The Initiation Essay Example

them. Because of the demoralization involved, Millicent started to question her reasons for wanting to join the sorority. She did not like when her big sister Bev referred to her as “Gopher”. She felt as if the name was a denial of individuality, and she had never been the type to take orders from others.

In addition to the fear of losing her sense of individuality, Millicent realized that she did not need to join a club to relate to other people. She came out of her shell after conversing with strangers on the bus; Millicent came across a man who talked about Heather Birds. He described the Heather Birds as “Bright purple birds that living in mythological moors, and fly all day long, singing sweet and wild in the sun.” (246) The Heather birds were a symbol of freedom to Millicent. It was the conversation with the man that helped her see that following the lead of others was so cliché. People that never talked to her, such as Herb Dalton, started talking to her, but if it were not for the sorority label would he even look her way? All she had to do was open up and be herself and the rest would come naturally.

In the case of staying true to self-vs. following the crowd, Millicent chose to stay true to herself. She chose to stay loyal to her best friend Tracy, keep her sense of individuality, and relate to others without having to join a group. She made a decision to now be a Heather Bird and fly happily. Millicent started a league of her own by doing

so. Now she would influence all other outcasts to stay true to themselves and never try and meet the standards of those who do not matter.