Change

Change is tough for anybody, whether it is as an individual or as a community. Generally, people don’t like to change from what they are accustomed to, as it is much easier to just stay in the routine that you are used to. If something is working well, and you are used to doing it that way, usually you see no reason to change that. As a result, when something comes along and forces you to change, it is tough to accept the change. That is going to happen very soon in my life, as I will be moving into the real world after being in school for the last 17 years. Just like anyone else about to experience a big change, I don’t know how I feel about it. Instead of only having a few hours of class each day, I will be at work for at least 8 hours a day, and it will require a big adjustment in my daily routine. I’m tentative towards the change, but in the end, it could turn out that I really liked the change in my lifestyle. That is the way it is with communities as well. Very few people look forward to change in their communities, but when it occurs, it may turn out to be much better than their previous situation. The initial shock of having to adjust from the norm is what makes change in communities so difficult.

In order for a community to change, it takes everyone to buy into the idea. Some people can promote change, but until everyone takes part in it, nothing will be accomplished. It usually takes someone who can act as a rallying point that everyone can relate to who can promote and bring about change. This exact thing happened a few weeks ago when Barack Obama was elected President. He is a great public speaker, and he used his speaking skills as a way to get everyone to relate to his stories he told about various Americans he had talked to. That, combined with the struggling economy, brought about “change.” Not everyone is sure what Obama supporters mean when they say they want change, but because of his ability to relate to everyone and rally them together, he has his chance to change the direction of our country. Relating this to the Washington neighborhood, it takes a group effort to change the community. The neighborhood used to have a bad reputation as a ghetto where Chicagoans would come for cheap living. The City of Dubuque and the community realized they needed to change the image of the Washington neighborhood, and they have done that by rallying the neighborhood together and promoting change. By creating a name for their neighborhood, they were able to create an identity and unite their residents. Since then, they have substantially upgraded many of the homes in the neighborhood as another way to improve their image. Some residents haven’t bought into the change, though, and it is noticeable when walking through the neighborhood, as some houses are run-down and have garbage all over the yard, while others are nicely renovated and well-kept. This change of their image is a work in progress, and until everyone buys into the idea and does their part, the change won’t be completely effective.

The narrator of the Invisible Man was able to promote and bring about change, even though he considered himself to be “invisible.” He was successful in promoting change because he was a leader-type figure who could rally everyone together. By possessing exceptional speaking skills, he was able to relate to everyone in his crowds and fire them up. The change that he brought about turned out to be horrible, but he was effective in promoting change. The characteristics of the narrator sound a lot like Obama, and he, as well, was also effective in his promotion for change. Thus, I think that an invisible man like the narrator could be successful in bringing change. Maybe a person with those characteristics is needed in the Washington neighborhood in order to get everyone to buy into the idea and complete the change in the Washington neighborhood.