Lost Identity Found Essays - 1862 Words

Lost Identity Found Stuart Hall writes that â€Å"Identity is not as transparent or unproblematic as we think† (Hall 392). Hanif Kareishi, a visual minority growing up in racially charged England, experiences uncertainty and frustration relating to his sense of identity. Salman Rushdie, author of short stories â€Å"The Courter† and â€Å"Good Advice Is Rarer Than Rubies,† develops characters who experience similar identity crises. In his piece, â€Å"The Rainbow Sign,† Kareishi explores three responses to encounters with a foreign and hostile culture: outright rejection of the foreign culture, complete assimilation into foreign culture, or adoption of a synthesis of the two cultures. Kareishi himself embraces each of these different approaches at†¦show more content†¦Miss Rehana is unlike these other women. When offered a passport by Muhammad Ali, she rejects it. In an interview with the British immigration officers, she purposely answers questions incorrectly. Miss Rehana purposely dismisses an opportunity to live in Britain. Muhammad Ali sees her behavior as an example of the â€Å"curse of our people†¦We are poor, we are ignorant, and we completely refuse to learn† (Rushdie12). Ali attributes Miss Rehana’s rejection of Britain to her stupidity. It becomes obvious, however, that Miss Rehana is pleased with her choice: â€Å"Her last smile, which he watched from the compound until the bus concealed it in a dust-cloud, the happiest thing he had ever seen in his long, hard, unloving life† (15-16). She preferred to return to â€Å"Lahore and [her] job† (15) to â€Å"work in a great house, as ayah to three good boys† (15). The south-Asian woman chooses the familiarity and security of her current environment to the unknowns of Britain. Even when presented with an opportunity to escape from her poverty and life of service, Miss Rehana dismisses it. Miss Rehana rejects Britain and her satisfaction with the dec ision is palpable. Certainly-Mary, a character in â€Å"The Courter,† also chooses to reject Britain in favor of her native India. Certainly-Mary, a nanny and housekeeper, follows her employers to Britain. Even after many years, British lifestyle confuses and alienates her: â€Å"’These English†¦ But aren’t they the limit?† (184). One day, Mary falls illShow MoreRelatedEssay on Indentity Loss783 Words   |  4 Pages In The Odyssey and The English Patient the main character, Odysseus and Almasy, suffer from a form of identity loss and try to regain it. They both regain their identity through the help of other people. Every person that stumbles across a piece of their past helps them regain a piece of their identity. Because he cannot remember Almasy must get help remembering his past from the people around him. 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As a matter of fact, I empathize with Coriolanus’ fickleness when it comes to defining his sense of self. SpecificallyRead MoreCathy Song Paper1246 Words   |  5 Pagesposed this question. This quote relates directly to the poem â€Å"Lost Sister† by Cathy Song where a young girl struggles to find an identity in China, and believes America may be able to provide what her homeland could not. Cathy Song wrote â€Å"Lost Sister† in 1983. This poem has deep connections to Song’s ties to her Asian culture. Cathy song was born and raised in Hawaii however her Asian roots influence many of her poems including â€Å"Lost Sister†. This poem deals directly with the culture clash of twoRead MoreA Separate Peace Character Analysis1162 Words   |  5 Pagesdeal with the intertwining stress of highschool and World War 2. The story A Separate Peace by John Knowles is about identity, and reveals that when one is separated from one’s self, they are more lost than ever. 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