Otherness

In Hugo's Notre Dame de Paris, the topic of "otherness" was often discussed.  For the most part throughout the novel, otherness was seen as a negative thing, especially when looking at Quasimodo.  In recent news relating to "otherness", the article "Full-face transplant recipient marries woman he met in burn support group" (http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/30/17533222-full-face-transplant-recipient-marries-woman-he-met-in-burn-support-group?lite).  This article puts the issue of being different into a positive category.

In the United States, otherness when looking at an individuals looks is not as large of an issue as Hugo makes it in his novel, we are more accepting.  Dallas Wiens was injured in a construction accident in 2008 after coming into contact with a high-voltage power line.  His now wife, Jamie Nash, was severely burned on her hands, back, and legs after being trapped in her care that erupted in flames.  These two individuals met at the hospital where they were both being treated.  Nash said that "I just looked at him across the room, and there was something about him."  To these individuals, looks were not a big issue, or the idea of otherness. Although the article did not really talk about it, Wiens received a full face transplant.  This reduced his "otherness" factor.  Reading this article has given me some hope in humanity that looks and being different are not an issue.