Does the influence of external and internal worlds impact the shaping and growth of our identities?
Literature has the captivating ability to broaden and expand society’s knowledge of human complexity, and impact readers’ intellectual perceptions of their external and internal worlds. This is further investigated in both Jamaica Kincaid’s Annie John and Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions, as they provide perceptive offerings into colonial societies and families’ crucial influence on an adolescent’s developing identity. Colonial societies encourage the protagonists to construct viable paths towards self-discovery through their exposure to foreign, colonial customs, and the resultant establishment of their personal beliefs. Furthermore, …show more content…
Contrastingly in Annie John, Annie’s formation of a distinct identity stems from a lack of strong familial bonds, indicating the similar effects differing internal worlds can trigger. Furthermore, Tambudzai’s use of dual perspectives allows the reader to gain insights into the immediate and long-term intellectual impacts of her family’s guidance. She is then able to intricately comment on her developing identity as an adolescent and an adult, differing to Annie John’s ambiguous portrayal of Annie through the unreliable first person narration. Moreover, Tambudzai’s young admiration of her cousin Nyasha assures her to treat life’s inconsistencies as a means of personal growth. Nyasha’s use of high modality in her advice, stating “You can't go on all the time being whatever’s necessary…I’m convinced I don't want to be anyone’s underdog,” such as “can’t” and “convinced” demonstrates her perpetuating reluctance to conform to others’ ideals. Tambudzai then implements this belief through a series of adolescent rebellious acts that forge her cognitive and emotional growth (Okuyade 2012). Comparably in Annie John, Annie showcases views analogous to those of Nyasha, portraying them in Tambudzai’s riotous fashion by stealing marbles to her mother’s dismay. The obsession symbolises her youthful rebellion of her family’s mores, and consequently forms Annie’s ability to decipher her personal values of her identity. Finally, the impacts of family are reflected through Tambudzai’s desired acceptance into a convent school. Her family’s firm support is seen in their farewells, being “exhortatory from my uncle, briskly cheerful from Maiguru, determinedly gay from Nyasha…Expansion was a long process for me.” Kincaid’s use of asyndeton emphasises Tambudzai’s family’s contentment with her achievement, mirroring Annie John’s
Literature has the captivating ability to broaden and expand society’s knowledge of human complexity, and impact readers’ intellectual perceptions of their external and internal worlds. This is further investigated in both Jamaica Kincaid’s Annie John and Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions, as they provide perceptive offerings into colonial societies and families’ crucial influence on an adolescent’s developing identity. Colonial societies encourage the protagonists to construct viable paths towards self-discovery through their exposure to foreign, colonial customs, and the resultant establishment of their personal beliefs. Furthermore, …show more content…
Contrastingly in Annie John, Annie’s formation of a distinct identity stems from a lack of strong familial bonds, indicating the similar effects differing internal worlds can trigger. Furthermore, Tambudzai’s use of dual perspectives allows the reader to gain insights into the immediate and long-term intellectual impacts of her family’s guidance. She is then able to intricately comment on her developing identity as an adolescent and an adult, differing to Annie John’s ambiguous portrayal of Annie through the unreliable first person narration. Moreover, Tambudzai’s young admiration of her cousin Nyasha assures her to treat life’s inconsistencies as a means of personal growth. Nyasha’s use of high modality in her advice, stating “You can't go on all the time being whatever’s necessary…I’m convinced I don't want to be anyone’s underdog,” such as “can’t” and “convinced” demonstrates her perpetuating reluctance to conform to others’ ideals. Tambudzai then implements this belief through a series of adolescent rebellious acts that forge her cognitive and emotional growth (Okuyade 2012). Comparably in Annie John, Annie showcases views analogous to those of Nyasha, portraying them in Tambudzai’s riotous fashion by stealing marbles to her mother’s dismay. The obsession symbolises her youthful rebellion of her family’s mores, and consequently forms Annie’s ability to decipher her personal values of her identity. Finally, the impacts of family are reflected through Tambudzai’s desired acceptance into a convent school. Her family’s firm support is seen in their farewells, being “exhortatory from my uncle, briskly cheerful from Maiguru, determinedly gay from Nyasha…Expansion was a long process for me.” Kincaid’s use of asyndeton emphasises Tambudzai’s family’s contentment with her achievement, mirroring Annie John’s