Atwood, Wing Young Huie, and "Othering"

Throughout life, people belong to a plethora of group, each of which bonds its members in unique ways. These groups allow those within them to benefit from their contributions and have the support of others. However, under some circumstances these groups will compete with or be unfriendly with other groups, or they will more subtlety define themselves as different from that group. From football teams to universities to religions to genders, people are divided into groups that see themselves as unique from all others. This process of "othering" can be destructive because it leads to groups with less power being treated as lesser than the elite.

This photograph was taken by Wing Young Huie and can be found on his blog in his gallery on Chinese-ness. At a glance, it shows a Chinese woman holding up a chalkboard in a field somewhere in what seems to be rural China. On closer inspection, one sees that the chalkboard reads "Woman's Appearance, Man's Heart," which could be what the woman values herself or what she finds her culture to value highly. There is thick fog in the background, which could stem from the environment in the location or from heavy air pollution in the region. The woman's outfit is a dull gray that looks almost industrial, covering most of her skin besides her hands, neck, and face. These elements in Wing Young Huie's work allow us to gain a deeper sense of understanding for his topic.

Both Margaret Atwood and Wing Young Huie represent the process of othering in their work. One type of othering that they show is into gender and gender roles. In the photograph above, the phrase "Woman's Appearance, Man's Heart," has some heavy implications behind it. If this is to be seen as the basis of or a feature of a value system, this system places value in women based on their appearance rather than their contributions to society. It also uses differing goals for men and women as a means to seperate them from one another. Atwood illustrates the same process of othering when Offred walks by the Guardians into the market with Ofglen. The Guardians are in positions that use physical power while the Handmaids do chores for their household and must cover themselves to keep their beauty hidden from men. Both Huie and Atwood show how societies divide the genders from each other in a way that leads to a power imbalance between the two groups.

Another way that othering can take place is through different economic classes. In The Handmaid's Tale, powerful men get to have a Wife as well as Handmaids and Marthas, while less powerful men may only get a Wife and Marthas or even only an Econowife, who has to take on three jobs at once. However, women in the novel have the real economic disadvantage because they are denied education, literacy, and property. This leaves women as the lowest economic class of Gilead. In Wing Young Huie's photograph, there is smoke in the background that can likely be at least partially attributed to air pollution. The problem of air pollution in China stems from a lack of regulation in China's industry. This negligence of the Chinese government leaves workers in China with barely any power whatsoever over their lives, and hurt the Chinese population. However, China's pollution also speaks to global issues in developing countries, where the health of billions of people is sacrificed to the benefit of wealthy countries that see the citizens of these developing nations not as humans but as others. The illustration of othering that is achieved by Atwood and Huie challenges the reader to challenge their own beliefs about the world and consider how othering influences their own lives and actions.