The Fight Against Society

The Fight Against Society 

Whether in the United States or elsewhere, discrimination is apparent. People are deprived of their human rights because of their skin color, religion, gender, sexuality, social status, and many other identifiers. To address these issues, artists, authors, and other celebrities or leaders in our society should speak up for the voices unheard. In the short story, “The Minister’s Black Veil,” Nathaniel Hawthorne uses a minister to display a small change, yet this small change affects his entire life and the way people view him in his community. This story and the song, “Change” by Christina Aguilera fight social norms, hopefully creating a more diverse environment.

The first verse of “Change” pairs well with the portion of the short story that explains why the minister’s wife left him. A couple of lines of “Change” say, “Who you love or the color of your skin--Or the place you were born and grew up in--Shouldn’t decide how you will be treated.” (Aguilera, Change). Christina Aguilera is saying that identifiers shouldn’t determine how people view someone, instead, people should know the person inside and out before making judgements. Putting the message short: DON’T JUDGE. In the short story, the Minister says to his wife, “O! You know not how lonely I am, and how frightened, to be alone behind my black veil.” (Hawthorne, The Minister’s Black Veil). Hawthorn hits at the idea that people are afraid of changes, even if they are small and insignificant, just as Christina Aguilera hinted. The black veil caused him to lose the love of his life, while also revealing how terrified he is to be the only one who has changed. Without the idea of fear behind change, it would be hard to understand why people judge based on background. These ideas apply to your family, your friends, and, you better believe it, YOU.

Listen to the Song Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBSghlH0JgM 

Blog Post by Tommy Murillo
Posted 12/19/17