered as a slave, so people don't want him to be educated. In both texts, two groups are othered because they are a threat to the dominant culture, they are categorized as non-human, and treated horribly.
I agree with with what you are saying in that Douglass is primarily othered because of his race, not his inability to read or write, which leads him to become an other in education.
DeleteI think your description of othering is thorough and I agree that Nazis did "other" Jews. However, when you say "The Nazis othered Jews because they were threatened by them," I can't immediately think of evidence that supports this statement in the Book Thief. To understand this fact requires some background knowledge on the Holocaust and the social situation. I think one could even argue that Nazis othered Jews for different reasons than feeling threatened.
DeleteAdding on to Sonia’s idea on how cultures are othered by a dominant culture because the dominant one feels threatened, it is also because of each culture’s place in that particular environment. For instance, black people are being othered in their societies and put at the very bottom rank of people because the very bottom rank is furthest away from the top ranking, which in this case would be white men. Futhermore, white men “other” black men the most and rank them as far away as they can because they feel threatened, as Sonia explains. They are doing it to distance themselves from who they feel threatened, to take away their agency.
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ReplyDeleteIn The Book Thief, Liesel is othered by the kids in her neighborhood. She is othered because she is the new kid and she doesn't know how the neighborhood kids' system works. The other kids push her around and force her to be the goalie. Then, they try to replace Liesel when Rudy has to make a penalty. She is also othered at school because she can't read. She is put into a class with kids younger than her and is mistreated by her teacher. In "Learning to Read and Write," society others slaves. The text shows this othering when Douglass, a slave, is not allowed to learn how to read. The slave owners, who are white men, are the dominant group in society and so they other the slaves in order to maintain their social status. They dehumanize the slaves by denying them any kind of rights or agency. Another example of people who are othered are those who treat slaves kindly. At first, the mistress is nice to Douglass. She is othered because of that and so she starts abusing Douglass to be accepted again.
Similar to how the slave owners dehumanize the slaves by denying them any kind of rights or agency, during the Holocaust, the Nazis dehumanized the Jewish people. In both situations, the group that is higher on on the social hierarchy acts like they are the only group of people deserving of rights and human-like treatment. As said in "Othering 101," "If we dehumanise someone, and distance our empathy with them, then we won’t have to feel bad about the shabby way we’ve treated them" (James 2). Both the Nazis and the slave owners had to treat others badly in order to maintain their social status. In order to combat the guilt felt from this, the oppressors treat the slaves or Jews as if they are not humans and do not deserve human-like treatment at all.
DeleteGood example of Liesel that’s new and your own idea. But maybe talk about how some other characters are othered in The Book Thief too, like The Jews or Hans, etc.
DeleteI don't fully agree with your example of Liesel's othering because even though she gets pushed around a bit when she first arrives, I don't think Liesel really gets othered. Even though the kids force her to be goalie, they still let her be part of the game and play with them. I think it would be a better example of othering if the other kids didn't let her play at all because she was new, but since they did let her play I don't think she was othered.
DeleteIn Fredrick Douglas' "Learning to Read," slave masters make the slaves and sympathizes of the slaves the others. The dominant culture displaces anyone who does not conform to their beliefs and values. Douglas' mistress changes her personality because she does not want to be othered from the dominant society. She changes her actions and values to match those of the dominant culture, even if it means denying some of her morals. Similarly, in Markus Zusak's The Book Thief, Liesel does not want to be othered at her school. Even though she can not read, she tries to perform the reading assessment in front of her class. She denies her abilities and convinces herself that she can pass the assessment. After she fails the test, Liesel fights to show her classmates that they should not try and omit her from the dominant culture. She shows her class that that she is powerful and will not be displaced without a fight. Both Liesel and Douglas' mistress do not want to be left out of the dominant culture so much so that they lie about a part of who they are, the mistress changing her morals and Liesel saying that she can read. "Learning to Read" and The Book thief illustrate how people of a society may be willing to deny their abilities and values in order to exist within the dominant culture.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ava in that people change who they are so that they could avoid being othered. However, I think mentioning Alex Steiner’s position in “The Book Thief” would have offered more evidence to Ava’s thoughts. For instance, on pages 59-60, the speaker states that Alex Steiner would do whatever he had to do to support his family, even if it meant going against his beliefs.
DeleteBoth _The Book Thief_ and “Learning to Read” use the concept of othering to seperate the outliers from the majority. In _The Book Thief_ Leisel’s biological mother is cast out from German society. Her mother and father were communists and during that time, communists were one of the groups targeted by the German government as enemies. Because her father had died and her mother could not find suitable employment because no German Nazi would have her, Leisel was given up to foster parents. In this way, Leisel’s parents were “othered” by the majority of Germany. A similar situation appears in “Learning to Read.” Frederick Douglas is a slave who is taught rudimentary reading skills by his mistress. The mistress, who was kind and just, soon finds herslef to be unlike the rest of her society. She notices that those around her treat slaves with cruelty and that it is forbidden for them to read. She finds that she is on the outside and is “othered.” Seein how she is the only one who does not follow this societies’ rules, she feels the pressue to conform and eventually concedes. She begins to see slaves as lesser than herself in America’s social hierarchy. She ceases her attempts at teaching Frederick how to read. She wanted to much to not be categorized as othered, that she went as far as to change her characteristics and natural disposition. By doing this she was accepted back into society and her husband’s good graces. They no longer argued over Frederick’s capability to learn. She was no longer classed as other.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I'm interested in the idea that Douglass' mistress might have been othered, I can't really find evidence of it in the text. Her husband admonishes her, but it seems like that's the only reason she conforms. There is no mention of her sympathy for the slaves being known to anyone else. I think that the othering in "Learning to Read and Write" is directed towards the slaves, Douglass in particular.
DeleteI think the idea you have for your topic sentence is great, but you should be more specific as to why or how othering is used to separate the outliers from the majority. You used more examples than you did analysis (or it seems that way) for every example or piece of evidence, you should have at least three sentences of analysis (this is only the case for The Book Thief. Overall, you clearly recorded your thoughts and as a reader, I understand what you were trying to say.
DeleteThe Nazi Party is the dominate party in Germany at the time of The Book Thief. Hans Huberman is not a Nazi and that causes him to lose work. This is an example of being othered because Hans does not openly accept the dominate norms of the Nazi Party he is a lot less likely to find work than another painter who is a Nazi. Liesel getting put into a kindergarten class as a ten year old is another example of othering. Liesel can not read or write as a ten year old, something that is normal and even expected of a ten year old, she is excluded from her peer group and cast down to a younger grade. She can not participate in any of the activities the students her age are doing because she can not read or write.
ReplyDeleteDouglass’ is not allowed to read, to write, or allowed to learn how to read or write. White boys, his age at the time, had agency and literacy and could do, to an extent, what they wanted when they wanted. Douglass on the other hand had to follow orders, serve his master and mistress, and was kept within the plantation (unless sent out by somebody who had control over him). It was not even of his own volition to learn the alphabet, it was his mistress’. This is othering because Douglass was not allowed to learn or to go where he wished when he wished like his white counterparts.
Your analysis is strong but I suggest just adding that Liesel's teachers don't other her on purpose or consciously. Their society is built in a way that shows that if you are different you can't fit in and that's what Liesel's teachers do whether they are conscious of it or not. You could also mention that for Douglas, he was othered because he was black and a slave. This limited many of the things he could do, like you mentioned, because of the color of his skin and his social class.
DeleteYour analysis is strong and easy to follow however i suggest thinking about what the sentence “it was not even of his own volition to learn the alphabet, it was his mistress’” has to do with your analysis because it seems it of place.
DeleteI think that you make a strong point in saying that Douglass did not have any agency since he was a slave, but you didn’t really explain how this caused him to be othered. Maybe you could mention that he was a slave because he was black in a society dominated by white people that did not want black people to gain power and to do this they took away the African American people’s agency as a way of othering them. You could also explain that the reason that Douglass was not allowed to read or write was because this would have given him agency.
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ReplyDeleteOthering is an idea that is present in many books and events throughout history, like "Learning to Read and Write" and The Book Thief. In Fredrick Douglas's "Learning to Read and Write" he gives people an inner look at othering during the time of slaves, he shows that because of their drastic differences in appearance, wealth, and culture, wealthy white men othered black people. The difference in appearance between whites and blacks is a large contributor to the cause of the othering, because it is a primal instinct to not trust people who don't look like you, whites and blacks had major controversies. Appearance was not the only factor to the blacks being othered, culture and wealth were also contributors. The African culture was drastically different from the white western culture of America, that when black people were first introduced to Americans they weren't also immediately othered because of African culture was so extremely different from the dominant white/American culture. The power and wealth of white people at the time all allowed them to other black people, completely strip them of their agency and turn them into slaves. Similarly in The Book Thief the Jews are the people being othered, Hitler spearheaded a movement against the Jews that was mostly based on appearance. Hitler claimed that Jews were biologically "dirty" and that they were the cause of Germany's economic problems, he got most of German society to other the Jews. More specifically Hans Hubermann is othered by German society because he is not in the Nazi party, people in Munich stop offering him jobs and take away his economic status and income.
In Markus Zusak’s “The Book Theif,” Liesel is othered by her school and teachers because she can’t read. This happens through the removal from her classes. In order for Liesel to learn to read, her teachers put her in a class of younger students, completely removing her from the environment of the original class. Fredrick Douglass in “Learning to Read and Write” is othered by his slave master’s wife. She prevents him from reading in the house, removing him from the enviornment that he had previously been a part of. When the mistress had originally began teaching Douglass to read, he had been a part of the educational environment, but after she speaks with her husband and stops teaching Douglass, he is painfully and abruptly removed from that environment. In both texts, there are whole groups of people that are othered by the rest of society. In “The Book Theif,” the Jewish people are othered by the majority of the German population while in “Learning to Read and Write,” the African American community is othered mostly by the white community. Both dominant groups use fear and violence to other the Jews and African Americans respectively. The non-dominant groups were removed from their normal living spaces and forced into a different way of life in order for the dominant groups to stay powerful.
ReplyDeleteIn “Learning to Read and Write” by Frederick Douglass the speaker is characterized as an other because the white family who he works for try to keep him from gaining agency. The husband in the memoir kept Douglass from learning to read and write because education leads to agency and agency leads to power. The husband does not want this because Douglass is seen as a threat to his power, and the husband wants to keep that power. In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak Leisel is forced to be an other by her teachers which is evident when they put her in the classroom with the young children. This is othering because she is being displaced and forced out of where she wants to be socially, that is with kids her age.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your analysis for "Learning to Read and Write," but for _The Book Theif_ I feel that there is more reasoning for why she is othered. You are correct in saying she was othered in this way by her teachers, but the analysis doesn't explain why the teachers did this. This reason is because of her lack of ability to read and write, which means a lack of agency. This can be taken further by saying that this instance is an example of lack of language resulting in lack of power or othering.
DeleteI also agree with your analysis, but have another example that could also be analyzed in the Book Thief. Hans Hubermann is also othered in the book thief as he is not a part of the Nazi party, which is, at the time, the dominant culture of Germany. His business suffers and he is even called names because of this.
DeleteI agree with your analysis but I would explain how their is separation between the two groups.
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ReplyDeleteOthering is displayed in both the works of Fredrick Douglas' "Learning to Read and Write" and Marcus Zusak's The Book Thief. In "Learning to Read and Write," African Americans, but more specifically slaves, are othered from society. At point in the text, Douglas expresses, "Not that it would injure me, but it might embarrass them; for it is almost an unpardonable offense to teach slaves to read in this Christian country"(102). To be interacting with, let alone teaching, a was not acceptable in American society. Slaves were not viewed as worth teaching, and furthermore not seen as humans with the rest of society. Similarly, in The Book Thief, Jews are othered by the German society and are not seen as part of the dominant group of people. Jews are physically as well as verbally abused because they are made to be seen as evil and less than human.
I agree with your analysis, but I would suggest elaborating on the causes of the Jews and African Americans being othered. You could talk about how because the drastic difference in appearance between African Americans and white people is caused them to be othered and as you said they were seen as a threats. With your analysis on the Jews you could also add how the dominant culture in Germany was the Nazis
DeleteFurthering what Natalia said, I agree with the analysis but I think that it is very important to describe that white men in America and the ‘master race’ in Germany were the domanint groups as this would emphasize the idea that othering happens when lesser groups were pushed away from society by a more dominant group. You could also describe that the power the dominant groups had came mostly from political power, which was gained by making sure the lesser groups could not gain power, therefore leading to othering.
DeleteIn The Book Thief and “Learning to Read and Write,” the Nazis other the Jews to cut them off from society and the mistress and her husband other Frederick Douglas in order to keep him ignorant. In The Book Thief, the Nazis persecute the Jews and make an effort to cut the Jews off from society by vandalizing their shops and taking them away from their homes. In “Othering 101,” when a group “others” another person or group of people, they classify them as “not one of us” and treat them as deserving less respect than they do. According to this definition of “othering,” the Nazis “other” the Jews because they don’t see the Jews as apart of their society and treat them with no respect. In “Learning to Read and Write,” Frederick Douglas’s enslavers other Douglas by trying to keep him ignorant to his situation as a slave. The mistress and her husband don’t want Douglas to know how to read or write because they don’t want to give him an opportunity to rebel. If Douglas learns to read and write, then there is a big chance he will become aware of the injustices he endures by being a slave. So, Douglas’s enslavers other him to try and keep him ignorant and unaware of his situation to lessen the chances of Douglas rebelling against them. In The Book Thief and “Learning to Read and Write,” people “other” to alienate a person or group of people to try and shut them out of society.
ReplyDeleteSome parts like your analysis for “Learning to Read and Write”, are a little repetitive which makes it wordy. I liked how you referenced “Othering 101”, I thought that gave you more credibility and strengthened your analysis. For your analysis on “The Book Thief”, I agree with you about the othering of Jews as a whole, but maybe you could give a specific example from the book as well (AIT).
DeleteI like how you incorporated “Othering 101” as evidence to define othering, but I wish you could give specific examples on how the Nazis other the Jews in “Learning to Read and Write.” Your paragraph is good overall, but the transitions could be a bit smoother.
DeleteIn “Learning to Read and Write”, the white mistress others Douglas. She wants to teach him how to read and write, but changes her mind - due to the higher social hierarchy influence of her husband - and decides to leave him to be unlettered. He still works and lives at their house, but he is being excluded from the educated society, which suggest othering. In “The Book Thief”, Leisel is othered in many ways. One way that was not discussed was when the kids on Himmel Street were playing soccer. Because Leisel was the new kid, she was forced to play goal keeper instead of a field player. She is excluded, or othered, from the rest of the kids and put into a spot that is seen as apart from the group. Also, the rest of the kids have been playing together for a long time, so they have already established their spot in the group. It is easy for the children to exclude Leisel because they don’t know her personality so she can be seen as different from them.
ReplyDeleteI like how you gave specific examples of each point you talked about, it helps for clarity. In "Learning to Read and Write," however, I would argue that it is the whole white society that others Douglass, not just the white mistress. It generally takes a group of people to other or exclude someone else, not just one single person othering another. Your Book Thief analysis is good, but Liesel is spelled i before e :).
DeleteIn “Learning to Read & Write” and “The Book Thief,” othering is used to make one or two of the characters’ flaws become the reason why they are outcasted. In “Learning to Read and a Write,” Frederick Douglass is othered as an enslaved black boy who cannot read or write. White slave owners patronize him and treat him like an object in order to make themselves appear superior. Douglass was born into slavery, which was an immediate excuse for the white slave owners to other him. The fact that he could not read or write made it much easier for him to seem inferior to them. This is also the case for Liesel in “The Book Thief.” She cannot read, which can easily make her inferior to others. Her inferiority makes it easy for people to other her.
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