A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

I really responded to the excerpt from Gifts of Passage. For one thing, it was easy to read and understand since the author had submitted her work in the New Yorker before publishing her book. The excerpts were meant to be read independent of each other. I especially liked the story about her going to school in India; I can relate to her confusion about her name. I really enjoyed the discussion in class about the power of a name. It is a curious thing the meanings we place on words, considering how carelessly we use words on a daily basis. However, the power of one's own name, and how they form their identity through a name amazes me. People get so upset when someone misspells their name or mispronounces it. Before reading this story, I had never pondered the influence one simple word can have on someone's life.

I have a similar story to the one Santha explains about the changing of her name to Cynthia. When I was in second grade, my dad told me that our last name was not "Sakon" but "Sakonchick," and that he had changed our last name. I was amazed. I had lived seven years without knowing my real last name! I was so excited. I had two last names. It was something to add to my two first names. I would sign my name Teresa Tracy Rose Sakon Sakonchick. I remember going to school and telling a boy in my class about my "new" last name. He laughed and said Sakonchick? Like Sakonchicken? And then imitated a chicken. A few kids were watching and laughed. I was distraught. I never told anyone my real last name for years to come. Sakonchicken?! It sounded awful.

My names have always confused me. Especially my first name. My legal name is Teresa. It is on my bith certificate, I registered for college with that name. Every single year when I start classes, I have to tell all my teachers to refer to me as Tracy rather than Teresa. Some never bother with the distinction. It's like I have two identities- almost like Santha's alternate identity with the name Cynthia. I don't relate to the name Teresa at all. I think of it as an "older" person's name, and images of Mother Teresa always come to my mind. I feel like if I wrote a book or something, I would use "Teresa Sakon" as a pseudonym. Except it's not a pseudonym, it's my real name! Whenever I imagine myself in the future- as a thirty year old with the perfect job, husband, life...that person is Teresa. The awkward 18 year old is Tracy. I actually rather like the distinction.