Beauty

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” is an old saying heard often. But can something be beautiful if the beholder has never seen anything like it before? It’s hard to be considered beautiful if there is nothing else to be compared to. It is simply known as different. All through elementary school, “different” was the adjective of my identity. Before it was cool to be tan or necessary for girls to have a voluminous head of hair, I was considered burnt brown and plain. If you are considered pretty you must behave demurely or run the risk of being labeled a whore. Have a deformity and you might be the receiver of awkward stares for the rest of your life. Whether an immigrant or a cancer survivor, everybody has some parts of themselves that they try to hide because society will always pass judgment. Women are constantly targets of cat calls or disgustingly rude comments. Physical appearances are gauged within seconds and mark you as “hot” or “not”. Both authors, Lahiri and Grealy demonstrate how physical appearances can form expectations of society .

With the dark skin and thick hair, it’s always assumed that I’m either Spanish or Indian. After stating my name, I’m automatically registered as Indian. “My Two Lives” is a tale of immigration that is easily relatable. Many first generation children are confused about where they belong and how they are perceived. The author, Jumpha Lahiri, speaks about the “frequently humiliating process of immigration” and how “her friends’ ethnic roots had descended underground whereas mine were still tangled and green.” (pg. 90). With the desire to be no different, Lahiri weighs the risk of losing her culture to gain a place among her peers. The trials and questions she faces are very relevant to any immigrant.

In the suburbs where I lived, middle school was fairly typical. With raging hormones and insecure devilish girls, it was a different kind of hell. The goal of any teenager is to fit in, and that goal becomes infinitely...