Blog Q1 Week 2 - Anshina Verma- A Raised Eyebrow
I am the raised eyebrow emoji. My presence can usually be felt near the end of a text; however, I possess a sense of versatility, and I can stand on my own. I have a witty tone to me, should you choose to look for it. I am quiet yet commanding. I don’t shout, nor do I laugh; I have no use for punctuation, for my existence is enough. My presence lingers, festers in the back of your head, an emblem never forgotten. I am the raised eyebrow emoji.
When a certain English 11 AP student on a cracked navy blue iPhone 12 chooses me, she isn’t just picking an emoji at random; she is allowing my aura to speak what her words cannot say. My presence speaks when words cannot. I am authority, and confidence is eclipsed into one. I possess no frivolity in a world that uses too much of it. I am the look across a classroom that silences the rowdy. I am the weaponized use of silence. Silence is the greatest weapon, and sometimes Anshina has none. I am here to absolve her of that issue.
I am employed by several; however, I am not desired by all. My presence is coveted yet an acquired taste, for I am not well known. My presence is off-putting, often eliciting anger and shame within those on the receiving end of my use. My mere glance can shift the energy in a group chat; I can turn banter into a reflection, dare my rivals in an argument to redirect their anger, or face mine. I possess a rare combination of traits, such as my skepticism conveyed through my singular arched brow. Intellect displayed through the slight downturned slope of my mouth. I do what words cannot. I crystallize identity.
I am the bridge between Anshina’s identity and her language. For her, I am no mere decoration; I am a declaration, an announcement of her identity. I declare confidence when she needs to display it. I demonstrate the possession of intelligence when she does not want to explain it. I publicize her identity when others choose to flatten it. I am a weapon for her to use, a defense if needed.
The truth is, language evolves; yesterday it was one phrase, tomorrow it shall be another. Today and forevermore, it is me. I am more than a collection of pixels on software. I am an expression of personality, an expression of language. When I am sent, I am an extension of my employer. I convey the ever-changing personality of my user. Thus, I am an extension of Anshina. I am the raised eyebrow emoji.
Hi Anshina! I liked how you personified the emoji from a little digital emoticon to a full-blown character with agency. The way you added moral weight to the emoji was super interesting and unexpected. Relating the emoji to yourself as a mode of identity was very creative. I can see the emoji’s characteristics within yourself in class too, which shows how you carry the emoji’s persona past just your phone screen or messages. I really enjoyed how your blog revealed some profound ideas, which I never would have expected to read about given its about an emoji.
ReplyDeleteHi Anshina! I really enjoyed this blog post of yours. I am also known to overuse the raised eyebrow emoji. But I was really intrigued by how you paralleled your identity with the emoji; it was really entertaining to read this blog post that was written from the emoji’s point of view. I have always admired your intelligence and determination, so I can definitely see you as the raised eyebrow emoji (from a fellow user myself).
ReplyDeleteWhat a unique topic for a blog post! The personification of the emoji, with you writing from its perspective, is an interesting take. I tend to dismiss emojis more often than not because they tend to boil down many aspects of a reaction into one image which leads to different interpretations (and misinterpretations leading to miscommunications), but I guess that can also mean that each person can have an attachment to a different emoji for their own unique reason. Its wonderful that your favorite emoji can be 🤨 and mine can be 🪤, if I so choose.
ReplyDeleteAnshina, I once had a teacher who could genuinely raise one eyebrow so high that I was concerned it was going to become part of his hair instead. I really like your personification of the raised eyebrow emoji to bring out another piece of your identity to share with us: I completely agree that emojis are more than pixels on our screens, but they’re a way that us humans (or at least gen-z) has chosen to express ourselves. I could tell you really put a lot of effort into using rhetorical devices in your blog, I’m worried Mrs. Smith is going to make us annotate your blog for the next RAP :).
ReplyDeleteAnshina, I promise I really tried to like your blog but I was too busy being freaked out by the picture of the raised eyebrow emoji. I know this was unintentional, but this was supreme rage bait. On a more serious note, I really like how you switched from first person to third person in your blog it added a layer of sophistication into the analysis of your identity which I thought was pretty cool. I admire your commitment to using that emoji through all the highs and lows and passage of time. From now on whenever I see you I will be referring to you as "raised eyebrow emoji." 😁
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