Society is designed to be one-size-fits-all, and people accept it because that's what they were taught. In the perspective of most people, everyone who belongs to a race, religion, or sexual orientation group follows a stereotype. Unfortunately, this strict mentality makes it difficult for people who choose to step outside of the norms. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell is a novel that follows two young teenagers experiencing their first love while dealing with their own struggles with race, appearance, and more. Dating back to the 1960s, when society split in two during massive cultural shifts, Bob Dylan's "Ballad of a Thin Man" is a song about a man trying to find his place in society. Finally, “[I LOVE UNCERTAIN GESTURES]” by Valerio Magrelli is a poem that focuses on embracing our flaws and accepting them as part of our identity. Comparing these three texts, it is clear that those who do not follow society's normal expectations and standards are seen as doing wrong because they stand out. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay On the surface, it seems that Eleanor and Park and "Ballad of a Thin Man" are similar because the "other" is isolated, but the causes of treatment are different. Eleanor feels like “she [doesn't] belong anywhere” and even when she is at home, she “pretends to be somewhere else” (Rowell 127). Similarly, Mr. Jones feels lost and alone during the 1960s, a time of advocating for gender equality, diversity, and civil rights. Society was divided into two categories: the older, traditional and conservative generation, and the younger, more tolerant generation, protesting for freedom and love. Mr. Jones doesn't know if he fits into either category, and constantly wonders if "[he]'s here all alone" because he feels isolated for not fitting in (Dylan, line 10). However, the causes of their isolation are different. Eleanor is isolated for reasons as superficial as her appearance. On the first day of school, her classmates immediately judge her for how “big and clumsy” she is and how strange she looks wearing “a man's shirt with half a dozen strange necklaces” (Rowell 127). Eleanor is bullied about her appearance because her wardrobe is much brighter and more masculine than an average student's closet. On the other hand, Mr. Jones is isolated due to culture, beliefs and values, much more serious topics. Throughout the song he is constantly reminded that "something is going on" but "[he] [doesn't] know what it is", referring to the fact that he is now considered an outsider for not knowing which category to identify with, forcing him to be held out of the loop (Dylan, line 5). While the “others” in Eleanor and Park and “Ballad of a Thin Man” are both isolated, the cause of Eleanor's treatment is for aesthetic reasons, unlike Mr. Jones, who is treated poorly for not knowing where to go during the counterculture of the 60s. , a much more serious and controversial topic at that time. “Ballad of a Thin Man” and “[I LOVE UNCERTAIN GESTURES]” are told in opposite perspectives in terms of treatment of the “other.” In "Ballad of a Thin Man", Mr. Jones is humiliated for being different when he is asked "how does it feel to be such a monster" by a geek, an artist who chases live chickens, bites their heads off, and he swallows them for freakshows, which is quite ironic (Dylan, line 15). He is also told that "[he] should wear earphones" which would prevent him from hearing others, cutting him off from the restof society (Dylan, line 45). In contrast, “[I LOVE UNCERTAIN GESTURES]” is told from the point of view of the narrator who wants “the other” to embrace their differences because it provides individuality. To be accepted, people change their dress, culture, language, and more. During this process, people begin to lose parts of their personality and identity, and society begins to resemble an assembly line. where everything is perfectly synchronized and identical. Uncertain gestures like “stumbling” and “smacking a glass” create the “familiar clink of broken mechanism” that symbolizes a breakdown in society's “assembly line” (Magrelli, line 2-11). However, the narrator “loves uncertain gestures” because these mistakes are what make humans human and make people unique from others. Unlike "Ballad of a Thin Man", the "other" chooses to accept being considered a flaw in society and embraces the fact that he is different from other people by "declaring himself" and "dancing" (Magrelli, line 17-18 ). Ultimately, "Ballad of a Thin Man" portrays being "the other" as a humbling and lonely experience, unlike "[I LOVE UNCERTAIN GESTURES]", which encourages the "other" to accept their own imperfections and express oneself freely. “[I LOVE UNCERTAIN GESTURES]” and Eleanor and Park differ in their treatment of the “other,” both have someone who appreciates differences and flaws. In “[I LOVE UNCERTAIN GESTURES],” the “other” is finally able to embrace his or her true self by “breaking away” from social norms (Magrelli, line 16). On the other hand, Eleanor feels trapped by her appearance and says that "[she is] stuck in [her] own skin" (Rowell 105). The people in Eleanor's life are not very accepting, as seen at school where her classmates "[call] Eleanor Bozo", and at home where her stepfather, Richie, makes disgusting comments about Eleanor such as calling her "a bitch in heat,” making it virtually impossible for her to try to accept her appearance (Rowell 24, 67). However, Eleanor's looks are actually one of the things Park loves about her. Park "[doesn't] care" that Eleanor doesn't have girls' clothes, and he "like[s] that she [doesn't]" because the lack of girls' clothes differentiates her from others and proves that Eleanor doesn't need women's clothes to look beautiful (Rowell 159). Similarly, the narrator in “[I LOVE UNCERTAIN GESTURES]” “love[s] uncertain gestures.” Today's society can be described as robotic and these uncertain gestures give relief to the narrator because they make people seem much more genuine and real. Although the “other” is treated much less well in Eleanor and Park than in “[I LOVE UNCERTAIN GESTURES]”, both texts mention how uniqueness is a good thing as it gives people character. The “other” in the three texts are seen as flaws in society, but it is the way they are treated as mistakes that differentiates them. In Eleanor and Park, Eleanor's appearance is described as a strange image that has been distorted through glass: "Eleanor resembles her mother through a fish tank" (Rowell 18). Furthermore, Mr. Jones is also called a “monster” because he is an outcast because he doesn't know which side to support (Dylan, line 15). In “[I LOVE UNCERTAIN GESTURES]”, the uncertain gestures are reminiscent of a malfunction in today's mechanical society. However, the texts differ in how they treat defects. Mr. Jones' treatment is very harsh, negative and unacceptable while on the other hand, the narrator in “[I LOVE UNCERTAIN GESTURES]” tries to encourage more loving and embracing treatment. Eleanor's treatment falls in the middle as she experiences bullying from her peers and her stepfather, but also love and appreciation from her boyfriend, Park. Even if i.