What is othering? It's basically looking at someone and thinking that they are not like you and people in your group. Often, this ends up with feeling those people (the others) are somehow inferior, maybe even less than human. This kinda happens a lot to foreigners. So it's not surprising to see it happen in Pnin. However, in Pnin the othering is almost nonstop and seems to erase all of Pnin's value as a person. Basically, it turns him into a joke. While many people might find this funny, it's probably something that's pretty close to home for people like Pnin's author.
Questions About Foreignness and 'The Other'
- In what ways do the other characters in the novel "other" Pnin? Is he the only character who is treated in this way? If not, what other characters receive this treatment?
- Which characters in Pnin are not othered? Why do you think they are treated differently than Pnin?
- When does Pnin seem the most at home, or the least othered? Anything similar about these situations? If so, what?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
A character can be foreign but not get othered in Pnin.
All of the foreign characters in Pnin are othered by the American characters.