When reading about the “self,” in the three essays by Chee, Oates, and Diaz, the reader can see the mask they all wish to hide behind. In “Ordinary Girl,” Jaquira Diaz writes about her childhood and how she got away from it in the end. In “Lost Sisters: An Elegy,” Joyce Carol Oates talks mostly about her autistic sister and how Lynn was a gift, yet an accident. In “Girl,” Alexander Chee writes about his first and last time dressing in drag. In each of these essays there is some type of mask being shown and sometimes the mask helps the author, but in other instances it harms them. Chee states, “Sometimes you don’t know who you are until you put on a mask” (Chee 26). In this instance he is talking about dressing in drag. The author talks about
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This broken girl hides everything inside and slowly it keeps breaking more and more. Diaz decided to mask it with anger, suicide attempts, and drug abuse, “...we were ourselves again -- reckless, and unafraid, and pissed off at our parents for not caring that we spend most of our time on the streets or drunk or high, for being deadbeats and scutterheads” (Diaz 41). The author was mad at her mother for being mentally ill and not being about to take care of her like a ordinary mother. She was mad at her father for not being around and not giving Diaz the love she wanted, but she masked it and went around getting drunk or …show more content…
Chee’s mask helped him realize his true self and Diaz’s mask ended up hurting her multiple times. Oates’ family had a mask and it helped and hurt them; they could not invite others over but it helped protect the family as a whole. I know that everyone has a mask, most girls put theirs on every morning, it just depend on the reason for that mask if it is harmful or helpful. Every morning I wake up and put on my contacts, clothes that are comfy yet beautiful, and makeup -- I have to atleast have foundation, powder, and mascara -- this has been my routine since middle school and I just feel naked, ugly even, without. This mask of mine is harmless because I can go without the makeup, the contacts and the beautiful clothing. It is just something I prefer because it makes me feel
This broken girl hides everything inside and slowly it keeps breaking more and more. Diaz decided to mask it with anger, suicide attempts, and drug abuse, “...we were ourselves again -- reckless, and unafraid, and pissed off at our parents for not caring that we spend most of our time on the streets or drunk or high, for being deadbeats and scutterheads” (Diaz 41). The author was mad at her mother for being mentally ill and not being about to take care of her like a ordinary mother. She was mad at her father for not being around and not giving Diaz the love she wanted, but she masked it and went around getting drunk or …show more content…
Chee’s mask helped him realize his true self and Diaz’s mask ended up hurting her multiple times. Oates’ family had a mask and it helped and hurt them; they could not invite others over but it helped protect the family as a whole. I know that everyone has a mask, most girls put theirs on every morning, it just depend on the reason for that mask if it is harmful or helpful. Every morning I wake up and put on my contacts, clothes that are comfy yet beautiful, and makeup -- I have to atleast have foundation, powder, and mascara -- this has been my routine since middle school and I just feel naked, ugly even, without. This mask of mine is harmless because I can go without the makeup, the contacts and the beautiful clothing. It is just something I prefer because it makes me feel