What's in a name?

What many do not realize is that I have an incredibly sad name.

The name Tristan literally means sad. It is possible to see this in the French language where Triste means sad or depressed. I share my first name with Sir Tristan, knight of the round table, along with Tristan from the Tragic love story of Tristan and Isolde. Being part Welsh (Celtic), I have altered versions of my name which I may also go by- Drystan, Tristram, or Drustan all convert to the name Tristan. My parents liked the name because it payed homage to my father's Celtic ancestry. Naturally, they taught me all about the name and why they chose it. I am fascinated by the stories behind my name, and find my name to be an ironic reminder of my life...I never get the girls.



And Then There Were Two...

         How do stories show one character as two stories? As readers, we encounter these situations quite a lot, even if we do not realize it. In Beowulf we see the main character -Beowulf- battle monsters, while finding himself. As cheesy as that sounds, it is easy to relate this basic ideology to my own life.

The Shortened Version of a Long Story

         I have been two people all at once. I have been a leader to others while I myself may be lost. I have been a friend to others while standing all alone. I feel the happiness of others as I feel the misery of the outcast. I promise I'm not depressed, these are just a few examples of how I, and many other people can, and have been two people at once. An individual may feel hopeless and lost, but will help his/her peer feel wanted and regarded highly. Humans are complex creatures that can put on multiple disguises at the same time. A happy email may be sent, while an angry text message is sent, while...


Until next time,

Tristan/Drystan/Tristram/Drustan

       

Post Number 1

We are the Other - Chicago Avenue, South Minneapolis, MN (2012)
Photograph by: Wing Young Huie


Small Picture:

Imaged is a torn American flag flying in the winds at the top of a flag pole. To the left there is a house, and what appears to be chimney. To the right is deciduous foliage. The sky is overcast and looks like the prelude to a storm moving from the right side of the picture to the left.


Big Picture:

The picture could allude to the famous "Star Spangled Banner" Poem by Francis Scott Key. This poem later became the american National Anthem, and portrayed a torn American flag in a hostile environment flying in the wind besides its surroundings. 


Question Response:

This picture of a torn American flag may at first seem uncorrelated to Margaret Atwood's book The Handmaid's Tale but as we look closer it is possible to see a relationship between the two. The flag could easily represent both the women and men the Atwood's book. The flag is in a position of power, at the top of a flag pole flying high. Yet, it also represents the women of Gilead. It is torn, and left unkempt. It is seemingly uncared for, and unwanted. The background also alludes to the stormy community that creates the make up of Gilead.