Rebellion to Achieve Liberration - Michael Moore and Kusz

1316 Words6 Pages
Rebellion is an action whose consequences can bring about positive change for self-benefit, or the benefit of others. While Natalie Kusz in “Ring Leader” uses her long-standing personal struggles to fit into society as the source of her rebellion and Michael Moore in “Idiot Nation” utilizes his personal experience and detestation for the public education system, both authors demonstrate that irrespective of the source for rebellion, passive rebellion on an individual level is sufficient to achieve a sense of liberation. While rebellion is most often synonymous with teenagers, Moore and Kusz demonstrate that it is not always age specific. As a bright five year old child, Michael Moore was allowed to skip a grade based on his academic capabilities. However, his parents refused to put him in second grade over fears of the constant bullying that comes with being the smallest child in the class. In protest of their non-acceptance, the next day at assembly, Michael stood in line with the second graders, hoping his desire to continue in higher grade would go unnoticed by the nuns. Thus, Moore’s rebellious phase initiated at a very early stage. On the other hand, Kusz act of rebellion was at a more mature time in her life. Teaching at the collegiate level, with a child in junior high, the thirty year old Kusz acted out her rebellion by piercing her right nostril, and with it attained “a broad and unexpected brand of liberation” (Miller, 329). Although the act of rebellion can be demonstrated at any age, for both Moore and Kusz the underlying cause for rebellion was encountered quite early. Kusz grew up with the desire to conform to society, but felt like more like an outcast. At age seven, she lost one eye during an unfortunate dog attack that resulted in facial scarring, a constant reminder to others that she was different. “And Not Like Them, remember is was equivalent
Open Document