Henslin: Goffman, The presentation of the Self in Everyday Life

Our everyday life is a play and we are a fragment of this play. We're always wearing costumes, adding and taking away props to make ourselves look better. The props we use would be fit for the occasion we're heading to like, school, work, interview, or a party. When we're in a play the person we are is influenced by the stage and the people involved in the play. Let's say I went to an interview and I want to make a good impression. I would dress properly for an interview, carry props that are appropriate for the occasion, change my tone of talking, and sit straight without slouching. This is because I want to make a good impression, so they can 'act' according to what I want by giving me the job position I desire. In reality, who we are as an individual is developed by the people around us, by society. 

When we meet someone for the first time we would examine them carefully by looking into the way they dress, walk, and talk. Following along the way we predict their personality, we will act accordingly to what we believe they would prefer. Goffman believes that we should be our own distinct character and have moral rights to expect that others will treat and value us in an appropriate way; however, if we came to lie about our true self we deserve what ought to come upon us.