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What price would you pay to change your appearance, and what happens when the power to transform yourself becomes a curse? This month we look at two epsodes where identity and the consequences of changing one’s appearance take center stage. They explore themes of conformity, individuality, and the dangerous allure of being able to become someone else – whether by choice or societal pressure.
In “The Four of Us Are Dying,” Arch Hammer is a con man with the ability to change his face to look like anyone he’s seen. He uses this gift to impersonate various men for personal gain, including a dead musician, a boxer, and a gangster. His schemes ultimately lead to his death when he takes on the wrong identity at the wrong time. “Number 12 Looks Just Like You” takes place in a future where everyone undergoes a “transformation” at age 19 to become beautiful, choosing from a limited number of approved models. Young Marilyn desperately resists this conformity but eventually submits to the procedure, losing her individuality in the process.
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