When reading the first paragraph of ‘For Heidi with Blue
Hair’ written by Fleur Adcock, even I am shocked to hear what the main
character Heidi has done. The idea of styling her hair “ultramarine with
clipped sides, and a crest of jet-black spikes on top” gives me the impression
that Heidi is insane. At this point she struck me as a wild and rebellious teen
shockingly standing out, which is not what you’d expect from a typical student.
This is why at first I would have had to agree with Heidi’s Headmistress’s
decision to send her home. But as I read on, what I had thought about Heidi
clearly changed. As I began to realize she was just trying to face her society
as an individual human being.
Adcock manages to transform such a minor event and convey
the different issues faced in adolescence’s life. This poem deals with independence
and the many social boundaries that are trapped within. The main character-
Heidi has obviously grown up, and has developed her own thoughts and
personality. Due to the stereotypes of today’s society we are becoming unknown
to what’s true or false. This made me think about how much stereotypes
influence our thoughts on people. How we automatically assume that if you’re
‘Asian’ you’re a bad driver. The list goes on and on, each example purely shows
how we as individuals judge each other. Heidi has joined yet another stereotype
of being a ‘punk’, giving her a background story that doesn't even exist. After hearing Heidi’s dad defending her “She’s
not a punk in her behavior; it’s just a style” made me realize even I didn't
look beyond Heidi’s blue hair. I, along with many others purely judged Heidi on
her radical hairstyle. This is a common issue in society that needs to be
encouraged rather than frowned upon.
After reading this poem I have also come to realize that
Heidi’s blue hair symbolizes her mother’s death. We all grief in different ways
and the act of dye-ing her hair may have been a way to overcome her sorrows. People
react to death differently and by expressing herself and trying to be
individual, possibly helped her escape from this sad situation. This poem is a
prime example of why we won’t always know what’s going on in people’s lives so
we shouldn't judge but ask. The headmistress’s decision hit a nerve of Heidi’s
as behind the argument shimmered her mother, which was hard for her to handle.
I have learnt from this poem that it is important to be
individual and that judging someone by what’s on the outside is not fair.
Heidi’s headmistress automatically picked on her for something that was
different from normal yet was said to be allowed at school. It saddens me to
see Heidi go through this and it has changed my point of view when it comes to
first impressions.
