Defense Of Masks By Kenneth Gergen

The literary device of the mask in Fahrenheit 451, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and Lord of the Flies is recurring in each of the stories. The metaphoric mask is a both physical and symbolic object that alters the characteristics of an individual; usually the protagonist. The protagonist either gradually puts on or takes off the mask to change as a person. The mask itself acts how you would expect a real mask to work. A mask typically obscures the vision so that you can only see in one direction, and some obscure our vision to a blur. Despite that, the mask has a much deeper connotation in literature. The obscurity produced by the mask placed on one is not a true mask, but an event or decision significantly altering the traits of an individual. Such a transition is portrayed in literature as the putting on or removal of an actual mask. This makes easier for readers to understand, and creates a perceptible connection between the symbolism and reality. In the Lord of the Flies and Star Wars:

The theme of masks is a significant theme throughout the book through the book. In all war people use

Problems of personal identity generally involve questions about what makes one the person one is and what it takes for the

What is personal identity? This question has been asked and debated by philosophers for centuries. The problem of personal identity is determining what conditions and qualities are necessary and sufficient for a person to exist as the same being at one time as another. Some think personal identity is physical, taking a materialistic perspective believing that bodily continuity or physicality is what makes a person a person with the view that even mental things are caused by some kind of physical occurrence. Others take a more idealist approach with the belief that mental continuity is the sole factor in establishing personal identity holding that physical things are just reflections of the mind.

Masks have held countless uses and meanings throughout history. Masks have been used in plays, like those of Shakespeare, traditional dances, social gatherings, even as a form of casual or corporal punishment. Although masks have several different uses in different cultural situations, the meaning of the masks is generally the same. Masks are used to conceal an appearance and assume the identity of another. Metaphorically, masks can be used to hide feelings, to protect oneself, and to block out the outside world. Many of these examples are shown in Art Speigelman 's Maus.

In the Novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Lee uses the characters Mrs. Dubose, Mr. Dolphus Raymond, and Tom Robinson to show the many ways that deceptive appearance can be seen. If it is the individual who puts up a mask, one’s personality, or past stereotypes that cause deceptive appearances: Lee tries to show you throughout the novel how perceiving someone before they get the chance to show you who they are, often turns out they are not as bad or they are not like how they once seemed to be. Today in our society many people are afraid to show who they are in fear of judgment of others so they put up a front so that they will be judge that part of them instead of that part of their true selves. Society’s eyes is the cause of the need to be a false image of yourself and the reason why people analyze someone based on stereotypes before getting to know their

Masks portray a sense of mystery. “No one could see me clearly. No one could see my face.” Lucy, Grealy. Masks. Print. The unknown is often intriguing. Generally their worn to portray a character or someone other than yourself and symbolize an imaginary life. For Lucy, it portrayed a sense of freedom. The freedom from being stared at, teased, lonely, and occasionally envious of others. Halloween is the only day that Lucy experience’s an ordinary life. Unlike the majority of other days’ mask are customary and her disability is masked. Providing her with the confidence to express herself freely by asking questions and making comments. “Studies show children with disabilities are two to three times more likely to be bullied than their non-disabled

In today’s society masks are used depending on the specific social group we interact with. Most people tend to have various masks or personalities when they are with specific people; such as with their friends, family, and during work. In Kenneth Gergen’s essay “In Defense of Masks,” he claims that people are not apt to find a specific mask to which they can be true too however, having various masks could be important because it allows people to adapt to various social groups . I disagree with Gergen’s claim and counter argue that utilizing only one specific mask with whomever we interact with will help anyone live a genuine lifestyle. There are various categories that fall into masks; for instance, makeup, clothing, religion, and appearance. Many individuals acquire masks because they seek approval from others or simply because they are mimicking someone. Once someone adapts to having multiple masks, it is difficult to figure out our true identity due to the variety of personalities that are being portrayed.

“’Identity has been increasingly used to refer to the social and historical make-up of a person, personality as a construct. Sometimes such identities are conceived narrowly psychological, individualist terms, as the cumulative result of personal experience and family history”

Masks were sometimes created for the purpose of being used in a ceremonies by a priest. The mask would be a certain deity and the priest would be dressed in costume to play out that character. By portraying the deity the priest would be

Masks are a covering for parts of the face that are worn for a disguise, pleasure, or to scare people. Greek theatre utilizes masks innumerable times for evident characters in their plays. The actors/actresses who position their masks on, become divergent people. The denotation the boys’ have behind the mask is unique from when they have the mask off. In Lord of the Flies by William Golding, the mask is used as a disguise from their normal society and civilization. Jack, Ralph and Roger prove that this statement is true throughout the novel. Golding once said that civilization is “the mask which enables the individual to hide his primitive nature.” This illustrates how one will disguise himself as someone or something that triggers their primal nature. William Golding’s purpose in writing this novel is to present to the readers when an individual loses connections with society they can regenerate one's true self to become someone they are not. The masks are utilized by these three characters to shield their nefarious doings. Jack, Ralph and Roger all have measures that delineate the diabolic and shadow within all humanity.

Many centuries ago the people of Venice, Italy began wearing Venetian masks to certain gatherings or even sometimes to conceal their identity while committing crimes. Venetian masks have become a tradition over the many centuries but remain very beautiful and extremely intricate. There are many different types of masks, each with their own design, use, history and significance. (The Mascherade)

A common discovery that many people make sooner or later throughout their life is that they feel so much more comfortable with the protection of a mask. They experience a feeling of freedom, because they feel like they are anonymous. People do not have to worry about what others will think about them because they do not know who is behind the mask. The person with the mask can say or do whatever he/she wants without consequence. There are many different types of façades. One would be commenting as an anon online. Another would be a literal mask that one would see at a masquerade party. A mask forms a sort of protective barrier that defends ones social status granting freedom to act in whatever way one pleases.

Masks can be very serious or can be taken as a joke, and a lot of people use them as a joke, but others very seriously, for example people are who fake all the time are using a mask to create a persona. I use the mask for a joke whether or not people take me serious, I use it as a joke. The mask I use to become a “new person” is the Vendetta mask because the story behind the mask tells a lot. The story behind the mask, makes me feel like I can fix the world and turn it into what it is supposed to be. A civil place, where there is no crime and hate like how God intended the world to be, but it all falls apart when I take the mask off. For some people even when they take the mask off they still think and feel that they are still that person that

Another example of the mask could be pretending to a Christian to keep people from knowing about a sinful lifestyle for fear of being an outcast. In the context of Christianity, unmasking makes sense in the relation to expected Christian normative behavior. Within this context a person’s behavior is framed within the context of social and scriptural expected Christian behavior, righteousness. When the desire to live a lifestyle outside of this framework of expected behavior becomes greater, unmasking becomes necessary. To take off the mask is to cease to perform as a Christian and to risk ridicule and expulsion from the church, but the absence of the mask reveals truth and a freedom of self. An example of this is being the perfect Christian on Wednesday and Sunday, but the biggest sinner every other day of the week. It’s a double-life made available with a mask.