Avatars & their Creators

Avatars are interactive self-portraits that people can create based on their personal preference.  Some create only one avatar while others create several avatars.  Some like their avatars to represent their personality while others create avatars that are complete opposites of who they really are as humans.  In Profiles from Alter Ego: Avatars and their Creators, the author uses three different examples to demonstrate the vast contrasts between the avatars and their creators. 
The first example is an avatar who represents strength and immortality while its creator is a man with several disabilities.  Despite his many discapabilities, this character can do things in the virtual world that he would not be able to do otherwise.  He can do things such as riding speeder bikes, fighting monsters, and hanging out with friends at a local bar.  The interaction between him and his competitors bring them together.  The second example is an avatar who is a big, black, and male elf whose creator is a small, Caucasian woman.  She feels that as a female online-gamer, she would be treated differently than if she had a male avatar that other gamers would respect and ultimately form relationships.  The third example is a hot, blonde avatar whose creator is a Caucasian, male student.  Even though he isn't a good player, he is able to customize his avatar in various ways such as changing her hairstyles everyday and giving her a beautiful, hourglass body figure.
All three examples use their virtual identities to their own different advantages.  They all agree that image in the virtual world enhances the game and brings people together on one playing field no matter what you may look like in the real world.  Even within a classroom, people can use different avatars for things such as class discussions where they can communicate strictly via online.  No one could know exactly who was who; only by the person's avatar would a person tell.