Answer to First Blog Prompt

By Meggie!

Although the words “recognize” and “realize” share similar connotations of a basic sort of knowing, recognizing is simply the act of noting an object’s, person’s, or event’s existence, while realizing implies a deeper level of understanding of the meaning of the aforementioned object, person, or event. The difference between recognition and realization is exemplified in the climax of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Romeo, upon seeing a deeply sleeping Juliet in a tomb, recognizes that she is dead. Understandably, it makes sense for him to reason that, since Juliet outwardly displays all the signs of lifelessness. However, had he received the message that she was feigning death, he would have realized and truly understood the purpose of her state. Romeo’s recognition, and not realization, of Juliet’s “death” leads to his unnecessary suicide. Conversely, when Juliet awakes from her intense slumber, she swiftly comprehends what Romeo has done, realizing exactly why he took his own life - her message never reached him. Understanding the events that took place that led Romeo to his fate, Juliet commits suicide with a purpose, her decision supported by her awareness of the facts.
A less tragic example of the stark difference between recognizing and realizing occurs in the 2006 cinematic gem, “She’s the Man,” a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. The protagonist, Viola, assumes the identity of her twin brother in order to participate in the “boys only” soccer team, deceiving all of her classmates. Her friends and teammates unsuspectingly “recognize” a wig-wearing Viola as her twin brother, but only a select few realize the suspiciousness of a high-school jock discussing the inconveniences of wearing heels, or refusing to shower at the same time as the rest of “his” team. These few “realizers” eventually reveal Viola’s true identity because they are the only ones to see beyond simple appearances to discover truth.
Though recognition is essential to everyday life (i.e. recognizing a hall-mate, or a building where class takes place), it is very straightforward in nature. Realization requires looking beyond the accepted “face value” to discover someone or something’s greater function. However, realization cannot exist without some sort of recognition beforehand. Thus, recognition and realization work in tandem in the process of uncovering truth and purpose.