Sunday, September 21, 2014
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
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Great response, Tristan. This brought up something semi-powerful in me as a reader and I appreciate you sharing.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE YOUR BLOG POST! I like how you started with the Celtic background of your name. My name, Sasha, is ovbiously Russian due to my personal Russian heritage, so it's cool to hear about other people's names and how they relate to their family's heritage. I admired how you connected names to characters and then to the real world. I agree with you that sometimes things aren't what they seem to people. There's what the public sees on the outside and how we percieve ourselves. I liked your examples of how you may seem happy or all put together while you're falling apart or lost on the inside. I'm sure A LOT of people, especially high schoolers, can feel this way. Overall, great blog post!!! P.S. Your comment about girls made me laugh. (:
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