Comparison of "Fleur" and "No Name Woman"

In comparison of the two stories "Fleur" and "No Name Woman" there seems to be a similar debate. The controversy arises with the argument of how society may look or deal with one or many individuals as opposing the way of life that society may deem as normal. This can be considered as an "outcast." In both stories we see the similarity of how Fleur and "the aunt" were both driven out of their communities because they did not fit in.

Kingston states in her story "The real punishment was not the raid swiftly inflicted by the villagers, but the families deliberately forgetting her." This makes us understand that the aunt was out casted by society, along with being forgotten by her own family. As an outcast she was ridiculed and deemed unappropriate to her community for the act of adultery. In today's society adultery is frowned upon, but seems to occur almost regularly. The act of adultery is not ok, but someone who commits this crime would not be tortured for it, although they may be exiled from a church depending on their religious background. American families would not forget you because of it, making the argument that everything that happens within separate communities is handled differently from one to another.

Erdrich tells a similar story of an outcast in "Fleur" she uses Lillie's point of view by stating, "since that night she put me in the closet I was no longer afraid of her, but followed her close, stayed with her, became her moving shadow that the men never noticed, the shadow that could have saved her." This phrase helps us see that Fleur was also deemed an outcast and did not fit in, along with that Lilly is facing the issue of rejection. In that Lilly befriends Fleur, leading to a partnership in the classification of outcast. Lilly found a partnership and a sense of belonging, as opposed to rejection.

As we compare the two stories on how people can be considered an outcast from society, they may not be all that different from one another. Even though society makes its judgment on one another, no two people are the same. Being different is part of being human so as one is judged as an outcast, what makes the judger normal. Everyone makes mistakes,because he or she is not perfect resulting in becoming an outcast. Society is made up of ridicule and judgment, but when the judgment changes face now that out casted person must find them self in a similar situation. This forces one to come around full circle leading to a community or society of outcasts. This leads us to believe that in some way or another we are all outcasts based on indifference.

Scott Swan
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