First, the schedule for the week.
Tuesday: Making masks and practicing for the play. Remember to bring supplies to make your mask. I'll be taking a daily grade just to make sure everybody is contributing.
Wednesday: Practice, practice, practice. Wednesday is dedicated to finishing masks, finishing set pieces, backdrops etc. Remember the more creative the better. I'll also have copies of the play for everyone so that you can use it during the performances. When everyone is finished prepping for the performances, you'll write up the half page on the mask's symbolism.
Thursday: Today is performance day! Everyone will deliver their glorious theatrical experiences to the world.
Friday: Behind every lesson you get at school there is the underlying question of relevance. "Why are we learning this?" I have heard that (very fair) question thousands of times. This question becomes especially prescient when studying something like ancient Greek drama. Friday we will be watching Jessica Yu's film Protagonist. In this film four men's very different life experiences are juxtaposed against The Bacchae, with powerful and relevant effect.
BLOG POST FOR RESPONSE
This week we're making masks, but we are more comfortable wearing masks than we'd care to admit. Human beings put on a mask every day. Call it a "persona" or "etiquette" but in some way we all present a different face to the world than that which we know to be true when we are alone.
The question here is why do people do this? Can we be authentic if we continually put on a different face for the outside world? Is it simply a matter of diplomacy? Am I taking all of this too seriously? Write me some answers to these questions as well as some examples of "masks" (metaphorical or no) that people wear.
In class I am usually fairly quiet, sitting off in a corner doing my work silently when allowed. When I'm with my group of friends, I become more outspoken, less reclusive. There are probably plenty of people like this.
ReplyDeletePeople wear "masks" because they want to fit in. They want to avoid being made fun of because they say the wrong thing. Or maybe it's because they're shy around new people. Maybe it's to avoid offending anyone. It all boils down to wanting to make the right impression. We only show our true selves when we are completely unafraid of ridiculed.
Callie Stribling 1/2
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ReplyDeleteWhen thinking of the word "mask", alternate personalities come to mind, or in other words how I express myself around certain people. I think that the concept of wearing "masks", and pretending to be someone we're not,is all derived from what situation we are in at a given moment, and how comfortable we feel in that situation. Wearing a mask isn't necessarily a bad thing--in fact, I find it to be more of human nature, a basic reflex. It's also hard to determine which is the real you. After wearing masks for so long, it's easy to forget the character who hides behind the masks. Then comes the question, is our whole life lived under various masks? I, personally, act differently towards different people in different situations, but in each of those cases I'd like to say it's the real me. What if our personality was just a series of masks?
ReplyDeleteMichelle Zhang, Period 1/2
The majority of people do wear masks everyday, I would consider it to be quite difficult to find someone that doesn't put on a mask for their peers or the people they respect. People can do this for many reasons. One common reason is that many individuals aren't comfortable with the people they are around, so they become either someone they aren't to be accepted, or just very shy and quiet. Generally in school, I am very timid and I stay quiet, but when I told my parents this they were shocked. They pictured me to be like I am at home, loud and comfortable. The reason for this is because in the class setting I don't feel comfortable speaking much in front of others, but around my family I can be totally open.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't consider anyone to be truly real or authentic if they have on a mask, because they are hiding who they truly are, and they probably aren't acting how they would if they were alone or with a group of people that is very close to them.
The masks that people wear are a big deal, and can really alter what you think of someone. It is a matter of being comfortable with different situations, and often, we wear masks because we are afraid of the reaction or thoughts of others.
Emerson Curtis, Period 1/2
Everyone wears at least one mask. We all put on a mask when we join other people, and whether that mask is one of masking your outsides with make-up, or masking your inner personality with an invisible mask of normality, it is a fact that everyone does it. But I also feel that there is always something that pokes through the mask, always a defining feature or two that marks the difference between you and the rest of the world. Otherwise when humans went out in public they would be more robots than human beings.
ReplyDeleteAlmost everyone wears some type of mask. When I think of a mask, the alteration of ones self to adapt to an environment comes to mind. I think people do this sometimes to hide who they really are because they don't feel comfortable or accepted unless they put on this "mask". You are hiding who you really are so you could give people a good impression. But sometimes it's not always a bad thing, for some people it good bring out the better in them. I feel that sometimes it's just a reflex that we have to automatically adjust. If there is usually hyper and spontaneous and they walk into a formal party, they automatically will put on a mask that is more poised and proper.
ReplyDeleteWe can all still be authentic because everyone acts differently in different environments and I feel that the main idea behind "masks" is just trying to fit in.
I would agree with many of the above comments--we all have various masks that we sometimes put on depending on who we're around--and everyone wants to have characteristics that they might not actually have. It's just human nature. Some people exhibit these masks more than others, and it's true, we often do it in an attempt to make a good impression.
ReplyDeleteHowever, at the same time, I believe that it is absolutely possible to be authentic, we are simply more likely to expose our real selves when we are by ourselves or around people we know very well.
Katie Pastor, Per. 5/6
I agree that everyone, at one point or another wears a metaphorical mask. Sometimes it is intentional and other times we do it unconsciously. How we want people to perceive us is crucial to how we act around them. We say and do things we believe they will approve of, even if it skews what our “inner-self” feels. This goes back to how we all care about what other people think. However, I don’t think this needs to be read into extensively. What we might want to think about instead of why we wear masks is why we wear specific masks around certain people or while doing certain things. I still don’t think that we betray our true self by wearing different masks throughout our days. The only time I think we aren’t completely authentic is when we are completely aware and consciously wearing a mask that isn’t and never will be true only to get a desired reaction.
ReplyDeleteJenna Lang, 1/2
I think that some people are more comfortable behind masks than others. Some feel fine just going out and acting the way they would at 3am with their closest friends no matter the situation. But there are also societal rules that can control the masks we wear. In public situations we sometimes have to act more composed than in others, varying from formal dinners to dancing at clubs. For the most part we can still be authentic with these "masks" we wear, unless we feel uncomfortable enough to completely change our personalities. A way we act in public is still part of us as people so it still requires authenticity.
ReplyDeleteAiden Kahn 1/2
People put on masks for a multitude of reasons but it's always due to other people, most people don't put on a mask to hide from themselves. They can wear masks to fit in, or to not be noticed. People can still be authentic if they wear masks, as long as they keep their mask(s) consistent. Masks aren't really a big deal because everyone puts on a mask, it's a situation that effects everybody. It only becomes a problem when have to change their personalities for every person and they become so many different people that they can't keep track of who they really are.
ReplyDeleteGabby McRoberts 5/6
People are always just trying to fit in with the world. For example if someone was to work in an office building and they're always out partying they would have to put on a mask to make them more acceptable for the work environment. A lot of kids also do this when transitioning from school to school, as they might want to fit into a different niche at their new school. We have to know when to take these masks off so we don't offend someone, or do something that is not acceptable in society. These "masks" can also differ between classes from snobby rich people to humble beggars, but we may never know what their true intentions are because of these masks. Masks make it hard to trust people because we don't know what their true motives are, but it all depends on our own decisions with the masks that we wear.
ReplyDeleteRyan Rash 1/2
People done masks based on the surrounding climate. You act completely differently around your friends than your parents, and you act completely differently around your parents than around yourself. Having societal "masks" is an integral part of our country, if everyone acted as professional as they would at a job interview then we'd live in a boring, Vulcan-like world. Similarly, if everyone acted as if they were out clubbing then the world would be chaotic and, even then, eventually turn boring. Masks aren't necessarily the way you act either, they have to do with the way you think and look, for example, in the Beatles song Eleanor Rigby she's "wearing a face she keeps in a jar by the door," to represent how her personality itself can change in between climates.
ReplyDeleteKira Strzepa 1/2
I think that one of the main reasons why we wear these "masks" is because we live in a world that judges and that is always competing. When we are alone we do things that we are ashamed of or would never do in public. We all want to be a role model or somebody that is well seen and to be that we simply can't always be are true selves. These masks we wear change depending on the circumstances. When are in front of our parents we act responsible and hard working so that we are well seen, when in front of teachers we act polite and concentrated and when in front of a lover we act more ladylike or gentlemanly or composed. We try to act in a way that will seem more appropriate for that moment or person. There is another type of mask, the one that hides the inner feelings. When we feel like crying we hold it in and smile for the outside world. Now when we are alone pfff, who cares? You are certainly not going to judge yourself so you are free to act as you please. This is a serious matter, it means that we live in a world where we actually don't know who people are (and might not even know who we are ourselves). But this will never change as this is part of our society and almost culture.
ReplyDeleteSandra Norwood
Period 1/2
I think that every person puts on a mask. The reason for what mask they have on at a certain time depends on the situation that they are going through. For example, if you are with your friends you will obviously not have the same one as if you were with your parents. Another example, would be if a person is going through a tough time at home they will probably try to hide it when they are in a public place, such as school. I agree with Gabby when she says that people put on masks for many reasons. I also, like many of my classmates, think that most people put on masks to try to fit in.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Mendez, 1/2
I believe the main reason people wear masks are so that they can feel accepted. For example, a person may see a group of people or friends they want to join, but realize they can't unless they look or act a certain way. This can cause the person to stray from authenticism when the mask is sought off as true, but it can also lead to authenticism when the person realizes the mask is not appropriate for them after all. I believe it is true that masks can be heavily associated as a matter of diplomacy.
ReplyDeleteDanielle D
Great ideas 1/2
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ReplyDeleteSeveral people wear masks every day, usually for personal reasons. This could be because they’re trying to cover up a part of themselves or because they would like the world to view them in a specific way. For example, wearing make-up is like wearing a mask because one is covering up their natural beauty. Metaphorically, some people wear many different masks for different groups of people. For example, one might act differently around close friends rather than someone they're not familiar with. Wearing a mask isn't authentic because by masking our true identities, we are allowing everyone else to view us differently, and only see what's on the surface.
ReplyDeleteIvana Correa 5/6
I think people wear 'masks', or act differently around people because they are insecure. Everyone, including myself, has done something, said something or pretended for the sake of 'fitting in' or being accepted by thier peers. It's in our nature as human beings to want to be accepted by the people around us. I believe a person can never be truely 'authentic' in thier personality because a persons personality is made up of multiple personas that if they keep them up for long enough, they adopt as who they are. Most peoples personas change drastically during adolescence because they are going through that "finding themselves' stage. Diplomacy does contribute to this sort of "human identity crisis" but, as I said before, it's kind of in our nature to act differently around other people; an instict maybe. From a psycological standpoint, no you're not taking this at all too seriously. You're asking valid questions. From an average persons perspective, you're probably overthinking a bit, but that's all based on perspective.
ReplyDelete-Jeanea
5/6
When I'm not in class, I'm loud and tell everyone jokes all of the time, even if they're really bad and no one but me thinks they're funny. When I'm in the classroom, however, I try to not say too much during class discussions, only talking among my friends when we're not working. We can be authentic and have masks for different situations, because we might want to act differently depending on the occasion. That person can still be our true self.
ReplyDeleteConnor 5/6
We wear masks for many reasons. Some people wear them because they are scared to show their insecurities, some people truly have something to hide, and other people just don't really know who they are. But wearing a metaphorical mask doesn't always have to be a bad thing. Sometimes it makes adjusting to something easier when you up on a mask that says you understand when you really don't, and then as you grow into that understanding, you no longer need the mask. Masks can be helpful, like temporary shields that help us fit in until we don't need to be tentative in the situation anymore and can just be ourselves. The problem with these masks is that people abuse them and turn them into the only self that they show to people. They get attached to who they show people that they are and then are to scared to reveal their actual selves because they fear they won't be liked. If the mask was to severe, this may be the case. A mask should be a temporary shield, not a disguise.
ReplyDeleteHannah Bangs 1/2
I say that I must agree with you when you say that people put on masks everyday. In a way, I believe we do this to show people what we want them to see. The reasons for doing so is what often goes unnoticed. As a human race, we all haw insecurities that we try to cover up and hide from others in order to be accepted rather than embarrassed. It is this action alone that defines us. In a way we must cover up what we don't want others to see to not only feel better about ourselves, but to make others feel well and comfortable too. Although we may be hiding who we actually are, I believe that you
ReplyDeletecan still be authentic, as some may have different reasons for acting a certain way or being a certain way than others. All of the reasons for wearing a mask are often different, complex and extremely unique.
I think that there are examples of people wearing masks everyday. In fact, I will use myself as an example. I for one always want to be looked at as the strong and confident individual who pretty much always has things altogether and going well. For the most part, I want to be a role model and hothers look up to me (instead of the other way around, considering that I am younger than everyone). To accomplish this, I often put myself in positions ohigh responsibilty and always assist others. This is my mask, this is how I wanted to be viewed by others.
Raeneisha Cole
Great ideas
Period 5/6
I believe that people do wear a sort of mask depending upon the occasion. We do change our persona to fit the situation at hand and I do not think that we become unauthentic when we change our behavior to fit different situations. Sort of like how Zeus appears in human form before mortals, so that we don't get obliterated by his real appearance. I also think that the masks that we put on are, for the most part, of better people, and perhaps being viewed by other people as good can help the real person inside of us become good. We also put on masks out of respect for those around us. For example, if I were talking to the president, I would not bring up the fact that he is not a good president.
ReplyDeleteSpencer Neth
5/6
We wear masks to protect ourselves in a way. Sometimes if people see what we really feel or act like naturally, it isn't socially acceptable. It's also depends on who you are with. There are different masks people wear around different people. This is usually because when you're with different groups of people, you act a different way to fit in. Hopefully, there are people that you never have to wear a mask around.
ReplyDeletePeople put on “masks” for many situations all the time. Some may mask themselves when presented with a new environment in which they are uncomfortable. Others use masks on a daily basis to skate through the day. People often use these “masks” or shields without even realizing it. For instance, as a kid when your around adults you tend to watch how you act as supposed to as how you may be around your friends, or even by yourself. It's hard to be truly authentic if your continually putting on or switching the masks your behind. If a mask is used to ease into a situation like when introduced to a new environment but then lost shortly afterwards your authenticity can be maintained. Masks I believe should not be abused to the extent your never open to who you are, but used to simply ease into uncomfortable situations as easily possible.
ReplyDeleteChristopher Delgado 1/2
ReplyDeleteSam Kaspar
ReplyDeletePeriod 5/6
(I hate when I forget to put that the first time.)
I feel that the masks people wear on a day-to-day basis are often confused with lying, while these masks are more like screens.The way you act around some people might be different but it isn't actually lying. You aren't giving them a false identity, you're showing them a different side of you or filtering your opinions based on your relationship with the person. Makeup can cover up small imperfections and create illusions of wider eyes or slimmer faces, but does not completely change what your face looks like. It only enhances, providing the wearer with confidence. Humans are very insecure and vulnerable by nature and we wear these masks so that we feel protected from either harm or social ostracism.
ReplyDeleteShannon Plunkett 1/2
Almost every person has more than one “mask” that they wear. May it be to a sporting event or a wedding or just how they act around friends or family, we all have different ways we handle ourselves in different situations. People do this to sometimes fit in into larger crowds, or to feel better about oneself by being someone they are not. Each face takes you farther and farther from the actual world and who you are. You may be authentic with the mask you have created for the public but truly you are not. I for example have noticed to wear a mask when I am with friends. I tend to act differently then when I am with my family. I talk more; swear more and act dumber then my usual self. I do it self-consciously and it makes up who I am. Sometimes you don’t purposely create a mask for yourself but rather society paints one on for you.
ReplyDeleteSebastian Canizares 1/2
I think that the reason people put on masks is usually because they are afraid of how other people might react if ther act like themselves. Everyone has aspects about them that are different and I think people often cover them up for fear of being judged. An example of when someone might put on a mask is when they are around people that they dont't know or feel comfortable with, they might act different from how they usually do.
ReplyDeleteDenali
5/6
I often find that the biggest load one carries in their life is their personality - the strain of pretense. Your personality makes you worried and emotional. It's the cause of your moods and self-doubt, your depressions and times of misery. I feel that most personalities live off every kind of stimulus, good and bad, depression and excitement. And usually they are utterly terrified of being found out. So because of this we tend to make separate, specific masks to conceal these bits and pieces of our true self.
ReplyDeleteI have seen this in many students and even some teachers at our school. I believe that their personalities are what construct the false faces that protect us from revealing who we really are. Sometimes it's difficult to cope with ourselves. Hard to deal with knowing what kind of person we truly are. Each mask worn is a different face we hope to see in the glass mirror we stare at each morning.
-Noe Mina 1/2
People put on different masks so that they can fit in in different social situations. For example, most people act differently when they're hanging out with friends than when they're at a formal dinner party. For some people, these masks are fake, and the person's real personality doesn't show through at all. However, for most, the masks they put in show different sides of someone's personality, and are authentic. Whether the masks are "real" or not depends on how comfortable the person is with themselves and how confident they are in social situations. Someone who is more insecure is more likely to put on a "fake" mask.
ReplyDeleteSander Trubowitz 5/6
The concept of "putting on a mask" is not a foreign concept for me because I do it everyday. I feel that I have to do it because of any pressure that is put on me by the people around me. I try to act the way I'm expected to act by my peers and teachers. However, when I get home its all fair game. I act much differently at home then I do say in Great Ideas. I am much more energetic and vocal at home then I am in my classes at school, and I am different when I am with my friends at lunch. That is only three of my "masks" that I wear in an average day. It all depends on the surroundings.
ReplyDeleteMark Rangel 5/6
Everyone wears a mask, depending on the situation and the people around them. In high school, kids will put on a mask and hang with a group when they would rather hang with their true friends, just to be popular. Even at home, kids will pretend to be happy for their parents when they are actually stressed to the max with school and social issues. I guess when you really think about it, we really aren't authentic, because if we keep on a mask for the outside world, then we are never able to truly be ourselves and feel the need to pretend, meaning we will never be truly happy.
ReplyDelete-Amber Mangalindan 1/2
many people put on mask for different reasons. many do it to hide their personality behind because the outside world has so many expectations and to live up to them you are putting on a mask that you are what they expect but then you can go home and not have any expectations and no reason to do anything so you are yourself in your own skin. there are many reasons to wear a mask, to hide your feelings, to hide personality, to keep your school world and work world separate.
ReplyDelete-danni biddle 5/6
People wear masks to cover up who they truly are for many reasons. Sometimes it’s because who they really are is considered unacceptable to others or because they just aren't comfortable with themselves. I think that if we put on these masks all the time, then it is difficult to be authentic and to know what people are really like. Even with family and friends people wear masks to please others or to hide issues that they are going through. Sometimes, however, the masks that we put on reflect certain personality traits that we might be comfortable with, that give an insight to who we really are underneath it all.
ReplyDeleteMichaela Boswell 1/2
One person wears a different mask for everyone they interact with. They wear more of a mask with some people than with others. People do this to make themselves seem more impressive. Whenever i'm upset and I don't want to talk about it i put on a mask to block people out telling them i'm fine when im not.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the idea that humans wear masks on a daily basis, disguising who they really are. People in today's society are obsessed with what other people see when they look at them. They want to be liked, and popular, and cool. So, people put on these metaphorical masks that create the illusion that the person is really into sports, or emo, or punk, or nerdy. Some people truly are this way, and others just act that way to be liked by those that naturally are that way.
ReplyDeleteA classic example of this disguising of oneself to seem like something that you aren't is when a guy is trying to pick up a girl. If she is really smart, and into reading, the guy will pretend he knows a lot about literature and writing, when really, he is into sports. He does this to be liked by the girl, when really she likes who he says he is, not who he actually is. Another example of mask wearing can be found in almost any celebrity you can name. Take, for example, Justin Beiber. He is completely manufactured to be liked by a specific audience. (8 year old girls) This is done by making him look like he's 5, and having him sing really cheesy songs in a high pitched voice. In reality, Beiber is probably almost nothing like the person that millions of 8 year old girls know and love. This is all just a mask that he wears to get people to like him, just like the guy that's trying to pick up the nerdy girl.
-Jesse Moritz 5/6
The basic mask that people put on is the mask of just "having manners" & being polite in a certain settings. Most people who are trained to have manners will show that out in public but they may be a different way at home because there away from the world. Nobody sees who they really are. For example, we (as students) see our friends at school but we really don't get to see them at home. Most likely they will act a different way at home.
ReplyDeleteOthers put on mask but don't really want to wear the mask. They put on the mask of being a straight A student when really, deep down inside, they want to be a B student.
These masks can eventually hurt us though. The student that wears an "A Student Mask" but really wants to be a B Student, may be better off leaving the "A Student" mask on because it will help them in the future.
-Mikisa Harvey 1/2
A lot of times people put on masks without knowing it. Like when people are tired, they might eat a lot of sugar or drink some coffee to make themselves feel energetic when they really have no energy at all. Also when people act differently around the opposite gender, they are putting on a mask because they want to be liked and not let anyone on to their flaws. I think that whenever you are around people, you should give them pure you, without a mask, because if you want a person to like you, they have to know who the real you is. Also, a lot of times when I am in a bad mood, I tend to act very hyper to make up for it. By doing this, not only am I trying to veil by true mood to others, but also to myself. A lot of people do not realize how many masks they wear, especially the ones that they wear to hide from themselves. This reminds me of Diogenes the cynic, who believed that everyone was hiding their real selves, even just by wearing clothes. While I wouldn't say that it is necessary to be naked to show people the real you, or expose your animal desires, I would say that we should show people who we really are. Masks are our superego, pushing things deep down and hiding them away beneath our subconscious, so that sometimes not even we can see things about ourselves.
ReplyDelete--Gabi R. Hadad, 1/2
Personally, I think masks can be perfectly authentic. The fact is that everyone wears them, and as long as you stay as close to your true self as you're comfortable with then I don't really see a problem. I suppose that in an ideal world everyone should be able to be themselves, but frankly, I don't want to know what everyone is really like. I'm sure that I would still love and care about my close friends and family, but people wear masks for a reason. Sometimes I think it's best to not say exactly what you're thinking, and sometimes we need more of a filter than what we put on. Not everyone really has a heart of gold, and while I wish the people that do would show more of themselves, most of us are better off picking and choosing what we show others.
ReplyDeleteOlivia Nanyes, 5/6