The Rats of Oz

This web page was inspired by an essay required for a college composition class.

Symbolic Clothing

I have an outfit that is symbolic to me and represents my individuality. It displays a non-conformist outlook towards life and a humanitarianism towards unappreciated creatures, namely rats! A turquoise t-shirt and a pair of jeans has become symbolic attire worn by me and a reminder of the culture from which I came and the person I have now become.

I inherited my turquiose 'Run Toto, Run!' t-shirt from my fiancee when it became too small for him. At one time I only associated the shirt to it's literal meaning. A line spoken in the Wizard of Oz by Dorthoy to save her dog, Toto, from capture by the wicked witch's winged monkeys. Both the lives of the girl and the dog were to be sacrificed by the witch to satisfy her lust for the ruby slippers worn by the girl. It was one of my favorite shirts only because of it's color and it's uniqueness. It held no special meaning for me until several weeks ago.

I woke up one Saturday and put on the shirt. Only because it was the top shirt lying in the drawer and tucked it into my pair of jeans. I can't say the jeans I chose were a special pair either since I own several identical pairs. I finished getting dressed and drove to the Total Feed Store less than a mile from my home. I purchased two male rats to save them from becoming snake food and brought them home to a wire condo rat cage where they could enjoy a life of companionship and a carefree lifestyle. I sat on the couch and had a picture taken to commemorate the event. It was only after I saw the picture tha the shirt took on a new meaning for me. It symbolized one more successful escape for a tiny creature from an awful fate. Elwood and Otis, the rats, had not eluded a wicked witch but the fate of being snake food. Their lives would not be snuffed out by another human who would not stop long enough to recognize their value in life, their intelligence and the joy they give through their affection and companionship. Neither would they know the terror felt by being handed over to a snake for his meal.

This turquoise shirt has now elavated in worth to me and perhaps has now become a part of an uniform that I may wear again on a mission to save the life of a rat. The shirt paired with the jeans are symbolic because they help represent me to the world as the person I have become through my thoughts and feelings and experiences felt in life. True, both are personal symbolisms that may escape the eye of the beholder, but once the secrets of the clothing are shared with others, they may become memorable symbols to them as well. With sharing my symbolic wardrobe they in turn my find some symbolism within their own attire.

Let the adventure begin!

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