Lyder 1

Nyla Lyder

Mr. MacChesney

ENG3UQ-02

24 July 2019

The Theme of Identity: An Annotated Bibliography

Lowry, Lois. author. The Giver. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin, 1993.

A young boy named Jonas is followed throughout this futuristic book that takes place in a

colorless society ruled by the idealisms and traditions of The Elders. It is due to Jonas’

wisdom, mannerisms and interilligece that he is chosen to be The Reciever of Memory; a

unique and authoriative role in this society. As Jonas beings to learn and transition into

his role as The Reciever of Memory his newly aquired knowledge of what the world used

to be as well as the truth of the ongoings in his society, Jonas begins to question his

surroundings, his family, the society he lives in, the rules and essentially who he has been

all along. It is due to his role of The Receiver of Memory that he beings to question the

things that mold him and his identity; it is in this way that identity is highlighted in this

book.

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. London: Scholastic Corporation,

September 1, 2009.

The second book of The Hunger Games Trilogy once again follows protagonist Katniss

Everdeen. Just after her victory in the 74th annual Hunger Games Katniss beings her

Victory Tour across Panem; alongside her love interest Peeta Mellark, stylist Cinna,

mentor Haymitch Abernathy, and escort Effie Trinket. It was on this trip she alone was

challenged by President Snow to prove her true rebelious love for Peeta, if not the
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consiquences shall be grave. While on the tour the citizens of Panem display many acts of

rebellion against the Capitol, which were all triggered by Katniss and Peeta in the

previous Hunger Games. Due to this newly sparked rebellion, President Snow is outraged

and descides the Quarter Quell tributes shall be chosen from the pool of exsiting tributes,

meaning Katniss and Peeta must fight in The Hunger Games once more but this time

alongside previous victors. The theme of identity is represented in Katniss Everdeen.

Before the hunger games Katniss was poor but after her victory has come across a

lifestyle she never asked of prepared for. Both in and outside of the arena Katniss is a

fearless surviver, hunter and skilled archer but it is for a slight moment she is seen

struggling to figure out who she is in this new lavish victor life, who she is infront of

crowds and cameras. The aspect of poverty in Katniss’ life played a large role in who she

was and in her identity, without it the struggle and question of who she’ll become is now

present.

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner Paperback Fiction, April 10, 1925.

Narrorated by a young student and aspiering buisness man named Nick Carraway the

rich world of 1920s New York unfolds. The story takes place in Long Island Sound in an

area called West and East Egg. Nick lives in West Egg next to Jay Gatsby a rich good-

looking youg man not shy of throwing extravagant parties. A number of scandles present

themselves such as Tom Buchanan cheating on his wife (Nick’s second cousin) Daisy

and a love triangle forming between Daisy, Gatsby and Tom, which does not end well.

The theme of identity is best observed through Jay Gatsby as it is eventually revealed that

Jay Gatsby is a made up identity and his real identity is James Gatz a country boy from a
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poor family. This highlights the idea that identities can be formed at will simply due to a

secret, lie, or the deisire to form a new identity.

Scholinski, Daphne. The Last Time I Wore a Dress. New York: Riverhead Books, October 1,

1997.

Fifteen year old Daphne Scholinski was commited to a mental insitution and was

diagnosed with “Gender Identity Disorder.” While there for a total of three years she

spent over one million dollars of insurance all in attmepts to treat this problem she was

diagnosed with. While there they taught and gave her lessons on how to do her makeup

and walk in a more femanine manner. In this biography the theme of identity is prevelent

as Daphne stuggles to maintain, identify, and display her true identity.

Hooks, Bell. Yearning: Race, Gender and Cultural Politics. Boston: Soutth End Press, 1992.

It is in this book that Hooks is seen crossing disciplinary boundries in debates pertaining

to postmodernism, the politics on race and gender as well as cultural criticism. The values

of postmodernism are greatly valued by her as she warns the infatuation with “discourse”

about “difference” as it is dagerously detachable from the hardships against racism,

cultural imperialism and sexism. In novel a number of factors pertaining to identity as

race, politics and gender often help form and mold gender; the arguments and points

made throught this book present a unqiue as well as prevelant and important view of the

external factors on identity.