In Goffman’s Theory of Self-Presentation, we all portray signals given as well as signals given off, whether it is conscious or unconscious that exposes our front. The signals we give off only represent a quick look at the surface of our identity and not for who we really are. Through various manners, gestures, and language of choice, we present ourselves in many ways which is only a snapshot of who we are, without revealing our true selves. According to Goffman, we have no true self so we continuously build our fronts from the judgements of others.
Behind being both our conscious and unconscious, we present an image to others on how we feel in a negative and positive setting based on how we want to act during the conversation as well as how we dress. While having many conversations with my friend, using Goffman’s Theory of Self-Presentation, I was able to see several observations about both the conscious and unconscious fronts that they build as well as myself. The conversation with my friends went from one topic to the next while we were all doing different tasks. Even though my friend was cleaning her room and I was catching up on some homework, she still paid much attention to our conversation and participated in every topic we touched upon.
My friend is known to be a neat freak so her room is always spotless and has the image of someone who is preppy based on how she looks at school. While spending a brief amount of time in each topic we have discussed, I noticed some evidence of Goffman’s Theory of Self-Presentation. There were several examples in which both my friend and I were producing fronts. In Goffman’s theory, he states that we must produce fronts of ourselves if people are to know who we are or what we want them to think of us. The reason for this is because our identity is not naturally available to others.
People act in different ways based on how we present ourselves to others. Another important point in Goffman’s Theory, is that the unconsciously created signs of our identities that we seem to naturally and effortlessly emit, can also represent signals given off since they are naturally created with intent. Throughout my conversations with my friend, I noticed and analyzed a few instances in which fronts were produced. The first topic that was discussed was about our friend from high school that parted from our friend group throughout the years. Our friend was heading in a different direction and changed after high school. Based on my conversation, an example of the front that was produced was when my friend told me that she did not want to get involved even though I wanted to talk to her and figure things out. She produced the front of being cautious and upfront. Based on her facial emotions and body language, you could tell how she felt about the topic.
Another front that was developed during our conversation was the front of my own that I made. The front that I came across was being mindful and honest as well as defensive on how I felt with our friendship with our other friend. To her, it seemed like I was getting upset and defending our friend, when I was really just telling her how I felt about the situation. A point in this conversation that was said in Goffman’s Theory, was that even if we unconsciously created signs effortlessly, they were truly intentional. Another topic that was discussed in my conversation with my friend was about an exam that we took.
As soon as we walked out of the exam room, my friend turned to me and said it was hard, assuming that there was no way we would be able to get a decent grade because of it. As we kept talking about the exam, I began to feel anger and frustration the more she talked about it because I thought I was well prepared for that exam and I showed that I could be getting a decent grade in the class. I never showed that I was angry or frustrated; I just pretended to feel confident and determined that I would get a decent grade. The front I put for this conversation was showing my friend that I was prepared for the exam and knew every answer.
Even though the exam was hard, I did not want her to know that I also struggled on that exam as well as other classes as the semester goes on. According to Goffman, the principle that was intended behind both our unconscious and conscious presentation of us was to present an image of our self that is most advantageous to us, whether it means it is idealizing or negative idealizing. By presenting her theory on why the exam was hard and unfair, I showed the example of the idealizing even though I thought I was negative idealizing. Another example of fronts being produced in this conversation was when my friend stated that most students would stay up late every night preparing for the exam but noticed that we did not do so. The front she aimed was showing that we were careless about the exam and should’ve been more focused.
But then I made the remark of thinking that was not the reason since I “knew the material”. Another topic that was discussed in our conversation between my friend and I, was about a delivery man from a local pizza place near my friend’s apartment. My friend and I decided to order a pizza since we were going to be doing homework all day as well as my friend cleaning her room. When we ordered the pizza, the guy over the phone said it was going to about an hour for delivery. We figured since we were busy that we would wait for an hour. After an hour goes by, we start to wonder if the pizza guy was on his way.
At the time I was stilling doing homework and my friend was looking out the window like a watch dog for the pizza man. Another hour passes and the pizza still has not been delivered. So my friend calls the pizza place and explains to the guy that we never received the pizza. The guy over the phone then tells us that it was delivered. My friend begins to argue stating that we never got the pizza and she demanded a new delivery soon. The guys seemed careless and annoyed but my friend showed no sympathy. A half hour goes by and we finally get our pizza as a small beat up car parks in front friend’s apartment.
The guy looked as if he just woke up from a nap and had the of my impression of being lazy and careless. She wanted an explanation on what happened and he told her that it was delivered across the street on accident but said it in a low, slow tone. She was idealizing herself to being superior to him because of his foolish mistake. Once the delivery guy left, she sat back at the kitchen table and continued to do her homework. As Goffman’s Theory of Self-Presentation states, the front producing signs we each give off at any moment allows others only a partial glimpse of who we are.
This is true in this case because in the moment of our conversation, I saw a glimpse of my friend’s attitude about feeling superior so easily whenever someone makes a mistake. But as I began to analyze her attitude, I began to realize that this is not the first time she’s acting like this. I began to notice that I chimed in on the argument by agreeing to what my friend was saying but not taking part in it since I disagreed with how she handled things. This continues with her front that she chose of being fearless. As Goffman stated, to be able to predict one another’s actions, we take each other’s behavior as a promissory note— a promise that future behavior will be consistent with the current behavior and that current behavior is consistent with previous behavior. When I contributed to the conversation about the delivery guy, I portrayed a front of being fearless as well, agreeing with my friend on how absurd the situation was.
But even though I was agreeing with my friend, I did feel sympathy for the guy because everyone does make mistakes. It was signals given off and therefore, producing the front of not contributing in the argument. In Goffman’s Theory of Self-Presentation, it states that our identities are only unique in terms of the combination of person-types and group affiliations that make us who we are.
This is evident based on the front I produced because by taking my experiences and I was able to understand both sides of sympathy and not getting sympathy. The final front that I produced was in a conversation about how I forgot to submit an assignment when it was due the night before. Instead I had the night planned to relax and watch TV with my friend after a long stressful week at school. I began to get all nervous and said things I probably should not have, known as cursing, that slipped out of my mouth. This small statement in itself was known to be unconscious because I was unaware that I was going to be able to say such horrible things.
It was how I felt that produced the signal of me being nervous. As Goffman believes even though it was done unconscious, it is still intentional. I began to realize that this fact was true because I did not put my work before anything else which caused me to forget and then fall into this situation. Even though I said that I would do it later, I intentionally knew that I did not want to do the assignment. The front I was trying to produce was that I was carefree and thought I can do it later, procrastinating. Goffman believes that we adapt our behavior and therefore change or produce different fronts when we are with different people.
This fact is true because if I were with my family back at home, I would get in trouble if I ever cursed in front of them. I have younger siblings and cousins that look up to me so that would not be a good example if I were to curse in front of them. But since I’m not at home and I’m always surrounded by my friends, I change my front to adapt to the environment I am in, portraying myself in an adventurous way. By analyzing the conversations that were discussed with my friend that would seem regular and in no way special, by using Goffman’s Theory of Self-Presentation, we can see that it is true that everyone and anyone can produce fronts without having the other person know who we really are.
Phrases or actions that seem minimal in a conversation and are analyzed can open the door and say a lot about the person especially on their appearance or in the setting that the conversation takes place in. Even though these signs are unconscious, they are intentional whether we know it or not. Even if I was not contributing to any conversations with my friend I would still be producing a front as well as a signal. After writing this paper I think I will definitely think more about conversations and what other people’s manners, appearance and setting portray to me and how I interpret them.
