The Meaning of Names
The Meaning of Names
How does your name define you?
In Hebrew, the name "Anne" means grace, while in German, the name "Ross" means red. In choosing to give me a double name, my parents wanted to express the individuality and uniqueness they imagined I would later embody as an adult. However, I believe my actions and personality have deviated from my parents' original intentions. In looking up the denotation of "grace," I find the following definition: simple elegance or refinement of movement. Elegance? Refinement of movement? Personally, I don't believe I sport either of those traits. Over the summer, I fell off a treadmill at the gym, and then as I was stumbling away in humiliation, tripped down the stairs. I can still see the scar on my shin: a mottled brown stain of incoordination and visible lack of grace. Yikes. Nevertheless, a small part of me believes that the grace I was innately labeled as possessing (probably in some small, clandestine part of me- maybe knocked off the inner ear, since that's supposed to regulate balance) remains existent, albeit undiscovered. Indeed, movement is a rather general term. Physical movement: tentative. Emotional movement, and the movement of navigating life and maturation? Perhaps. That's certainly not to say that growing up doesn't come with its fair share of being kicked down and around. But I believe there is a certain degree of grace in getting one's self back up, no matter the circumstances. In her poem, "If I Should Have a Daughter," Sarah Kay says, "Life will hit you, hard, in the face, wait for you to get back just so it can kick you in the stomach- but getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air." Yeah. I think I'd like a grace like that.
On the red side of things, I think I do a bit better. When I think of red, I think of fire, with a dash of angry feminism and a pinch of attitude. I think I've got plenty of sparky spirit inside me to satisfy the red requirement.
I guess, despite people constantly naming babies after people, things, and ideas (did you know the name "Arya" rose 14% in popularity from 2016 to 2017? Thanks, GoT), your name is what you make of it. Maybe it's a binding contract, or a set of loose guidelines, or maybe it's simply something you write out on legal forms. Ultimately, you choose how your name defines you.
The Duality of Individuals
In my comparatively brief time as a partner in a cisgender, heterosexual relationship, I've experienced quite the opportunity for self-growth. This includes the idea of personal duality. As I've come to realize, people are multi-faceted- almost like perfumes. They have their initial scent, then their middle fragrance, and then, towards the end of the day, the grittier under-notes come out to linger in the presence of moonlight and (probably, if you're an adult) red wine. Similarly, an individual always has primary and secondary passions, struggles, and emotions, depending on the circumstances. On a lazy Sunday afternoon, when I've had a weekend to recharge from 5 day's worth of extroversion, I have no problem heading to my boyfriend's house to play video games with him. I like the artistic style, the narration, the immersive experience. Plus, there's an undeniable element of thrill to virtually flinging out a double-edged sword and charging into battle against a skeleton army. But on Friday nights when I traipse clumsily into his office after a week of schoolwork, people (gross), obnoxious customers at my restaurant, and far too little sleep, I simply don't have it in me. Video games aren't my initial stress-relief response like they are for him, and I don't inherently have the attention span to sit down at a screen with him. Instead, I pull out a Harry Potter book or flop down on his carpet and read the news. When I'm curled in a heap of blankets with Severus Snape at my hands, I am exclusively myself. When I am furiously cursing myself for my poor swordsmanship, I am part of a greater whole. But both are me. One is not necessarily better than the other, nor is one more frequently occurring. I don't believe there's a dilemma in that. People aren't 2-D. Life will reveal you as it chooses to, and since life is often out of one's control, I think it's important not to fight it.
Citations
Kay, Sarah. "If I Should Have a Daughter." TED. 10 March 2014. https://www.ted.com/talks/sarah_kay_if_i_should_have_a_daughter/transcript?language=en. Accessed 7 October 2018.
On the red side of things, I think I do a bit better. When I think of red, I think of fire, with a dash of angry feminism and a pinch of attitude. I think I've got plenty of sparky spirit inside me to satisfy the red requirement.
I guess, despite people constantly naming babies after people, things, and ideas (did you know the name "Arya" rose 14% in popularity from 2016 to 2017? Thanks, GoT), your name is what you make of it. Maybe it's a binding contract, or a set of loose guidelines, or maybe it's simply something you write out on legal forms. Ultimately, you choose how your name defines you.
The Duality of Individuals
In my comparatively brief time as a partner in a cisgender, heterosexual relationship, I've experienced quite the opportunity for self-growth. This includes the idea of personal duality. As I've come to realize, people are multi-faceted- almost like perfumes. They have their initial scent, then their middle fragrance, and then, towards the end of the day, the grittier under-notes come out to linger in the presence of moonlight and (probably, if you're an adult) red wine. Similarly, an individual always has primary and secondary passions, struggles, and emotions, depending on the circumstances. On a lazy Sunday afternoon, when I've had a weekend to recharge from 5 day's worth of extroversion, I have no problem heading to my boyfriend's house to play video games with him. I like the artistic style, the narration, the immersive experience. Plus, there's an undeniable element of thrill to virtually flinging out a double-edged sword and charging into battle against a skeleton army. But on Friday nights when I traipse clumsily into his office after a week of schoolwork, people (gross), obnoxious customers at my restaurant, and far too little sleep, I simply don't have it in me. Video games aren't my initial stress-relief response like they are for him, and I don't inherently have the attention span to sit down at a screen with him. Instead, I pull out a Harry Potter book or flop down on his carpet and read the news. When I'm curled in a heap of blankets with Severus Snape at my hands, I am exclusively myself. When I am furiously cursing myself for my poor swordsmanship, I am part of a greater whole. But both are me. One is not necessarily better than the other, nor is one more frequently occurring. I don't believe there's a dilemma in that. People aren't 2-D. Life will reveal you as it chooses to, and since life is often out of one's control, I think it's important not to fight it.
Citations
Kay, Sarah. "If I Should Have a Daughter." TED. 10 March 2014. https://www.ted.com/talks/sarah_kay_if_i_should_have_a_daughter/transcript?language=en. Accessed 7 October 2018.
Hi Anne Ross,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your post, specifically your analysis of being an individual versus part of a greater whole. I found it fascinating that while being part of this greater whole, you can still find time to be your own individual (and I wholly applaud your choice of relaxation - Harry Potter is always the way to go)! Most people see the two choices, of being an individual or part of a whole, as mutually exclusive, but you seem to make the two compatible, while still retaining aspects of each. I also found your analysis of your name very interesting, especially when you detailed that a name is what you make of it. That's an intriguing concept, as I think some could argue that certain names inherently hold reputations that influence perceptions, and is something that is difficult to escape from. Regardless, I thought you made your points in a clear and concise way, while also being funny! And don't worry, I'm very clumsy too - I once broke my arm and needed surgery after tripping on my shoe laces.
I really enjoyed your style of writing. Your descriptions about falling off the treadmill and the bruise that is still left behind were very well written. Also your organization of your thoughts made it very easy to understand. It was smart to make a generalization at the end of the answer to the first question to allow the reader to relate it to themselves. The same ideas I thanked in the first answer continued into your second. Your style, your description, and the ability for the audience to connect made it really engaging. I wish I had pointers to improve your writing but it was great! I can't wait to read your future blog posts!
ReplyDeleteI loved this! Anne Ross, you are an AMAZING writer. I can most definitely relate with both responses regarding your identity. The idea of your name being something that is malleable and dependent upon the way in which you perceive it to be is an intriguing idea. Personally, I have always hated my name for its insipidity, but have grown to love it as I have realized I truly am an Abby and I am my own Abby. Along with that, I relate to the sense of identity but also wholeness you find in your boyfriend. While the relationship is a part of you, you have different interests, allowing you to be yourself. Your writing skills and witty jokes throughout made this very enjoyable to read. The descriptive analysis of you as a person allowed me to be very interested throughout. Great job!!!!
ReplyDeleteHey Anne Ross!
ReplyDeletePlease set me up with the word of the day website that you're subscribed to. Your vocabulary is impeccable! I'm jealous of your ability to (seemingly) effortlessly employ words that convey your ideas so articulately. I am clearly not reading enough books as you are.
***Side note: you should join Wildcat Reading Society, which is a club at Millbrook where we choose which books we want to read, set deadlines for when we have to read them by, and then meet as a group to discuss--text me for more details (sorry for using my comment as a tool for advertisement, Mrs. Genesky)***
Back to the good stuff:
I really appreciate your use of stories and vivid imagery to conceptualize the points you are trying to make. Every time I read a little bit more, I couldn't contain myself from scrolling down to write something positive for my comment. I was especially receptive to your story detailing how precisely you do not embody a figure of physical elegance in relation to movement: I too, have two left feet. Your words and sentence structures are truly beautiful. They work seamlessly and are extremely coherent. Additionally, it was interesting to read a perspective that embraces their two sides as naturally occurring, whereas most people have discussed two sides of themselves that contradict and battle for attention. I truly enjoyed reading this and was captivated by your imagery and message. Honestly, the only problem with this post is your website format. The white words on a black background is a little deterring to they eye at first, but I suppose I can understand the artistic decision. Great work, consider me subscribed.
I really enjoyed reading this post! After reading a lot about where people's names come from/their meanings, I found the way you wrote about how you embody your name so interesting. Your description on "Ross" meaning red, and how you view that part of yourself is something I wouldn't be able to come up with from a color. It really changed my perspective on how even the simpliest meanings can be expressed through a person.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the part about personal duality, I can't explain how much I agree/relate. It's like you took the words out of my mouth, as it is also something I've thought and realized. I thought your descriptive language throughout the whole post really made it seem as if you were having a conversation with the reader, rather than a structured writing assignment. I liked that about your writing style! Also, it takes me tremendous energy to willingly play video games (which is why it barely happens), so I feel you, the ground is way more comfy.
Anne Ross:
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I just read this whole thing to my mom. We both think you're great.
On a more serious note, I love the authenticity of your writing. I always read everything you write in your voice. My favorite thing about this post was that it was very clearly written by you. I liked the incorporation of your witty humor and the broader conclusion statements, as they made the writing feel personal and relatable. I share your viewpoint on choosing whether or not you let a predetermined path(in this case, a name) define who you are. I agree that there are some things that you are stuck with because your parents choose them for you, but I love how you embraced your own definition and interpretation.
As your friend, who has a little more insight into your relationship, I really understood your incorporation of your relationship into the second part of the prompt. I can see how you would classify two different moods as separate and whole regarding your interactions, and I feel similarly in my own relationship, although less and less the longer we have been together; we have kind of adopted all of each other's individual things into one blended Siamese-twins type of situation.
The only constructive criticism I have is to do something wrong next time so that I have something to write for this part of my comment. Looking forward to reading your next post!!
Lex
Hey Anne Ross,
ReplyDeleteWow... What a great blog! You really added your personality into it and I loved it. This post is completely different than the other ones I have read and really enjoyed it. You gave the assignment a whole new twist and really made it your own. By the way, you genuinely made me laugh as I read it. You have a great style of writing and really immerse your reader into what you write because of it. I don't have any constructive criticism, you killed it. Thank you for this.
Anne Ross!!!
ReplyDeleteHey girl. I loved your blog post! Your writing style really made it an enjoyable read. I loved the way you referenced the poem (I really love that poem!) in order to convey the grace you wish to have. I totally understand your need to unwind from "a long week of extroversion". I definitely experience the same thing. I think it is so interesting how your personality type can coincide with your relationships, and thus your participation in them. I think you showcased how your individuality fits into your relationship really well. Keep it up!! :))
Hey anne ross, im gonna be weird stalkerish as a graduated human but i stumbled upon ms genesky's blog and it brought me here so i hope you dont mind me reading this. (if you want you are welcome to get me back and read my mess of a blog from last year https://cpanara.blogspot.com)
ReplyDeletehave you given up the demand for elegance? somehow that makes me a little sad (dont let anyone ((not even a former TOK teacher)) tell you you cant be elegant) I remember your insistence so fondly.
You have such a beautiful way of expressing yourself, all the comments before made it fairly clear but you are a good writer, im jealous. the Sarah Kay poem is one of my favorite spoken words and it fits so well in to what you are saying which I love. the full week of extraversion is Real, and just so you know, it gets easier to deal with in college (mostly you can just go take a nap between classes if youre not feeling it which is amazing) im glad that you are interested in aspects of the self and dont find it terrifying, i know that i sometimes have The Existential Crisis about that so its good you are sidestepping it.
i hope you are doing as well as this post makes it seem, if you ever wanna talk or yell about politics or if you have questions about college/ in general im here. you can get my number from pat
see you around :)
god Cicely, you are such a beautiful human. I will grab your # from Pat and we'll have an actual convo soon. Thank you so much <3
DeleteHey Anne Ross,
ReplyDeleteI am happy to say that I have never been let down by anything you write because of your captivating writing style. I love how you weave your message into interesting narrative.
In the first half of this post, I liked how you brought up your parents' intentions for you and then mentioned your divergence from them through your actions. This presented a complex idea that related to your conclusion that individuals define themselves. However, you mentioned another aspect of this concept by revealing that in many ways you still embody the denotative description given to you. The complexity of the thought process was very enjoyable to read.
Additionally, I was amazed by your ability to wrap up your narrative with a few sentences in the second half of your post, yet be able to convey a message that would take me a 6 page essay to finally reveal. Your ability to be concise and entertaining is a wonderful skill. Keep up your amazing posts!
ReplyDeleteHI! i liked your blog! (not that it matters). I love the connections you made from the meaning of the names and your actual life. I hope you and the treadmill are okay. i also like your usage of outside refrences to further explain and convey the message you were trying to convey in your text. By the way, you did a great job of doing that. i think you and your name are awesome.