A Troubling Name

This is going back a few classes, but I was reminded of our conversation about names while reading Power . From what I can recall, I think the majority of us have grown to at least accept and tolerate our names (even if it was a long road getting there). In the first chapter of Power Omishto informs us that her father named her Omishto because it means "One Who Watches" (4). As we notice early on Omishto is very observant and intuitive. Examples of this are when she says, "I can tell. I feel it in my body, something not right, eyes watching from the trees, something stirring about" and "I watch everything and see deep into what's around me" (2 and 4). Unfortunately for Omishto, this can be a rather detrimental characteristic for a few reasons. At times this trait allows her to deviate from her own emotions and opinions. She spends so much time describing what she observes around her that we lose her thoughts about her surroundings.

Another drawback about this personality trait is that it leads her to witnessing Ama kill Sisa. Omishto's partial witnessing it's death terrifies her: "I can't see what Ama is doing, but I know. There are no sounds of struggle or death, but I feel it in my stomach like destiny moving itself around in a whirwind, a dark wind that comes quickly, churning, then turns to leave and is gone" (67). Omishto's intuitiveness allows her to sense Sisa's killing and it's death results in eventual confusion and frustration toward her relationship with Ama. In addition, Omishto's watchfulness could potentially lead to paranoia as she becomes increasingly concerned with her surroundings. So, unlike many of us (I hope) our names don't allow us to suffer these extreme consequences, but Omishto's name gives us a new perspective on how names can have a great impact on our lives.