Santha Ramu Rau: A New Identity

An identity can be received in many forms. In the essay, “By Any Other Name” by Santha Ramu Rau, Rau receives a new identity, because she is given a new name. Melanie Scheller, the author of the essay “On the Meaning of Plumbing and Poverty”, tries to conceal her identity so people do not know how she grew up. If they did they would ultimately give her a new terribly identity. In the essay, “You’re Short, Besides!” by Sucheng Chan, others giver her an identity based on her appearance. In the essay, “How It Feels to Be Colored Me” by Zora Neale Hurtson, she finds her own identity within herself and embraces each aspect of it. In the essay, “The Language of Oppression” by Haig A. Bosmajian, he discusses what names and labels do to one’s identity.

One can find their identity by themselves or be given one based upon their name, race, appearance, or how they grew up.
One can be given their identity from a new name.

Santha Rama Rau, the author of the essay “By Any Other Name”, is given a new name and with that, a new identity. Rau believes this is true, because she states, “. . . if one’s name is changed, one develops . . . dual personality” (Rau, pg. 71). Rau certainly did develop two identities, one being “Santha” and the other “Cynthia”. With her real name, “Santha”, she was her real self and not ashamed to be. She dressed in Indian clothes and ate delicious Indian food. Although with the name “Cynthia” She was completely different. She was given an English name, so she had to act like the British. This meant she had to conform, eat the things they eat and wear what other girls wore. She was no longer able to embrace her Indian heritage, only the British. The terrible things that happened to her, she does not accept, because it does not happen to herself. She explains that it happened to someone named “Cynthia” and not “Santha”. She developed two completely different identities. One being her true self and the other was the identity given to her by her new

name.
One does not necessarily have to be given a new name to receive a new identity. The identity can be given by how one grew up. In the essay, “On the Meaning of Plumbing and Poverty” by Melanie Scheller, Scheller grew up in immense poverty. She was not fortunate enough to even own a toilet. Her toilet was actually a chamber pot, and because of this many people would look down upon her, if they knew. Fortunately, she believed she hid it well. She never had friends over, and was always ready when her date came to pick her up. However, for many years after she believed that everyone knew she used a chamber pot while she was growing up. So when she moved out of state for college and saw toilets there, she was overwhelmed with joy. Although she could not express this, because then her roommates would know she’s a “hick”. A “hick” who used a chamber pot, wore hand-me-downs, and received free lunches. Apparently, being a “hick” makes someone less than human. She had to conceal her identity, because she would be labeled as a “hick”.
One can be given their identity based on their appearance.

Sucheng Chan, in her essay, “You’re Short, Besides!”, received her identity based on others judgement, because she was handicapped. When she was younger, she contracted polio, which shrunk all the muscles in her legs. This made walking difficult, let alone standing. While in public, people would do one of three things, ignore her completely, give pep talks, or try to convert her to their religion. The strangers who do pay her a little attention, often ask why she’s handicapped, and nothing else. They only see her for being handicapped. Other people, like her professor, actually makes her crippled. They tell her not to do certain things, because she’s handicapped. They are limiting what she’s capable of doing. People only see that she is handicapped, not incredibly smart or strong. She knows she has a physical handicap, not a mental one, yet people do not seem to understand the difference. The identity she gives herself is very different from the identity given to her by others. She views herself as a strong, intelligent, independent woman, who conquered many unbelievable feats. While other view her simply as a cripple. She does not believe herself to be handicapped, only others do, and judge her solely on

that.
Sometimes one is able to find their own identity by themselves. In the essay, “How It Feels to Be Colored Me”, by Zora Neale Hurtson, Hurtson is able to embrace her own identity. She does not look at herself as being an African American. She looks at herself as if she was colored, but with vivid colors. She finds that while she stayed in Eatonville, she was known as Zora. She was not known because of her race, she was known, because of her sweet, outgoing, vivid personality. She carries a piece of this identity with her throughout her life. When she leaves Eatonville, she realizes she is seen by her race and embraces that too. She understands that she was from a family of slaves and that no one has had a greater chance for greatness than she does. She also realizes that she’s different from others, more “colored”, because she’s able to be devoured by music. She explains that there are “. . . certain times I have no race, I am me” (Hurtson, pg. 120). She does not let others judge her based upon her race. She is simply herself and does what she wants. She is a strong, independent, “colored” woman, who does not let anyone get in her way of her identity.
Identities can also be defined by names and labels. In the essay, “The Language of Oppression” by Haig A. Bosmajain, he points out that names are extremely important in finding one’s identity. He states “[o]ur identities. . . are greatly affected by the names we are called and the words with which we are labelled” (Bosmajain, pg.80). He explains that one finds their identity by the name they are called. For instance, “Israel” for male Jews. Identity is also affected by what one is labelled. During the Holocaust, Nazis labelled Jews as “disease”, “demon”, and “plague”. This made the identity of the Jews decrease. Or perhaps when men label women, trying to define who they are and what they can do. Women soon lose their originally identity and adopt a new identity given to them by those who are labelling them. Names and labels can give rise to new identities.
One can find their identity by themselves. In the essay, “How It Feels to Be Colored Me” by Zora Neale Hurtson, she proves just this. She found herself and embraced each part of her identity. One can be given an identity based upon a name. The essay, “By Any Other Name” by Santha Ramu Rau, proves this as well. She was given a new name and therefore created a new identity for that name. The essay “The Language of Oppression” by Haig A. Bosmajian, proves this too. He explains that a name and even a label can form a new identity. One can be given an identity based upon their appearance. The essay, “You’re Short, Besides!” by Sucheng Chan, proves this statement as well. Others formed a new identity of her, based upon her appearance and nothing more.