SUBTEXTIt's standard procedure for a lawyer to dress petty criminals in
sober attire, to groom their hair, dress them in a shirt and tie,
and even give them spectacles for a scholarly look.
Cleanliness may not be next to godliness, but it is tremendously
important for the man or woman on trial. There is an ingrained
belief in most jurors' minds that someone who keeps clean, no
matter what class he or she comes from, is inherently decent—a ]
subtext that every lawyer should wish a jury to perceive in a
client. Defendants are advised to create a subtext of good citizen-
ship.CHANGE THE IMAGE:
CHANGE THE SUBTEXT
Recently, Donny Osmond, the sweet Mormon boy who nearly twenty
years ago charmed the nation with his song "Puppy Love," and
who was held up as a role model for youngsters because of his
healthy, clean-cut subtext, decided to make a change. Saccharine
sentimentality is out now, and pop roughness is in. The new Osmond
has a ragged haircut, wears a black leather jacket, a work shirt,
worn jeans, and boots. He sings "Soldier of Love" now to a strong
beat. The subtext? A brooding, repressed violence meant to appeal
to today's youth market.
Has Donny changed, or is it only his subtext that has changed?
Dr. Barry Schlenker, a social psychologist at the University of
Florida, says, "Our identities... are something we have con-
structed with the help and agreement of others. If Osmond wears
a leather jacket, we say, 'Why would a nice, sweet guy like him
wear that jacket?'"
But is Osmond a nice, sweet guy inside? Which is real and