English Speech on Identity on the Matrix

Identity. What is identity? According to the Australian Oxford Dictionary, Identity is who or what a person is. Our understanding of “who we are” adapts to the shifting influence on our 'identity'. Our identity is forever changing through the influences we experience in life. Often individuals struggle to define their identity. This is strongly displayed within the film distributed by Warner brothers pictures, The Matrix and the poem composed by W.H Auden, Funeral Blues through the use of techniques.

The Matrix consists of a man named 'Thomas Anderson' but also goes by the name Neo. The movie is based on his journey of seeking his true self. One night he awakens to his computer screen saying “Follow the white rabbit”. Initiating his journey he pursuits the “White Rabbit” tattoo which is an allusion to Alice in Wonderland. It leads him to Trinity which unravels the whole situation he's involved in. The conversation was the trigger to all the following events to occur as it influenced him to take action. It relation to identity and shifting influences, this portrays that the influence of others can provoke actions to be performed which builds onto our forever changing identity.

Further down the journey of seeking Thomas Anderson's true identity, he faces more challenges as he was offered the decision of consuming the red or blue pill. The red pill answers his curiousity of what the matrix is where as the blue pill enables his life to carry on as it is. He obviously consumes the red pill as he desperately seeks the truth of the world of the matrix. The use of symbolism adds a deeper definition to the colour of the pills. Red symbolises danger and risk as consuming it is like gambling your life, where as blue relates to just the normal ordinary life. These pills influenced Neo to take action in his life and without the consumption of the red pill, his identity would've remained the same.

As Neo is supposedly saved from the Matrix, he is transferred into the real world. He was assigned to jumping program which is the leap of faith. Morpheous says to Neo, “You got to let it all go, Neo. Fear, doubt and disbelief”. Within this scene, Neo fails the leap of faith and falls straight to the ground. This symbolises his lack of faith, possession of fear and disbelief . Although later on within the film, Neo succeeds the leap of faith as he then possesses belief and courage.The use of these two scenes displays the changes that influences have made throughout his journey seeking his true identity.

Towards the end of the movie consists of the fight between Agent Smith and Neo in an underground train station. Agent Smith and Neo are equally matched out with their power as demonstrated in the scene. The use of slow motion reinforces Neo's acceptance of him being 'the one' and portrays he's in the matrix as it's not real a world. Due to the topic always being discussed that Neo is the one, he finally accepts it. This is demonstrated through his strong power whilst fighting Agent Smith. The influences of others information and belief has sunk into him and provided his identity with belief.

During the fight with Agent Smith, Neo is constantly being called his slave name in the Matrix, “Mr Anderson”. This provokes anger which provides him with strength to fight more violently. As Agent Smith keeps calling him “Mr Anderson”, neo then says “My name is Neo”. When Neo states this, a close up is being used up to his face. The close up views his face of determination as confidence and belief arises within his identity. It portrays that finally after all this talk about him being the one , he begins to believe in it.

In relation to finding your true identity, certain factors become essential in your life, losing it causes severe damage to the soul. Briefly my chosen text Funeral Blues, is about a gay lover that has unfortunately lost their partner. Within the second stanza states “Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead”. The use of symbolism with the word moaning symbolises the neverending spinning pain the persona is experiencing due to their loss. This never ending pain portrays that losing a person that's a significant impact in your life damages your identity and the happiness in life just diminishes.

The lover that was lost was a significant person in their life. The use of Capital letters for scribbling on the sky the message “He Is Dead” portrays that this persons death has to be aware to everyone as an important person has passed away. The influence of this persons death has damaged this persons identity intensely.

Within the third stanza states “He was my North, my South, my East and West”. This is a metaphor which portrays that this person's lover was their direction in life and without this person they have lost their sense of direction. The persona feels as if life isn't worth living anymore. This person was their life and now their life is just lifeless . Due to his lack of direction, he feels so lost as his life is going no where.

Throughout the whole third stanza contains the repetition of 'my' to emphasis that it's HIS soul mate and identity that is lost. Losing your soul mate is like losing your life. His soul mate was his everything, and I mean EVERYTHING. Without his soul mate he lacks motivation, direction, life and happiness. The influence of a soul mate is intense towards a persons identity. They help build up the identity we live with.

The third stanza also consists of the use of Allusion as the second sentence states 'My working week and my Sunday rest'. The use of Sunday rest is an allusion to the Genesis story as God created the world within seven days and Sunday was his rest day. This implies that the person was God-like to them as they were the centre of their universe just like how God is the centre of the majority of people's universes. The loss of their loved one really impacted their life significantly and their identity is really lacking faith, belief and happiness.

Our understanding of who we are adapts to the shifting influences on our identity. The matrix and funeral blues displays these strongly.