hang on to yourself

Part 1) Does Marjane’s identity shift throughout the story? Cite passages that demonstrate this shift? Why do you think this shift occurs? Are there parts of Marjane’s identity that come from factors that she didn’t choose? What are some of these?


Marjane's identity definitely shifts through the course of the story. One great example of this is how she goes from being a "prophet" to pushing God out of her life completely. After Marjane's uncle Anoosh dies, she can't understand why God would have let that happen. She feels betrayed him, and decides that she doesn't want to see him anymore. This reaction may be a result of her age. She is still really young, so she can't grasp the concept that God may have had reason for letting uncle Anoosh die. She is immediately able to write him out of her life, which may also be a result of her surroundings as she grows up. With all of the violence she witnesses, her identity is directly influenced by that; she has learned that the world isn't fair, and therefore, she becomes less and less able to trust that God is there.

Part 2) What parts of your identity come from factors you didn’t choose?
Have people you have known ever had a negative reaction to these factors?
How much control does someone have over their own identity?

Naturally, some of my identity has come from some factors that were out of my control. My environment growing up, for example, was very rather structured, and I was always being watched very closely. Even now while I am away at college, I feel myself checking each of my actions as if each move I make is still under the eyes of my parents. I don't want to make it sound like it's a completely negative part of my identity; I feel that I am able to handle life on my own really well because of my childhood. As far as having control over our identities, I think it's about a fifty-fifty. There comes a time when you make a choice, no matter what factors have been shaping your identity, and you can choose to stay true to what you've known, or you may change. Either way, the actions you take will lead to shaping your identity.