Ring Leader by: Jennifer Durgan This story was about a young woman growing up in the 70’s. She moved to Minnesota from Alaska. This character is a free spirt and free thinker. This woman did not want to be like everyone else. As she got older, she wanted to be herself. I think it’s ironic that she changed due to her environment, she was always independent. But her moving into a more conformist environment caused her to change. Her perspective altered to not look at your flaws as negative, empower them, and make them yours. Even with Natalie’s unusual upbringing, she was able to overcome her physical flaws, and express herself. Growing up in a Minnesota High School she reflects back as to what happened to make her change. She stated that she was an outsider she didn’t look, talk, or dress like anyone else. She stated “I grew up ugly- …show more content…
Natalie knew that once this opportunity for her broke through, she was free. She had to conform to look like them, to disguise herself to keep the position. Once she made tenure, she knew she was then able to express herself freely without judgement. Her office became decorated as she desired to make it look different and to her liking. She knew this was her time to deviate from the norm that she had been trapped in for so long. She was looking for “a way to carry the paraphernalia around with her” (Kusz, page105) a way to be different. Natalie stated that she was trying to make a statement. She was trying to find herself when she got a nose piercing. This was the effect of having been part of a conformed society for so long. “I have it now, after all, deliberately chosen a facial flaw” (Kusz, page105). She had stated she only had one eye and covered the other one up like a pirate. In doing this, she liberated herself she figured people were already looking, now give them a reason too. This was a sign of empowerment for her, she now made the choice for people to look at