In Part II of Camu's The Stranger, Meursault is put on trial as much for the murder of the Arab as he is for his deviation from the standard norms of society. His behaviors go against what many believe is standard societal "normalcy". Our whole lives, we are told mixed messages. On one hand, we are told to stand on our own two feet, to be our own person, and not to care what everyone else thinks of us. On the other hand, those that are brave enough to stand out from the crowd and truly not conform to society are treated as outcasts, ridiculed and sometimes this persecution has dire consequences. What does it mean to be "normal"? Who gets to decide? What effect do these mixed messages have on the individual? On society? Think about this and explain your thoughts.
Veronica Wallace
ReplyDeleteNormal is one of those words that you can't really describe. I mean i could say normal is being okay with everything that happens, and that you are perfectly sane, but I don;t say the definition true because i know I'm not normal. We, the I.B kids get told this all the time, that we should be different, but if we're too different then we get told to stop and we can't be who we are. No one decides who's normal and who's not. People can say that their views on normality are right, but who says its okay to tell someone they're normal or they;re different?
Kristien Salisbury
ReplyDeleteIn Treweek's class she told us that we are not our own individual person. We usually get everything we are from somewhere or someone else. So I would think normal is the conforming part of our nature. Those who don't conform like most of the population would be the 'abnormal'. I don't think that one person gets to decide what's normal just the people in general set the 'normal' because if your a little odd you get ridiculed for it. When we are younger we are always told that we are our own person and we should always think for ourselves. Then we learn we actually aren't our own person, it's kind of annoying to think we are less individualistic than we thought.
"You is kind. You is smart. You is important" - The Help
Keith Knudsen
ReplyDeleteWe are the result of thousands of years of generations. All of what they were makes up who we are today. Though what we see in this modern world is completely different from what was a long time ago, we see ourselves as "normal". but what is normal? normal cant be a standard that was set in stone, as its constantly changing! if somebody walked around London dressed as we are today, they would probably be beaten. just as well, if someone pranced around Ocala with a cane, monocle and a top hat you know they would get weird looks! Since the standard of normality changes along with time, the thought of normal remains a thought. If you think about it, it doesn't exist!if there is no set standard for people, labeling someone as normal tells us nothing. Is he/she 11th century normal? Is he/she 18th century normal?
Brianna Parlette
ReplyDeleteNormal has a different definition to everyone. What I find normal you might find atypical. Normal has no set definition. However there are some social norms that most of us abide by and that contibutes to our normalcy. Nobody really decideded what was normal and whats not its just how our society is. Sometimes we base social norms off religion. In psychology we talked about the steps in life we make and during adolence we battle to find our identity. This is where we find our normalcy and for some people it will be more difficult than others. It will shape who we are. Not everyone fits into the social norms but then again what are the norms? its a question that doesnt have a definite answer.
McKenzie Johnson
ReplyDeleteTo be normal is to conform to the mass proportional standard of what people are doing at a certain moment or time period. If we are strayed away from the mass majority of a population we stick out more than the other and therefore are found quicker by society. Being normal changes every time you switch location or even moods. Normal changes with your setting and surrounding and is never the same twice. This gives us great difficulty when we're trying to stay normal to fit in because we are more likely to try and repeat the same normal act twice that might put us in the category of different the second time.
Shonique Edwards
ReplyDeleteLike Veronica said, you cannot really describe normal. It has so many different definitions to so many different people. In today's world, it is hard to categorize normal but the closest you can get to it is conforming to everyone who is widely accepted. In a way, society decides if you are normal or not because they are the ones who cast you out if you are different to them. But with the mixed messages that we receive growing up, we become confused with our identity, and we turn into people that we're not, just so we can be "normal". It effects society because society doesn't know who to accept and who to cast out because its received so many messages over the years.
I think being 'normal' is just doing what everyone else does just to blend in and not be your own person. Dressing how everyone else dresses, acting how everyone else acts, following the crowd. No one can trully say who is normal and who is abnormal, but deep down we all know. You can say that you want to be unique and an individual, but you end up doing the same exact thing that your friend did the day before that he got from that one kid.. Everyone just copies and mimicks one another to a point where its sickening in my opinion. If you actual sit back and observe people for a few days, your observations will shock you, at who follows who, and who trys to get the most attention, etc. The mixed messages lead to people having role-confusion and not really knowing their true self. That's especially true for teenagers who go through a million styles just to accomodate people around them. Thus, everyone is just this blob of 'same', and the people that are actually willing to step out of that blob are seen as freaks and what not.
ReplyDeleteMarlena Hill
Jessica Vilberg
ReplyDeleteNo one can truly be "normal" because there are so many different ways to see what "normal" is. Some see it as having the trendy clothes, having a certain hairstyle, and acting a certain way. Then some see it as going against what most people look like, or act like. However, whatever people decide to go with, they will be made fun of by people that think differently of what "normal" is. Everyone tells you to be your own person and different, but when it comes down to it, if you are around people who believe differently that you, it could hurt you.
im on my phone so theres probably gonna be a lot of typos. People strive to portray the image of normal every day, yet they always say 'dare to be different'. If soneon does try to do something digferent for once, like dress differently or just march.to their.own drum, they often get made fun of. That is so contradictory to what people always encourage. Look at Mercy. On hat day she wore a witch hat and made an outfit to match it. It was bright orange and she had socks up to her knees. That was the definition of different, yet all i would see were eyes glued on her as she walked in the cafeteria. People are hypocrites.
ReplyDeleteAndie Sifontes
Stephana Reid
ReplyDeleteNo one can truly every be normal, just as no one could ever truly be themselves without being riddiculed in some way. Those who do try to be themselves end up being bullied or talked about. Like what Andie said about Mercy, she is the kind of person that really shows her true color and people make fun of her because of it.
Tori Miller
ReplyDeleteI feel as though the concept of what is normal - in terms of fashion, personality, body size, etc. is determined by the media of the society and religion of their environment. What's normal in the 60's is not normal now because their are different people in the media spotlight now than there was then. This is very influential on an individual as they are growing up because it determines how they will think and act.
Giovanna Sutherland
ReplyDeleteNormal means to act and be like everyone else in society. A normal person dresses, walks, and talks the way society says they should. The person or rather thing that gets to decide what is normal and what is not would have to be the media. Everything we do is a copy of what is seen on TV, or broadcast on Facebook and other social networks. The effects the way we think and act around other people. We are only allowed to be ourselves with in the lines of being like everyone else. Those that venture outside the line are truly brave because they aren't afraid of what others have to say about them. The burden to be "normal" takes away from an individuals sense of creativity and new trends and things can't be created. If no one decided to step outside the lines of normality we wouldn't have postmodernism, Lady Gaga, or Louboutins. Some of the best things ever created were done so by the people in society that were brave enough to cross the borders of "Normal town".
their is no such thing as normal because my normal may not be someone elses normal. im country but that doesnt mean i drink or smoke so how was i normal. noone decides the normal and these people cause confusion and make people to conform to their ways no one elses. it affcts individuals and all of society! -Brandon Bernard
ReplyDelete