A Simple Image

In my American Literature class, we briefly study Imagism. The reason we only study it for one or two days is because the period itself only lasted from about 1912-1917. Ezra Pound, along with some of his colleagues, were aiming for clarity of expression through images through literature. One of the most famous poems during this time was "The Red Wheelbarrow" by William Carlos Williams. He constructs the poem by using a mere 16 words to express the simple image of a wheelbarrow. Now, most of my students like this poem because it is so short, but some like it for other reasons. The image it creates in their minds is simple, and in a world where things are anything but, that is kind of comforting. 

These authors created images through words, but it got me thinking about how we create our images. Yes, there is social media, and I'm not one to rag on its effects on society. It's a part of the world we live in, but I do think it's important to think about the images we see verses the truth. We tend to post the good images -- a new job, an engagement, or vacation photos -- showcasing the victories in life. I don't think many of us post the days when it's just plain rough, for that would taint our image. Part of me thinks, Who cares? Why are we so concerned about the image the world sees of us? And when did it become more important than the image we have of ourselves?

I wonder what it would be like if we focused more on the images we have about ourselves -- both inside and out -- instead of stressing about the images others have created of us.