The Pyrenees---Southern France

The Pyrenees---Southern France

Friday, October 19, 2012

Like the Layers of an Onion, So Are the Facets of Our Lives

      Yesterday I led some middle school students in a session at a  writing workshop.  Each young writer got a small mirror tile. I spoke about the layers of an onion--the outer crackly-paper skin, so delicate and thin. Then I dug into the onion with my fingernails as we discussed how we are like the onion...we have an outer, fragile layer which covers layer after layer. Some of those layers are so private, no one sees them. Others we share with our family, our friends, our loved ones.

photo by faygate
           The students used the mirror tiles to look at parts of their faces. They were instructed to imagine...If someone saw them walking down the street, and saw their eyes, their mouth, their nose, their hair...what judgements would they make? What kind of labels would they come up with?

        We discussed teenagers, and the stereotypes teens are burdened with. We discussed football players, African Anmericans (especially African American males), students from expensive private schools and the erroneous conclusions people jump to when they encounter them---we had them all in our community of writers

        The students then wrote--prose or poetry--about the surface them compared to the real person underneath the surface. Some of them began with "People think I'm....but really, I'm...." One writer created an interesting "checklist," with checkmarks in the boxes of things she really was, and Xs in the boxes of things that people thought about her but were incorrect. We then shared  our pieces (some of us) and I put in a plug for NaNoWriMo. 

       Two of the writers had earned an a field trip to an amusement park for the same day--due to being on the Honor Roll--but chose writing instead. How cool was that?

       Here is what I wrote as we all sat and created together:

You see someone fat, frumpy...
But deep down inside,
I'm really a skydiving,
Breaking Bad-watching woman.

You judge me,
calling me old,
calling me out of touch.
But under the surface
is a tattooed semi-radical,
a Sons of Anarchy fanatic
left behind from the 60's.

You envision me as slow-moving,
lethargic--part of the primordial ooze
I perhaps rose up from?
But try to tred on my passion,
try to smother my fire...
and you'll see.  

       What do people think when they see you? When strangers see you on the street, when someone hears you read your writing out loud but has never met you, what impressions do they form? What kind of "mask" do you wear, and what lies under the surface?

       Come on--share. It's safe. We're all writers 'round here...        

19 comments:

  1. Very thoughtful and funny post, Sioux. I love that one of your students gave up a trip to an amusement park to write.
    As far as impression versus reality:
    Someone I met in person after talking to several times on the phone told me they didn't realize I was so tall.
    Also . . . People might be surprised to learn there's a rebel inside of me.
    Several years ago my sister and I were in Branson when I somehow managed to get on a road behind a parade of muscle cars and hot rods. As the cars rumbled down the road, people on the sidewalks tossed buckets of water onto the pavement so cars could peel out. Not wanting to disappoint the crowd, I popped my Granny-green Escape into drive, hit the gas pedal and burned some rubber. The look on my sister's face was priceless as we sped down the street while teens on the sidewalks yelled, "Go, Granny, go!"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Donna--
      I am not surprised that there's some piss and vinegar underneath that "granny" surface. (This would make a wonderful personal essay--the wrong impressions people have of older women, how we often conform to fit that hole, but what REALLY lies underneath...

      Your story made me chuckle, Donna. Thanks.

      Delete
  2. I suppose they think I'm a mommy-bloggin', husband-hatin' hayseed whose heart is filled with vitriol towards the world. When in fact I am an introvert who uses writing as a release valve to avoid hurting the feelings of those who have hurt mine.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Val--Your answer caused me to be speechless for a moment. And that RARELY happens...

      Delete
  3. I am not afraid to let my wild child out to run rampant before I rein her in and make her behave like an adult. Your poem IS published, right? Send it out asap. It speaks volumes.

    What a great writing project for your students.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Linda--You are way too kind. But thanks.

    Yes, it was the right activity for the right age of students, since middle-schoolers are so self-centered. Everything is about THEM...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oooo, now there's a question that I would love to have the answer to; how do people picture / see me when they read what I write? I have no idea!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mama Zen--However they picture you, I'm sure it is as a hipper (as opposed to hippier ;), younger and more svelte creature than what they envision I am...*Sigh*

      Delete
  6. What a great lesson no matter what our age. I too am impressed by those kids who chose writing as the more amusing amusement! People tend to think I'm sweet and innocent and easily led. Hee hee.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tammy--Hee hee is right. You have an "impeccable manners" side and a "sharp-witted hilarious" side.

      Delete
  7. Awesome post, Sioux. People who don't know me think I'm Ms. Confidence. In reality, I'm self-conscious and always double-guessing myself . . . not as quiet as people think either! I can party with the best of them! :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Another great writing idea I will pass on to my son (a 7th grade creative writing teacher). Yikes! I hope no one who reads my writing envisions me as I really look.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Marcia--I think they envision a writer hidden behind a huge pile of writing awards and trophies and prizes...

      Delete
  9. Lisa--SOME people think you rent your kids, and you're actually in your 30's...But I'm not namin' names. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Love the poem, love the post. Sometimes people are surprised by my writing, because I can be quite the introvert. I wrote an "underground" newsletter once that was mostly attributed to another employee at my company because no one believed I did it! It was a "tribute" to an employee who was leaving, so it was funny, not a rant.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mary--Thanks.

      So you're proof of that old adage "still waters run deep," eh? I used to be able to claim "That wasn't me," but now I've developed enough of a reputation so that that claim won't fly.

      Delete
  11. What a fun day you had with teaching about writing. Those lucky kids. This question could be a good subject to write about...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Go for it, Lynn. You are so quiet and humble and refuse to EVER toot your own horn--about anything--so I'm sure there are lots of folks who have the wrong impression of you.

      Delete
  12. Hi Sioux...Finally found you...what a great writing lesson, and poem. Love your insight and wit. So cool that you have this blog and have had so much success with writing. Congratulations, my friend. I am a southern voice from the past who let too much time pass between conversations...wondering if you recognize the clues to determine the source...? PS messaged you on FB

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your comments. I appreciate you taking the time to stop by...