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Aim:
To make an image using the Mask idea
Learning Objectives
To explore identity 'Who am I? What roles do I Play?
To use images and text in magazines and newspapers to explore the representation of our mask.
To explore the feeling and thoughts under the mask using text in newspapers and magazines
How do people see us?
What is our identity?
Are we self-aware?
How do we see ourselves?
What roles we play influences how we would like to be 'seen'.
The roles we play influence how we behave and the mask we may wear.
Other links:
http://casn.berkeley.edu/curriculum-detail.php?c=433
http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/lessons/whoami/b.html#close
http://www.arno-rafael-minkkinen.com/photographs.html
Hero: This is the “good” and “responsible” child. This person is a high achiever, carries the pride of the family, and he/she overcompensates to avoid looking or feeling inadequate. He/she is often a good leader and organizer, and is goal-oriented and self-disciplined. Sometimes the hero lacks the ability to play, relax, follow others, or allow others to be right.
Rescuer: The rescuer takes care of others’ needs and emotions and problem-solves for others in the family. The rescuer might have difficulty with conflict. He/she takes on the role of rescuer in the name of helping others, though it is often to meet his/her own needs, such as relieving anxiety. This person doesn’t realize that sometimes helping hurts. He/she also lives with a lot of guilt and finds it challenging to focus on him/herself.
Mediator: The mediator can be a rescuer-type although he/she works to keep peace in the family system. This person does the emotional work of the family to avoid conflict. He/she acts as a buffer, and does it in the name of helping others, although it may be for his/her needs. This can be a healthy role depending on how the person mediates.
Scapegoat/Black sheep: This is the person the other family members feel needs the most help. Usually this is the family member in need of treatment or in treatment. This person often shows the obvious symptoms of the family being unable to work through problems. The person may have strengths such as a sense of humor, a greater level of honesty, and the willingness to be close to his/her feelings. Yet there can also be an inappropriate expression of feelings, and the person may experience social or emotional problems.
Switchboard: This person is the central information center in the family. He/she keeps track of what’s going on by being aware of who is doing what and when. This person has strength in being the central person to go to and understanding how the family is doing. However, this person focuses on everyone else’s issues rather than his/her own.
The power broker: This person works at maintaining a hierarchy in the family with him/herself at the top. His/her safety and security with life depends on feeling in control of the environment around him/her.
Lost child: The lost child is the subservient good child. He/she is obedient, passive, and hidden in the family trauma. He/she stays hidden to avoid being a problem. Generally, this person is flexible and easygoing. However, he/she lacks direction, is fearful in making decisions, and follows without questioning.
Clown: The clown uses humor to offset the family conflict and to create a sense that things are okay. This person has a talent to readily lighten the moment but he/she hides his/her true feelings. The clown uses humour to hide their emotions. This mask is that people often think that others won’t accept them if they stop joking around all the time and act sincerely instead.
Cheerleader: The cheerleader provides support and encouragement to others. There is usually balance in taking care of his/her own needs while providing a positive influence on those around him/her.
Nurturer: This person provides emotional support, creates safety, is available to others, and can be a mediator. He/she focuses on having and meeting emotional needs, usually in a balanced manner.
Thinker: The thinker provides the objective, reasoning focus. His/her strength is being able to see situations in a logical, objective manner. However, he/she may find it difficult to connect emotionally with others.
Truthteller: This person reflects the system as it is. At times the challenge is how that information is relayed. Other members in the family might be offended or avoid the truthteller because of the power of the truth he/she holds. Strength occurs when this person is coupled with another positive role, such as a nurturer or cheerleader.
The good child. This child learned early on that others would accept them if they behaved. It’s hard for the good child to set boundaries or share their opinion because they’re scared they won’t be accepted. They simply try to satisfy others.
The warrior. The tough battles people have to fight to overcome adversity create this mask. It helps push aside the fear and indecision that can creep in when they have to take charge.
The apathetic mask. This mask of indifference makes you seem impervious to whatever is happening around you. It defends you against external threats as it allows you to hide your suffering.
The saviour. The saviour needs to save everyone and loves lost causes.
The sufferer. People who wear this mask learned early on that life is miserable and that the only way to get love is to play the victim.
The tough guy. This is a very common mask that the most sensitive people put on because they’re afraid to be hurt or seem vulnerable. Due to that fear, they’ve learned to hide their sensitivity and only express anger or aggression
'Little miss sunshine”. Some people find it hard to accept emotions such as sadness, anger, or loss. Thus, they put a smile on their face and pretend that everything is fine. They run away from their feelings.
Roles within family dynamics
Within the dynamics of a family, we all have different roles and functions. These various roles can come about because of how our family dynamics play out, or due to our own individual choices, and personalities. The way we choose to interact and the characters we sometimes play can be a conscious choice, and can also happen unconsciously. Some of the different roles we find ourselves playing within a family dynamic are listed below.
Peacekeeper - this role can often unintentionally be played by young people or children. They may often mediate, or reduce conflict between parents who are arguing or experiencing conflict. The peacekeeper seeks to reduce tension, alleviate discourse and move the family back into a more harmonious dynamic. The role of the peacekeeper can occur due to unresolved and unconscious anxiety, fear or worry about a potential family breakdown. Young people or children within this role can often find themselves remaining as the child within their family rather than moving towards behaving appropriately for their age.
The Scapegoat - often one family member, who experiences difficulties, is seen as the black sheep of the family while other members are viewed as good or well behaved. This person can become a visible symptom of the troubled family system. For example, one child being labelled as mentally ill, even though their behaviour is adaptive and a means of survival to deal with and live within a fractured or troubled family system. When we use family systems theory to examine an example like the one listed above, we can see that this member of the family could be supported by others to manage and cope in ways which were less detrimental.
The problem as the role - a family member with a problem or issue, may play the role in drawing attention away from much deeper issues within the family and provide the family dynamic with distraction. This distraction serves as a way to provide an illusion of harmony, and parents in a family dynamic such as this may reinforce the apparent bad behaviour of a child so as to avoid addressing their own relationship difficulties and keep the family together.
Our family systems are unique, fragile and fluid. Understanding our position within not only our system but within the wider community can provide us with a deeper and more enriched way of looking at our interactions with others, as well as how we view and treat ourselves.
Create a collage using the image of the Mask. Using the metaphor of 'inside' & 'Outside' look at how you perceive yourself and how other might perceive you.
