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Compare And Contrast Between The World And Me And Persepolis

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What defines a person, how does a person identify himself or herself? It is a question that Greek philosopher Socrates pondered and people today still seek an answer to. Does a person identify himself or herself with who they were in past, who they are now, or do they identify themselves with their profession, culture, religion, or hobby. In the books “Between the world and me” by Ta-nehisi Coates and “Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi both authors are the main protagonists in their own books. Both authors grapple with issue whether they are choosing whom or how they identify or whether their environment is shaping their identity. The first book this paper will look at is the Ta-nehisi Coates “Between the world and me” and its relation to struggling with identity. …show more content…

Early in the book Coates discuss his time growing up in a rough neighborhood, his need to adapt to the lingo and what gestures were appropriate when and where. Describing his time growing up in West Baltimore Coates stated “Before I could discover, before I could escape, I had to survive and this could only mean a clash with the streets…you have some acquaintance with the old rules but they are not as essential to you as they were to me… a culture concerned chiefly with securing the body.”(Coates pg. 21 & 24) In this quote it shows how the streets was molding who was, his identity; by adapting to the environment Coates compromises his identity for the safety of his body. Specifically looking at the words “Before I could discover” (Coates pg. 21) this alludes to Coates relations at the “Mecca” or his college he later

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He talks about how those who believe they are white are essentially doing the “theft” from the bodies of the black. By using example from the American history and some recent disputes between the police and the black, he seems to express hope, but then he realized there’s real hope. The law enforcement and black Americans are seen by Coates as mistrust, sadness, and hopelessness because he knows it’s not all right but he has t

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1724 Words | 7 Pages

Throughout literature the constant theme of identity has been explored, with Northrop Frye even suggesting “the story of the loss and regaining of identity is, I think, the framework for all literature.” For characters, true identity isn’t always apparent, it needs to be searched for. Sometimes the inner struggle for identity stems from ones need for belonging. Whether one finds their sense of identity within friends, family, or in a physical “home”. It’s not always a place that defines identity.

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Many people forget that African Americans in this country have been enslaved for longer than they have been free. Coates reminds his son to not forget their important history and that they will continuously struggle for freedom over their own bodies. They must learn to live within a black body. These struggles can be seen in the racial profiling and brutality among police officers in cases such as Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, and countless of others. He goes on to describe his childhood and how fear was the root of black existence.

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1797 Words | 8 Pages

Coates explains, “My father was so very afraid. I felt it in the sting of his black leather belt, which he applied with more anxiety than anger, my father who beat me as if someone might steal me away, because that is exactly what was happening all around us. Everyone had lost a child, somehow, to the streets, to jail, to drugs, to guns” (15-16). Coates claims that his father was afraid the streets would take control over him just like it was happening in other families. This quote differs from the last one I mentioned in paragraph two because we see the parents’ side and we realized that their fear is valid.

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920 Words | 4 Pages

Coates then tells his son about his youth in Baltimore of being afraid of the street and the police. The way Coates compares being black in Baltimore is like being naked to guns, knives and rape, and always had a fear of physically harm from others make the story really sad to hear. In this way, Coates advises his son to know how to protect himself, protect his body, and cautious about the code switching rules of street norms, the authorities and the professional

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759 Words | 4 Pages

When he appears to the reader's intellect he says “the fact of history is that black people have not-probably no people have ever- liberated themselves strictly through their own efforts”. This quote appeals to the readers because Coates indicates that the history of black people in America is that we never been free in this country by our own personal actions. Coates further appeals to the reader's intellect by saying “history is not solely in our hands. And still, you are called to struggle, not because it assures you to victory but because it assures you an honorable and sane life”. In this quote, Coates explains that the history of being black in America is a struggle but it is a struggle worth black people being honorable of when we can overcome the struggle.

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1190 Words | 5 Pages

Later, the cultural critic Stuart Hall has opined about the changing nature of identity. He says that there is no fixed identity that can be attributed to an individual for his life period; it evolves through several changes in each phase of life. So it can be understood that formation of identity involves several steps: construction, reconstruction and deconstruction. The politics behind this formation may depend on the nature of identity that an individual tries to hold. Indeed, the cultural critic Kobena Mercer reminds us: “One thing at least is clear - identity only becomes an issue when it is in crisis, when something

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Derek Parfit is a British philosopher who specialises in problems of personal identity and he proposes that we separate the notions of identity and survival. He is one of the most prominent philosophers in the struggle to define the self. Parfit’s 1971 essay “Personal Identity” targets two common beliefs which are central to the earliest conversations about personal identity. The first belief is about the nature of personal identity; all questions regarding this must have an answer. Between now and any future time, it is either the case that “I shall exist or I shall not”.

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The graphic novel, Persepolis, is a much more complex book than a reader would assume. There is always a deeper meaning in the tales that the author tells for the duration of the story. Unrequited love is a minor part of Marji’s life, but the stories that she tells that are focused on love hold messages that everyone can learn from. Persepolis is an autobiography, which creates a personal aspect that a biography lacks. For example, miniscule changes occur throughout the novel that are subtle but revealing.

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The Negative Impact of Inequality in Iran In the novel Persepolis, the author Marjane Satrapi discussed the many ways women were mistreated and oppressed in the country of Iran. The author showed the mistreatment women faced during the transition of power in Iran by using examples of the different ways women conformed to the new laws of the nation. However, the laws constructed for the women to abide by were a lot more inapplicable and complex, compared to the laws created for the men to abide by. In Iran, because women had to conform to the laws more strictly than men, this further demonstrated the inequality that women faced on a daily basis after Iran became a country of war.

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When people believe in something, they must stand up for it and speak out. In Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, Marji stands up for what she believes in against the government. Likewise, in The Importance of a Single Story, Chimamanda Adichie speaks out against what she believes in injust. Finally, Anthony Bourdain No Reservations shows him writing about the truth in Iran, despite political threats against him.

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All throughout history, occurrences of oppression and invasion have happened all around the world. The rights and freedom of innocent lives have been taken. The people with power have abused it and become tyrannical and self-centered. The innocent begin to rise against the malicious leaders trying to control their lives. Even through times of downfall and nonsuccess, humanity continues to fight back.

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The film of Marjane Satrapi’s “Persepolis” is that of human nature and society. The exposition begins with a woman reflecting about her past as she sits in the airplane seating area smoking a cigarette, this is a place that the story begins and ends at, which I like most. While she talks about her childhood and growing up and finding out about her grandpa. The rising action is happening the war has started the bell of bloodshed as rung and they will keep fighting for 8 years what makes me mad is the leaders to get more fighters told kids and young men “they told the boys if they gave their lives and died fighting, they would go to paradise, and get in with this key made of plastic”.

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As a person goes through life he or she may wonder “Who am I?” and “What is my purpose?” The objective of this paper is to allow me to reflect and critically analyze who I am as a person. In this paper, I will discuss my social location and identity, my life experiences and my privileges and disadvantages.

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For many years, the issue of self-identity has been a problem that philosophers and scholars have been to explain using different theories. The question on self –identity tries to explain the concept of how a person today is different from the one in the years to come. In philosophy, the theory of personal identity tries to solve the questions who we are, our existence, and life after death. To understand the concept of self-identity, it is important to analyze a person over a period under given conditions. Despite the numerous theories on personal identity, the paper narrows down the study to the personal theories of John Locke and Rene Descartes, and their points of view on personal identity.

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