Essay On Identity
The Basics of Developing An Identity Finding one’s identity can be a crucial part to finding one’s destiny in many ways. One of, if not the most crucial thing in one’s life is exploring themselves and finding out who they truly are. One’s identity can be created through his/her culture, family, and friends. One of the main things that create one’s identity is culture; one’s surroundings. In “Superman and Me” by Sherman Alexie, he grows up in an indian village and is surrounded every day by people that discourage learning or reading. The text states, “ A smart Indian is a dangerous person, widely feared and ridiculed by Indians and non Indians alike. I fought with my classmates on a daily basis. They wanted me to stay quiet when the non
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Indian teacher asked for answers, for volunteers, for help. We were Indian children who were expected to be stupid. ( 2).” Despite being bullied for learning to read and trying to be smart, he persevered through it. This struggle in his childhood helped shape his identity and paid off in the long run. Another thing thing that may affect one’s identity is his or her’s family.
The way someone is raised will affect his/her personality long term. In “Fish Cheeks” by Amy Tan, she was raised by a Chinese family, so she grew up eating Chinese food and wearing Chinese clothing despite growing up outside of China. Because of this, she was embarrassed of her family for being different. The story says, “After everyone had gone, my mother said to me, ‘You want to be the same as American girls on the outside.’ She handed me an early gift. It was a mini skirt in beige tweed. ‘But inside you must always be Chinese. You must be proud you are different. Your only shame is to have shame.’ (1)”. From then on, Amy learned to be proud of her family and her origin. That definitely shaped her identity for the rest of her life. The last thing that can shape one’s identity is his/her friends. Friends are unlike family because friends are the people one chooses to spend time with whereas someone is stuck with family no matter what. Most people will tell his/her friends things they won’t tell their family. Friends are typically the people one will spend most time with so they may have the biggest influence of a person. In the end, one’s identity can affect one’s life permanently. The way one may live the rest of their life can be affected by his/her identity, found through their family, friends and
culture.
Indian teacher asked for answers, for volunteers, for help. We were Indian children who were expected to be stupid. ( 2).” Despite being bullied for learning to read and trying to be smart, he persevered through it. This struggle in his childhood helped shape his identity and paid off in the long run. Another thing thing that may affect one’s identity is his or her’s family.
The way someone is raised will affect his/her personality long term. In “Fish Cheeks” by Amy Tan, she was raised by a Chinese family, so she grew up eating Chinese food and wearing Chinese clothing despite growing up outside of China. Because of this, she was embarrassed of her family for being different. The story says, “After everyone had gone, my mother said to me, ‘You want to be the same as American girls on the outside.’ She handed me an early gift. It was a mini skirt in beige tweed. ‘But inside you must always be Chinese. You must be proud you are different. Your only shame is to have shame.’ (1)”. From then on, Amy learned to be proud of her family and her origin. That definitely shaped her identity for the rest of her life. The last thing that can shape one’s identity is his/her friends. Friends are unlike family because friends are the people one chooses to spend time with whereas someone is stuck with family no matter what. Most people will tell his/her friends things they won’t tell their family. Friends are typically the people one will spend most time with so they may have the biggest influence of a person. In the end, one’s identity can affect one’s life permanently. The way one may live the rest of their life can be affected by his/her identity, found through their family, friends and
culture.