Kelley The People In Me Analysis

While identity begins with a foundation at birth through genetics, like ethnicity, that are given without choice, identity is a multi-faceted, shaped by responses to trial and tribulations and the environmental circumstances. With all the cultures of the world comes the stereotypes that are paired with them, now whether an individual’s response is to live by and follow them or not is what helps create his or her identity. Robin D. G. Kelley, a black professor and author, has two black parents, and grew up facing the trial of dealing with the common black stereotype. In Kelley’s essay “The People In Me” he elaborates on how he grew up saying, “[His] mother never fit the ‘black momma’ media image” breaking out from the stereotype and carving her own identity in her environment …show more content…
In other words, while an event could be silly and mean nothing to one person to another it would change his or her life because his or her response to that particular trial and tribulation sparked a motive in he or she that contributed to his or her identity. Bob Greene was a columnist and essayist who had a driving ambition that started with the event of being cut from a sports team. In Greene’s essay “Cut” he shares not only his but other male’s experience of being cut, and in that sharing the common feeling of “never allowing someone to tell me that [he’s] not good enough” (Greene 58). This was a lifelong feeling and motive that “… Being cut was what started [him] in determining that [his] success would always be based on my own abilities, and not someone else’s perceptions” (Greene 59). Responses to adversity is different for every person, but adds to one’s identity. Not only does adversity shape people’s identity the environmental state of their mind does