Strangers And Misjudge Outsiders

just does not fit in. An outsider is different and distinct, but not always valued or

Have you ever walked into school or a job and felt like you were not like everyone else? Many people struggle with the feeling of not fitting into a certain norm, which causes them to feel as though they are an outsider. In the story Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka Gregor Samsa becomes an outsider when he wakes up to discover he is a monstrous bug. Not only does his family misjudge him but they starve, mistreat, and seclude him. Outsiders like Gregor Samsa have always been different and misjudged.

There is a bountiful number of outsiders in our society and we are wondering, why are they outsiders and what have they done to become that, what defines them? Outsiders in our society are simply misunderstood and people do not understand them, hence them being outsiders. The reasons that seem to make outsiders misunderstood is that they do not like or do the popular stuff at the time. Also, those who are outsiders are seen as people that are “different,” but really are misunderstood. Outsiders are just misunderstood in society and not purposely being pushed out.

In Ryszard Kapuscinski’s lecture, “Encountering the Other: The Challenge for the 21st Century”, Kapuscinski argues that everyone is part of another group that is deemed the ‘Other’. Kapuscinski states that “Others are indeed Others, but for those Others, I am the one who is Other” (Kapuscinski, 22). Thus, being an outsider is a universal condition since we are all the Other to someone else. However, some might argue that being an outsider is not a universal condition as humans are by nature social animals so being an outsider is a rare occurence. To this, Kapuscinski also states that being an outsider is universal as “...the Other is a mirror into which you peer...a mirror that unmasks and denudes, which we would prefer to avoid” (Kapuscinski, 28). In other words, being an outsider is a universal condition even though humans are social animals because the Other is a reflection of qualities that define a person and humanity in general. The quality of being in outsider is universal as everyone is an outsider to someone else and outsiders are simply reflections of who humanity

One example of an outsider would be Gregor in the famous story “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka. In this story, there are numerous examples of Gregor being misjudged and Gregor feeling misunderstood. The first example is how people view Gregor as a traveling salesman. “People don't like traveling salesmen. I know that. People think they earn pots of money and thus lead a fine life. People don't even have any special reason to think through this judgment more clearly” (Kafka, 148). In this quote, you can clearly see that people are misjudging Gregor because he is a traveling salesman. In the text, Gregor feels that he is misunderstood because none of these people know that Gregor has to work as a traveling salesman not because he wants to, but because he has to pay off his family's debt. Another example is how Gregor’s family assumes things about what he would or would not do. “But how can it be Gregor? If it

As human beings, we like to put labels on people around us to help us identify them. Most of these people around us are strangers and we do not know any personal detail about them. We tend to identify them based on their appearance, rather than who or how they are as people. We are often unaware of the impacts our labels have on these people. In the essay “ On being a cripple” by Nancy Mairs and “ The Myth of a Latin woman : I Just Met a Girl Named Maria” by Judith Ortiz Cofer, the writers have successfully portrayed the feelings that arise in people’s mind based on the way they are identified. In both the essays, the writers tell us how they have been incorrectly labeled and judged by society based on their social, physical and racial appearance, how they are tired of it and how they have come to accept and make peace with it.

Everyone is different in terms of appearance and life circumstances, so feeling like an outsider is bound to happen at least once during one’s life. In ‘Sonnet, With Bird’, the author felt like an outsider because of his race. “I am the only Indian in this country right now” (Alexie 214). He didn’t think that he fit in because of his skin color, and he is not alone in this feeling. People all over the world feel like outsiders because of how they look. Another thing that people can feel like an outsider because of is their life situation. Because of their economic class, the Kelvey children in ‘The Doll’s House’ felt like outsiders compared to the seemingly more well off children. “...the Kelveys were shunned by everybody” (Mansfield 203). Just because of an insignificant thing like social class, one can be made to feel like an outsider.

People might leave “outsiders” out due their appearance and might “look different” from everyone else. These “outsiders” are left out and it can make them feel bad about themselves and their appearance. For instance, in Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, the main character, Gregor, is isolated by his family after turning into a bug. Before he was a bug, his family is fine with him and treats him fairly. After he turns into a bug, his family traps him inside his room and that causes him to lose his humanity. Gregor can be compared to an outsider because he was left out and isolated from

What is an outsider? An outsider is a person who is not excepted by or is isolated by society. Have you ever been an “outsider”? Everyone experiences a situation where they weren’t able to fit in. The feeling of not being able to fit it is universal. Not everyone is the same and in certain situations you may not be able to bond with everyone. Everyone is focused on being judged or being the person who is judging someone. If you are not like everyone in your society group, those people don’t except you. Nowadays our society feels that if you aren’t up to people’s expectations, you are known to be an “outsider”. Being an outsider is universal because not everyone is social, not everyone can afford nice things and not everyone is popular.

At some point in life, every individual has been treated like an outsider. It occurs

Everyone has a place in the world, to think otherwise is naïve; this world is not owned by a specific race, class or gender. And yet, in a time where the world is seemingly at our fingertips we are still finding prejudices at every corner. Often, the differences of others are perceived negatively and this causes misconceptions and assumptions. If we could strip ourselves of this negativity and lose the impulsive perceptions, then we should be able to put forth greater efforts to understanding the lives of those from backgrounds which are different than our own, in doing so acceptance towards others would likely follow.

In a perfect world, we would see no color. People would be judged based on their character instead of their skin color or religious preference, yet this is real life. This doesn’t happen. Instead, we prejudge the different types of people in the world before actually getting to know them. In society, we judge people based on one’s racial identification or religious preference instead of their self-perception.

I think that the best theme song would be “Outsiders” by Lecrae. I think that because the Greasers were rebels and that beat in that song reminds me of something they would listen to. It also says “living the free life.” Greasers can do whatever they want some drop out, some party, and some fight. It also says “we might die.” Greasers never knew what would happen because of the rivalry between them and the socs. MY next connection is “unashamed and all afraid to live out what they was supposed to be.” Greasers always said that they were born to be a greaser and nothing can change that. They also say that they are proud to be a greaser and wouldn’t change that. My last connection is “I tried my best to fit in.” Greasers always had trouble fitting

But the person who is thus labeled an outsider may have a different view of the matter. He may not accept the rule by which he is being judged and may not regard those who judge him as either component or legitimately entitled to do so. Hence, a second meaning of the term emerges: the rule breaker may feel his judges are outsiders.”

After considering the list of ways people can make others feel welcome and valued or like outsiders: I have come to the conclusion that each event listed could be interpreted in a positive way and used for good or may be interpreted in a negative way and used to fuel my oppression.