"Perhaps I want them to wince"

Upon reflecting over Nancy Maris' piece, I have succumbed to the conclusion that labeling is not a limitation but instead another form of identification. As though our own acceptance or rejection of who we are stifles the perspective of society.

Throughout our earlier readings characters such as Jay Gatsby, Dexter Green, and even Alexie Sherman have all attempted to assimilate themselves into an already rejecting society; and thus ultimately resulting into a cycle of failure. And yet, Mairs demonstrates the positive aspect of rejecting her community and forming her own--in which only her opinion and perspective matters.

There's something magical about starting your own life; making your own choices. Something most of us lack, a courage to seek what we've lost or not yet found.

Perhaps we all wish to start over, and begin anew. Perhaps "I want them to wince".