The identity a person holds is one of the most important aspects of their lives. Identity is what distinguishes people from others, although it leaves a negative stereotype upon people. In the short story Identities by W.D Valgardson, a middle-aged wealthy man finds himself lost in a rough neighborhood while attempting to look for something new. The author employs many elements in the story, some of the more important ones being stereotype and foreshadow. For many people, their personal identity is stereotyped by society. These stereotypes almost always lead to quick judgments of people, which can make people weary of others. The protagonist in this story is a stereotypical member of upper-class society. He lives in a nice neighborhood, …show more content…
From the beginning, he guides the protagonist through a midlife crisis that is almost sure to go wrong. He is a wealthy man, lost in a suspicious part of town in an expensive car. This has trouble written all over it. People in these areas are desperate for money, and robbing a rich man in his Mercedes-Benz would be a more than possible event that could ensue. Most fatal of all however, and most ironic of all, is that “[he is so] intent upon the future that… [He] does not notice the police car… follow him.” This one event, mixed with the stereotype the protagonist has thrown upon him by the cop, seals his fate. All three of these situations foreshadow the ironic and deadly situation that the poor lost man is about to find himself involved. It is these subtle hints to his death that not only add suspense to the plot, but also hold a key importance in conflict development. W.D. Valgardson uses many great elements of fiction to build plot and conflict, as well as teach the lesson of not making snap judgments in his short story Identities. From the strong use of stereotypes, to great descriptive foreshadowing, his uses of these elements are of utmost importance. For after all, how does one know that they are safe from police judgment error, or fatal judgments from anyone else in the
One might want to read this novel, to see what makes an average man want to kill and to also see their psychological being leading up to it. This creates a mystery in the eyes of the reader to see why they did such a horrendous crime. The author’s purpose for writing this novel was to give the reader a different perspective on criminals. Capote uses a sympathetic tone when he talks about the histories of the criminals. He creates an emotional connection between the reader and the criminals because Capote allows the reader to get to know the criminal’s pasts, telling of the hardships the criminals have faced throughout their lives.
Every type of person struggles with a thing we call, identity. Personal identity come from multiple factors from our race to our own personal beliefs. Some people say we have the choice to choose our own identity, but is that always true? No, in fact other people can affect how we look and essentially identity our self’s. In the article called.
In “Identities” by W.D. Valgardson, the author shows through her work how ignorant society has become. Based on the setting, the man was misinterpreted by the police officer. People’s judgments of others lead to irrational circumstances. “When the officer,… who is nervous because of the neighborhood, who is suspicious because of the car and because he is trained to see an unshaven man in blue jeans as a potential thief…”; is made as an example of the everyday individual in society that would automatically judge a person on how they look (6). No matter how rich or poor, good looking or not, able or disable are all judged no matter what the situations are.
The writer’s use of anecdotes, imagery, irony, and considerate syntax, portrays an incident in his life when he was said to be a person that didn’t exist. Through this usage, the reader infers that the essay creates relatable incidents to the way society identifies individuals, that leads to the formation of individualist, specified personas. Society tends to stereotype individuals depending on substantial exteriors, which leads the individual to construct an altered persona depending on the society surrounding; such as family, strangers, teachers, etc. Somewhere along our life span, we have been “labeled” or classified as people we truly aren’t
Comparing Identities “In the social jungle of human existence, there is no feeling of being alive without a sense of identity.” --Erik Erickson. One’s identity is shown by their actions, thoughts, and where they place themselves in society. In the short stories “On the Sidewalk Bleeding” by Evan Hunter, “Why Weren’t You His Friends?”
In academic article “Who Am I” by Beverly Daniel Tatum; she talks about the complexity of identity, which defined as a person. She describes the multiple identities of different kinds of people and their significance in the community. She illustrate the how person past, historical event, family background, experiences, and thought of person has impact on the personal identification. The concept of past, present, and future, those characterize the person identity. She explains how gander of person is the part of identity, which build identity.
One's identity is fluid and constantly changing according to events one experiences. It is difficult to define who one is. This is why it is tempting to equate one's identity with their background In "To Kill A Mockingbird," Harper Lee uses two different characters to show that those who attempt to live unconstrained by convention or circumstance are viewed with fear by others. In the small town of Maycomb, people are defined by the circumstance and family they are born in.
These identities are one of the biggest challenges people in our society face in their lives. They not only affect ones social life but also their daily interactions. I will also discuss two examples that support this statement, one of them being from the reading of “The complexity of identity” by Daniel Tatum. Now a days, dominant and subordinate identities are two very different identities, who play a very important part in our everyday lives. The dominant group being the one with the most power and influence from society or politics.
The novel The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton illustrates a theme of stereotyping and its effect on the characters. The protagonist, Ponyboy Curtis is the most affected by stereotyping. Ponyboy is stereotyped as a greaser. He accepts this stereotype, but is negatively affected by it, because society views greasers as poor, bellicose, delinquents from the East Side.
Your identity are the qualities, beliefs, personality, looks and/or expressions that make you who you are. Your identity helps you find your destiny in life. Without the knowledge of your identity your life will be incomplete. One of the main ways a person can find their identity is by finding out who their ancestors were and what was their purpose in life. Toni Morrison’s Milkman in “Song of Solomon” is a good example of how people can find their identity through their ancestry.
Throughout literature the constant theme of identity has been explored, with Northrop Frye even suggesting “the story of the loss and regaining of identity is, I think, the framework for all literature.” For characters, true identity isn’t always apparent, it needs to be searched for. Sometimes the inner struggle for identity stems from ones need for belonging. Whether one finds their sense of identity within friends, family, or in a physical “home”. It’s not always a place that defines identity.
Everyone 's identity and culture does have an effect on who they are because of the clothes they wear, their personality, and where they come from. The short stories "Totem," by Thomas King, and "Identities," by W.D. Valgardson, both explore how people are judged and treated differently because of their identity, color of their skin, and culture background. This paper will discuss the ways in which the authors engage with the themes of judgement and discrimination. In the short story, "Totem" shows how racism causes people to treat culture and identity differently. Totem took place in the Southwest Alberta Gallery and Prairie Museum.
By the inside description, it is clear to show us the man’s spirit of fighting against the nature. In general, this story’s plot is simple, but the theme is great; the man is stubborn, but he is brave and his spirit of fighting against nature is worthy of studying. But during the article, we can find out that the author didn’t care that man so much, more precisely, he does not make any overt moral judgments about the man. He merely conveys the objective facts, pessimistic though they may be about the man. (Wayne, Teddy. "
For a long time, identity has been a socially and historically constructed concept. Individuals learn about their identities through interacting with peers, organizations, institutions, and family. The daily connections that people make in their lives are known to have a significant impact on the construction of their identities. Gender, social class, age, ethnicity, and race determine the key facets of identity in the society. The elements play critical roles in shaping how individuals understand and develop the opportunities they face in the society.
Identity plays a big role in our lives. Identity is defined as characteristics that make up a person. Identities can be chosen, or they can be inherited by peers, parents, or friends. Some people can have multiple identities, others might have only one identity that describes who they are. Some characteristics of identity are hobbies that you enjoy doing, your religious beliefs, your ethnicity, your appearance, or your friends and family.