Who hasn’t pretended to be someone else while growing up? The most fun thing about Halloween is the ability to transform for one night into someone else with the aid of a costume and a mask. Even more fun is having everyone guess who it is behind the mask. That is why Halloween holds so much appeal to so many people. It is certainly why I always loved it. The magic of movies and the theatre draw many for the same reason. It makes it ok to be someone else, if only for a while.
The best actors and actresses can portray someone else so well that they become that character. They never quite lose the aura of that character in people’s minds. Scarlett O’ Harawill forever be Vivienne Leigh. Judy Garland will forever be the image of Dorothy of the “Wizard of Oz”. Even when I read the books, I see the actors who portray the characters in my minds eye acting out the scenes. We may not remember what their real names are years from now but chances are we will still recognize the actresses as they were when they portrayed the iconic roles that made them famous.
What about in real life? Do ordinary folks wear masks? That would be a hearty hell yes! We all wear masks. Are they as different as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?? Most people tend to be more subtle. We wear a different mask at work, and discard it when we get home. A different mask comes out for partying at a nightclub compared to the one worn at a family wedding. If faced with a police officer or the preacher of your church, you will exhibit different behaviors than how you might act with your best friends. You get the drift. Depending on who we are around or where we are, we act differently. Most folks would never dream of throwing a fit at church but would have no qualms about raising holy hell in the comfort of their own house. People’s behaviors and appearances don’t change quite as drastically as Jim Carrey’s character in the hit movie “The Mask”, but wouldn’t it be smoking’ if it did??
We wear the masks we need as society dictates in our surroundings and relationships. Often we hide behind masks afraid to let people in for fear of being hurt once again. Even social networking sites online can serve as a mask to hide behind. Only for those who are truly trusted do the masks finally come off revealing the true person within. Until next time when I give you another glimpse into the life of a trucker’s wife.
The best actors and actresses can portray someone else so well that they become that character. They never quite lose the aura of that character in people’s minds. Scarlett O’ Hara will forever be Vivienne Leigh. Judy Garland will forever be the image of Dorothy of the “Wizard of Oz”. Even when I read the books, I see the actors who portray the characters in my minds eye acting out the scenes. We may not remember what their real names are years from now but chances are we will still recognize the actresses as they were when they portrayed the iconic roles that made them famous.
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