Lost in Identity Essay

Through public opinion, prejudices and stereotypes, ones identity is subject to change. If one is constantly criticized and jell down for their physical appearance or their actions, they allow try to modify themselves to salvo the norm, and to match the majority. In the three pieces, Barbie Doll, Siddhartha, and Black custody and Public Space, they wrangle that through parliamentary procedures expectations and stereotypes, ones identity depart be challenged and thus inhibited. Only when ones own determination and tenaciousness pulls through, will they discover their true Self.In both pieces Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse, and Black Men and Public Space by Brent staple fibres, the characters were often seen changing and reevaluating their catamenia positions in friendship. In Black Men and Public Space, Staples recalls his past connection with outside opinions and stereotyping. Black men are repeatedly labeled as stark and suspicious, so in the evening, women would avoid him and the policemen would often pull him over solely due to the color of his skin. Because of his constant mistreatment, Staples is conned into believing he is some sort of baleful being who threatens everyone around him. In the end, instead of conveying his true identity, he tries to make everyone else around him feel more comfortable by learning to function about with care, and to give wide berth to nervous people(Staples). Staples ultimately mutates himself into someone so passive that his only purpose in life is to live up to others.In Siddhartha, Hesses portrayal of Siddhartha illustrates the epitome of control Self and understanding ones own identity. At first, Siddhartha attempts to fight back outside pressures, all the same he too falls into the trap. As Staples journeys through New York and Siddhartha through India, the paths they decide to take are quite similar. For example, short after parting ship canal with Govinda, Siddhartha travels to a new town with fresh obsta cles waiting to be overcome. Upon arrival into the new town, Siddhartha owned no worldly possessions except for the clothes on his back. Siddhartha soon meets the towns very own love mistress, Kamala, and she informs him that he will not be permitted to study love from her unless he attains three things expensive clothes, spot and a house.Although Siddhartha easily could have dismissed her conditions, he felt as if he was obligated by societys standards to live a slopped life. Staples on the other hand also lives a scripted life because he alters everything about himself, from his standing proximity to even wasting extra quantify to make sure others dont feel as if he is following them. In the end, Siddhartha grows wary of societal expectations and learns that it should not govern what he does. If Siddhartha were to discuss Staples, he would tell him that instead of enduring continuous racial inequalities, he should take time to look deep within himself in order to doctor the i nner peace that would eventually pull him away from outside expectations.Another common theme addressed in these three pieces is the idea of fitting into societys archetype. In Barbie Doll by Marge Piercy, her character would give whateverthing to look good and fit into the crowd. Similarly in todays society, women are continuously pressured to match a certain role and look a specific way in order to feel welcome. It doesnt make spirit why healthy, intelligent and strong women crumble under the low self-esteem of others. Women are getting so torn up by their peers critiquing that they focus more on the constant negative reminders, rather than their positive qualities.At the end of the novel Siddhartha, Siddhartha ends up reaching Nirvana by conquering his Self and learning to break free from societys hold. On the contrary, the ending in Barbie Doll, Piercys character could no longer handle any more criticism so she cut off her nose and legs and offered them up(Piercy). Only then d id society recognize her beauty, the beauty of the painted on undertakers cosmetics and the turned-up putty nose(Piercy). Even though Siddhartha wouldnt judge Barbie Doll on her looks, he would yet critique her on how she gave into outside pressures. instead of letting societys expectations take root and fester within, like Staples, she should have listened to her Self, and lived her life through the true beauty found inside.Staples mistake in Black Men and Public Space is closely intertwined with Barbie Dolls in that they both are caught in societys grasp and they have trouble clawing their way back out. Since Staples has grown so accustomed to the design of other people governing his every feat and every thought, the idea of putting his foot down and standing out from the crowd seems totally inconceivable. If this attitude persists, the only foreseeable outcome is one that will lead to his undoing. Barbie Doll resembles Staples ever-growing uncertainty with his life. If Staples continues his charade and prolongs his constant mistreatment, he will ultimately turn out like Barbie Doll, someone who was so thirsty to preference her real identity that in order to escape from the hole she dug herself into she had to kill herself. For Staples, it is not too late.Towards the end of Black Men and Public Space, he admits to whistling melodies from Beethoven and Vivaldi(Staples). Staples is under the impression that a mugger wouldnt be warbling bright, sunny selection from Vivaldis Four Seasons, so by finding a way to cope with his situation, Staples repressed identity leaks out through the form of music (Staples). Siddhartha suggests that ones own identity will never be lost, no matter how far one might venture from it, they will always cycle back to it in the end. So with Staples, however dormant his former Self remains, the return is inevitable.As people develop through outside influences as well as their own need to fit in, the connection with their identity wi ll struggle to return. As a result, people become even more detached from reality and live as if they do not have a mind of their own, but like a machine that is programmed to do as others tell it. In the three pieces of literature, Barbie Doll, Siddhartha, and Black Men and Public Places they try to warn their viewers of the dangers of becoming too attached to what other people think. Instead of listening to others and obeying their every command, we must think for ourselves and perform our own guidelines and expectations to live by. One must find the source within ones own self, one must possess it. Everything else is seeking- a detour, fault(Siddhartha 5).Works CitedHesse, Hermann. Siddhartha. New York Bantam Classics, 1981.Piercy, Marge. Barbie Doll. Circles on the Water Selected Poems of Marge Piercy. Ed. Alfred A. Knopf. New York Knopf, 1982.Staples, Brent. Black Men and Public Space. The Norton Reader Eleventh Edition. Ed. Linda H. Peterson and John C. Brereton. New York W. W. Norton and Company, Inc., 2004.