Identity In This Boy's Life By Tobias Wolff

To an extent, This Boy’s Life is a pessimistic account as Tobias is consistently split between two contrasting personas when searching for his identity. As Tobias Wolff, he is a boy abandoned by his father who seemingly favours his brother Geoffrey. He is also influenced by his well-meaning mother Rosemary, imitating her ‘caught up in her dream’ with his ‘dreams of transformation’ and even turning down the opportunity for an improved life as he is his ‘mother’s son’. Subsequently, Toby imagines a new identity as Jack Wolff modelling himself after the fantasy of a ‘splendid phantom’ who is an Eagle Scout and a straight-A student. Despite the numerous depressing failures of his search for his identity, there is optimism as Toby ultimately decides
By doing so, he edges the chance to fully assume the identity of Jack Wolff. He demonstrates this depressing yearning for change multiple times, yet never fulfils it. In a realistic manner, he writes to his uncle in Paris and is offered a place in their family. However, despite the great opportunity of ‘foreign travel, a great school…a well-regulated family’, one that would suit Jack, Toby refuses this chance because he could not be ‘anyone else’s’ son. This incident demonstrates that although his identity is split, he has an underlying attachment to the Toby persona and to his mother, as well as their unstable life together, as he turns down the chance to abandon his last name and start a new life. Shortly after, he plans to run away to Alaska with stolen money after a Scout trip and again validating his relationship with his mother as he imagines reuniting with his mother with ‘grateful tears’. He postpones this trip and instead allows Dwight to pick him up, showing his ongoing reluctance to genuinely adopt the Jack persona. Finally, Toby is aided by Geoffrey to apply for prep schools such as he and his father were alumni. This represents the fortuity to lead a ‘brilliant life’ like them and Toby works hard in order to write the ‘truth known only to [him]’ until he is accepted to Hill School. However, it is Toby’s sense of entitlement that living any other life would be an ‘oppression’ that leads to his failure at this school. As Toby Wolff, he chooses to become the ‘school wild man’ rather than the ‘elegant boy’ he could have become. In this manner, the story ends pessimistically, however, Toby is content with his identity at last as he goes into the army, with relief to join the ‘clear life of uniforms and ranks and weapons’. As a consequence, Toby fails to improve his life and become Jack, however, he is able to become satisfied with his