Tom Haverford: The Reinvented

-Written by Tina

Tom Haverford oozes exaggerated charm and confidence. It is hard to believe that he once felt like an outsider looking in. We get a glimpse of his insecurities of being an Indian American boy growing up in South Carolina in season 5, episode 20 of Parks and Recreation. 

In this episode, Jerry Gergich, the government official everyone used to tease, is finally retiring. The natural laws of an office space must find another "Jerry" before the unraveling of the office spacetime continuum destroys the universe. And Tom Haverford becomes his coworkers' new target of ridicule and humiliation.

Fur underwear. Really, Tom? That just does not sound comfortable. 

But Tom Haverford really did reinvent himself. Tom Haverford has got swag. He knows what's up in the latest fashion and music world. He buys all the coolest and newest gadgets once they hit the shelves. Tom Haverford is hip. Unfortunately most of Pawnee is not.

Justin is someone Tom aspires to be. He is a successful lawyer. He wears Armani suits. Women are easily charmed by his good looks and amazing stories. He is worldly. Tom wants to be like him. And so Tom tries to impress him.

The juxtaposition of these two different moments in Tom Haverford's life sheds light into his development as the suave yet cocky entrepreneur.

The people we surround ourselves with are a defining factor in who we end up becoming. Someone like Tom, who cares heavily about his personal image, would make pretty drastic changes to appear socially acceptable. Back when Tom was a kid in South Carolina, his classmates ostracized him because he was a skinny, awkward Indian American. He hated his classmates' dismissals of who he was and resolved to make changes. 

The changes he's made have cut off all connections to his Indian roots. Only until he meets Justin does Tom want to revisit his Indian heritage. 

I feel that many Asian youths living in a predominantly white area would encounter similar experiences that result in them rejecting their Asian upbringing. What we need are more Asian Americans in the popular media spotlight. These kids (and Tom) need Asian American heroes.