Custom «The Theme of Struggling with Identity» Essay Paper Sample

In writing a text, themes are very significant because they help to pass a given idea or message to the reader. Looking at the texts, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, The Things They Carried, I stand Here Ironing, and How to date, a Browngirl, Blackgirl, Whitegirl, or Halfie, we observe that different characters in the texts appear to be in constant fight and struggle with their personal identity. In the story "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven," by Sherman Alexie, we note that the characters appear to struggle with their identity to the extent of taking alcohol. Without the capability to make accurate decisions and due to peer pressure, the narrator shows how the Indians have been affected by alcohol and thereby their minds have becomes occupied. Basically, the narrator explains how he has written the book from his personal experience (Alexie 67). Due to the struggles, Thomas is the only character in the text who eventually manages to cling to the heritage of his people. This is the same reason he rises up to convince the others to rise up and come back to their senses.

Looking at the second novel The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien, we note that Tim appears extremely disturbed following the years of the war. Being the narrator and the protagonist of the story, the author experiences during the war disorient him to a totally different individual. He therefore strongly believes that some of the happenings can never be explained at all. For instance, he reveals how the death of Kiowa took place but at the same time he cannot say it was entirely his own fault. The other characters such as Jimmy Cross are obsessed with some people, and especially a young woman at home. The fact that the woman does not bother to return his feelings back is something that makes him struggle with personal identity and therefore he remained disoriented (O'Brien 94). As well, Bob Kiley appears to be complemented by personal cruelty. Basically, most of these people in the text are greatly disturbed by their personality and what happens in their lives.

In the text "I stand Here Ironing," by Tillie Olsen, we see that a mother happened to be contacted by unnamed 'character' or you. She becomes a guiding counselor or a teacher and is able to inform her wherever the daughter appears to be in danger. Looking at Emily, she appears shy and disoriented. She has difficulties while growing up and eventually becomes an actor. However, she is disturbed and very cynical about her own life, her youth, and entire life (Olsen 58). She appears to believe that she should never care because the atomic bomb will eventually destroy everything. Her mother is also filled with great regrets and also worried about the daughter. This kind of development shows how every individual is struggling with identity and personal life. Due to the collapsing economy, the mother faced a lot of difficulties thus shaping the kind of thoughts and lives they have to life. The mother therefore is not sure whether her instincts would challenge her, though.

On the other hand, the text "How to date, a Browngirl, Blackgirl, Whitegirl, or Halfie" by Junot Diaz presents a whole new idea and theme. In this text, characters appear disillusioned with their own lives and therefore lie in order to achieve what they think can be best for them. The protagonist in this text lies to the mother, sister and brother of being sick. It is after everyone leaves the apartment when the narrator goes to the Union City to date (Diaz 85). This is a different form of personality. The society takes people places thereby making it hard to develop new ideas which are not in the first place ordinary. Basically, we should observe that all these stories have a common theme whereby the major characters appear to be in deep struggle with their personalities and try to form new identities in order to cope with the situations they are facing in life.