Mimesis and Farrah

Benjamin says that he mimetic faculty originates from nature, where similarities are produced. The example used in this case is language, where onomatopoeic words are the same across different languages. Yet these similarities have been developed over time and history and as a result, it has become nonsensuous, or not related to the senses. We innately create this similarities.

Similarly, Bhabha believes mimicry to be something that comes naturally. However, unlike Benjamin, Bhabha does not believe that the primary example of similarity is language. Instead, Bhabba believes mimicry to be the result of hierarchy. In order to create similarity, there need to be two things that are different in the sense that one thing is dominant and the other is submissive. The submissive’s identity is created as the result of the dominant’s identity but the two cannot be fully the same. Instead, they are “partially” similar and as a result, only the identity can change and not the essence.

The example of Farrah and specifically Orlando Domingo’s attempt to imitate her, demonstrates the ideas of both Benjamin and Bhabha. To Benjamin, Orlando is being rejected by the authorities because his imitation is unnatural; he is trying to cross gender boundaries, which to them is wrong. Unlike language, Orlando’s mimicry is unnatural and forced. He must use hair curlers and weigh and unnatural amount in order to mimic Farrah.

The example also works in Bhabha’s case; Bhabha believes imitation to be the result of a natural hierarchy. Orlando, being the submissive, curls his hair, wears women’s clothing and has the figure of Farrah. His mimicry is strong and people call him Farrah as a result, but he is still not Farrah. There still lies an essence that Farrah has that only the true Farrah can obtain. He is, however, partially similar, allowing him to gain attention and even admiration from other students, despite the fact that Orlando is not Farrah.