The Loss of Identity Portrayed in a Range of Literature
Report: Loss of Identity portrayed in a range of literature
For my report I chose to look at the loss of Identity portrayed in a range of different literature. The texts that I chose to study were: ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’ by Jean Rhys, ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ by Robert Louis Stevenson, ‘I am not Esther’ by Fleur Beale, ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ by Oscar Wilde and ‘Face Off’ directed by John Woo and written by Mike Werb and Michael Colleary. In all five texts that I studied the theme “loss of identity” was apparent, and in every case the main characters are the ones that experience a loss of identity. In ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ and ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ the main characters lead a double life which causes them to forget about who they really are. However, in ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’ the main character goes mad and then loses her identity. The main character in ‘I am not Esther’ is forced to change her identity and starts to lose her true identity along the way. The same goes for the two main characters in ‘Face Off’ that swap identities and are so wound up in pretending to be each other that they lose their identities. Throughout my research I will be answering three different questions; to what extent does setting cause a loss of identity?, how is symbolism used to explore the theme?, and how do others influence a loss of identity?
To what extent does setting cause a loss of identity?
Both ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ and ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ were set in London, ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ in the 1890’s whereas ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ was set in the 1870’s. In London, the members of society that were in the upper classes had a great deal of pressure to uphold their responsibilities pushed onto them. The gentlemen of the 1800’s had a reputation to keep intact and because of the pressure to follow their duty, honour, and responsibilities Jack Worthing and
For my report I chose to look at the loss of Identity portrayed in a range of different literature. The texts that I chose to study were: ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’ by Jean Rhys, ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ by Robert Louis Stevenson, ‘I am not Esther’ by Fleur Beale, ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ by Oscar Wilde and ‘Face Off’ directed by John Woo and written by Mike Werb and Michael Colleary. In all five texts that I studied the theme “loss of identity” was apparent, and in every case the main characters are the ones that experience a loss of identity. In ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ and ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ the main characters lead a double life which causes them to forget about who they really are. However, in ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’ the main character goes mad and then loses her identity. The main character in ‘I am not Esther’ is forced to change her identity and starts to lose her true identity along the way. The same goes for the two main characters in ‘Face Off’ that swap identities and are so wound up in pretending to be each other that they lose their identities. Throughout my research I will be answering three different questions; to what extent does setting cause a loss of identity?, how is symbolism used to explore the theme?, and how do others influence a loss of identity?
To what extent does setting cause a loss of identity?
Both ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ and ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ were set in London, ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ in the 1890’s whereas ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ was set in the 1870’s. In London, the members of society that were in the upper classes had a great deal of pressure to uphold their responsibilities pushed onto them. The gentlemen of the 1800’s had a reputation to keep intact and because of the pressure to follow their duty, honour, and responsibilities Jack Worthing and
Bibliography: Beale, F. (2008). I am not Esther. Dunedin, New Zealand: Long Acre Press. (Original work published 1998) Rhys, J. (1966). Wide Sargasso Sea. New York: W. W. Norton (USA). Stevenson, R. L. (2007). The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (pp. 1 - 107). London: Headline Review Classics. (Original work published 1886) Wilde, O. (1986). The Importance of being Earnest. The Importance of being Earnest and other plays (pp. 247 - 313). England: Penguin (Non-Classics). (Original work published 1899) Woo, J. (Director). (1997). Face/Off [Motion picture]. United States: Paramount.