Cultural identity

Shields and Identity When discussing the concept of identity as it relates to characters who have been transformed by traumatic events it is imperative to also discuss the ways in which these characters protect their identities. In Death and the Dervish and The Houses of Belgrade, both leading characters employ their own devices to preserve their idea of self. To begin, a baseline sense of identity must be established in order to better understand and examine the shields each protagonist uses.…

Define Me “The question isn’t who is going to help me, but who is going to stop me” (Ayn Rand). This quote has been the philosophy by which I live my life. However, it was not until middle school, and my life was in a constant state of flux, that I finally heard it. Discovering Ayn Rand was the start of much more than I can express and the beginning of an obsession with knowledge and discovery; her works mean the world to me, and I find that they define me quite often, but not as much as…

conceal who they really are. False identities may be used to cover up insecurities, gain credibility, or even status. Whatever the reason may be, when an identity is fabricated or stolen and given to someone else, does that person become the new identity, or would the identity be a mere mask over the person’s true character? Jose Eduardo Agualusa’s fictional story, The Book of Chameleons: A Novel, indicates that people seek comfort through hiding behind new identities. The narrator of the book…

During one’s adolescent years, one may find oneself constantly changing one’s personality and traits in order to properly define oneself, thus bringing up the topic of self-identity: the recognition of one's potential and qualities as an individual, especially in relation to social context. Such is a case with 13-year old pubescent choirboy John Milton, or “Spud” from Spud by John Van de Ruit, and the vengeful teenager Ishmael Beah from A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah…

Identity can only be created by people themselves throughout their life. The creation of one’s identity derives from an individual’s thoughts, actions, and impact they have had on life and others. In Thomas Merton’s wise words, “True identity is something people must create for themselves by making choices that are significant and that require a courageous commitment in the face of challenges.” Life is meant to let us face challenges to find who we are by what paths we choose to take. Despite a…

Erik Erikson’s Initiative versus guilt period is a stage where children between the ages of 3 to 5 seek outside confirmation in their actions. I would dress in princess dresses and anything pink that I could find. As I began to take initiative, my mother validated me during this period by allowing me to do things on my own. I was very observant at this age and when I did everyday task I usually succeeded in them not because I was taught, but I mimicked actions that I saw. I was a very…

Identity is an individual’s self definition that focuses on enduring characteristics of the self (Brogan, 2009). Erik Erickson believed that life was summed up in eight life stages which each consisted of a psychosocial conflict. His theories marked an important shift in thinking on personality; instead of focusing simply on early childhood event, his psychosocial theory looked at how social influences contribute to personality throughout the entire lifespan (Cherry). According to the theory,…

establishment forces an identity upon the characters, causing tension between their true and artificial selves. The protagonist Jon exists in a commercial community that uses teenagers as test dummies for its brands. Their world is prefabricated and they are taught via commercials for different trademarks, with slogans as their source of knowledge. The very militant and impersonal nature of the society throws the reader off balance, yet the same principle notions of identity and status exist in…

Everyone had their ups and downs during their lives until some of them became ripple effects within their lives. That was where deep, emotional, or painful moments had happened. Psychologists called those moments nonnormative life events. Normative life events “are unusual occurrences that have a major impact on the individual’s life” (Santrock, 2013, p. 5). For me, I remembered my own nonnormative life event like it was yesterday. 5 years ago, my grandmother passed away without a notice. I was…

regrets breaking both his fundamental rules, which represent his self identity; “1. don 't care too much. 2. shut up” (5). While Will Grayson anguishes over breaking these rules, in doing so he dismantles his self image of not caring; thus, forcing him to assume the self image as an active member within the school community who is not afraid to voice his opinion. Whereas, in Everyday, A’s E-Mail account represents his self identity, and his altercation with Reverend Poole forces A to delete his…