'Conformity In Sylvia Plath's Initiation'

In the short story “Initiation” author Sylvia Plath suggests that conformity, although the societal norm, is not always as grand as it is made out to be, while also suggesting that even though conformity typically hinders one’s self growth, there are times when the fear of conforming can make one’s sense of self stronger. These two ideas together show that Plath uses this short story to convey the message that even though conformity is not inherently a positive thing, it can drive a person to look in on themselves and develop a unique identity. Plath uses symbolism, and character introspection to assert this idea.

The most obvious type of symbolism used in this passage is the heather birds. The heather birds represent individuals. They

are mythological creatures that separate themselves from other types birds simply because they do not act like a typical bird. They are “bright purple” and “fly about all day long, singing wild and sweet. ” These are not ordinary birds. Once Millicent is told of the birds, her view on conformity changes. While Millicent is wondering whether or not she should decide to leave the sorority, she hears the chirping of sparrows. Her mind wanders and she imagines them as a very monotone group of birds flying in a flock with nothing to distinguish one from the other. She then begins to think of the heather birds. She imagines them “swooping carefree” and she thinks that they would be “proud in their freedom, and sometimes their loneliness. ” After this image played in her head for a while, Millicent decides that it is better to be true to oneself and lonely than feigning a personality out of fear for being an outcast. Before she must confront the member of the sorority, Millicent hears the “melodic fluting” of the heather birds. She takes this as a sign that she will be alright if she chooses not to conform. There is even an internal melody within Millicent that answers the call of the heather birds. Of course, to Millicent, being different doesn’t mean forgoing friendships. She decides that she wants to keep her new friends as well as her old ones and “be sisters with everybody. ”

Of course, the symbol of the birds is important, but what is even more important is the old man that tells the main character, Millicent, about the creatures.

As part of her initiation into the sorority, Millicent is told to ask each passenger on a bus what they ate for breakfast. Most people answer very typically, while peculiar old man says that he ate “heather birds’eyebrows on toast.” He then explains to Millicent that heather birds are mystical purple birds that are free to be as they are. This man doesn’t care that he might be seen as strange for saying these things. He is very content with himself and the things he says. Even the man’s appearance is one of individuality. He “looked something like a gnome or a cheerful leprechaun. ” The conversation between Millicent and the old man takes place on a city bus. Most people would not appear to be cheerful and approachable when riding city transit, but this man is comfortable with expressing himself and does not feel the need to act like everyone else. He eagerly and readily tells Millicent about the heather birds, and how he too wishes to be mythological one day. Much like the heather birds, the old man is different from others. The man is the true representation of individuality in this story. The man’s openness with his individuality made Millicent think that perhaps all the ridiculous questions she was supposed to ask as part of her initiation were nothing to be embarrassed about. The man’s tale of the

heather birds inspired Millicent to become her own person and it helped erase her fear of being a nonconformist.

The conversation with the old man also helped Millicent to open up to others. The thought of asking a stranger a completely absurd question was no longer something to be embarrassed by, but something that could help form a bond, even for a few moments, between two people. Her newfound self-confidence allows Millicent to see that other people have so much to offer and often feel as though they should not open up for fear of being judged. She realized that belonging to a specific club or group is not the only way to feel a connection with other people. Making connections happens much easier if one acts as an individual. The connection is truly genuine and not something fabricated to make it seem as though two people are friends.

At one point in the passage, Millicent is laying in her bed thinking about the past few weeks of initiation and what could happen for her in the future. Millicent considers a conversation she had with another one of the girls being initiated. Millicent recalls being told that the girl’s sister was in the sorority, and after she was accepted, started to date the captain of the football team. This causes Millicent to think about another conversation she had with a popular boy at school named Herb. She began to wonder if the only reason Herb had been so kind to her was because he knew that she might become part of the sorority, Millicent quickly becomes concerned by the fact that he would only ever ask her out on a date because of the club she might become part of and not because of who she is as an individual. Although this troubled Millicent, another thought made her even more anxious. She began to think about what would happen to her closest friend, Tracy. She knew that the sorority would reject Tracy, and she herself might become an outsider in the group if she attempted to remain in contact with Tracy. Millicent was also aware of the fact that at some point or another she would lose her friendship with Tracy if she became a part of the sorority. This is what really pushes Millicent into trying to figure out a way for her to stay friends with Tracy and some girls in the sorority while remaining true to herself,

After Millicent recounts her weeks of initiation she feels comfortable enough to make a decision.

She remembers how the quirky old man had so excitedly described the heather birds and how he didn’t care what others thought of him just as long as he became “mythical. ” The uniqueness of the heather birds and how happy and proud they were made Millicent realize that as long as one is comfortable in himself, their individuality will shine through and make them a happier person. Millicent would not have realized the importance of a strong sense of self if she had not at first tried to conform. The initiations required her to ask strangers questions and without that piece she never would have talked to the funny little man or heard about the mythical birds. Millicent would have never gone out of her comfort zone and enjoyed the connections she made with other people if she had not first asked the little old man what he ate for

breakfast.