By Any Other Name

A great man once wrote that "life's a stage, and all the men and women are merely actors." Although the actual world isn't a huge celestial stage located in some building, it does offer insight on how people go about "acting" out their lives. People want to be perceived in a way that benefits his or her life in a way, such as a nerdy kid at a new school taking on a new image for popularity. However, even if the nerdy kid succeeds in making his image and achieving popularity, is his computer loving nerdy side lost? Although people can cover their true selves with as much glitter and make up they want, they still have something truly genuine and unique to them that they cant change or hinder. A great example of this comes from a short story by writer Santa Rama Rau, in which she reflects on her past during the time that she attended a british school in India. In the memoir, Santha and her sister start attending a british school, and have their names changed to Cynthia and Pamela. While they attend that school they are expected to behave in a western manner and leave all traces of their culture behind. However, although all of these western ideas are being thrusted on to her and she is expect to conform, Santha unacknowledges them and remains faithful to her indian heritage. Her sister on the other hand, however, begins to doubt it and tries to conform to western ways, but in the end ultimately rejects this version of herself and leaves the school with her and her sister. This story is good because is shows us that even though others or even yourself can try to change their image, in the end ones true self is never lost. Much like Premila in the story, people will and do try to adapt to life and the situations around them for their benefit, often by trying to disregard his or her morals and true self. However, like Santha shows us in her memoir, although efforts can be made to try and make a different you, your true self remains, and a nerd is still a nerd.