ipl-logo

Hairball Essay On Identity

490 Words2 Pages

It is said that the world is an illusion created by our minds. The world we experience and the life we live, are the reflections of our thoughts. By changing our thoughts, we change the illusion and experience a different reality. Sometimes going way too far from reality in your own imaginary world would leave you at the edge of your life losing your loved ones, work and even your identity. Just as what happened with Kat’s life. Kat lives in her own imaginary world where she thinks that hairball is a real living thing, sort of as a pet or more like a baby from Gerald that contains her identity that she wants to show to the world. To begin with, Kat is a woman who loves to be extremely shocking and unique. When the doctor removed the hairball from her body she asked him if it is abnormal, he answered her by saying that it is fairly common where she reacted in this way “Kat was a little disappointed, she would have preferred uniqueness” (p.31) But she still thought of it as a unique item and gave it a place of honor on her mantelpiece. …show more content…

Unique is the common term between the two of them, but when Kat explains to people her surgery she exaggerates about the qualities of “hairball.” It’s almost like Kat is starting to live her life through how people view her and her cyst. Secondly, hairball’s description, resembles the way that Kat’s background is explained with. Indeed, a symbol of a child that she couldn’t have which summarizes her background with “Twice she had abortions, because the men in question were not up for the alternatives” (p.35). The fact that those men weren’t up for possible choices demonstrates how Kat is influenced by them, or for that matter, men in general. Seeing as these men don’t want children she makes herself believe that she learnt. This shows that hairball which she gingerly takes care of is the child she wishes to have with

Show More
Related
1032 Words | 5 Pages

When Melba Patillo Beals integrated Little Rock’s Central High School with eight other negro students, she entered a battlefield. She was fighting against student segregationists and ignorant officials for the right to equal opportunity, and this struggle had a lasting impact on her identity. Melba’s experiences with racism, not only at Central High School, but in her everyday life, molded her identity into that of a warrior. This comparison is apparent in three ways. First of all, Melba had a specific reason for integrating Central High School.

Read More
369 Words | 2 Pages

In the short story “Hairball” by Margaret Atwood, Kat is deceived by her perception of her relationship with Gerald. To begin, Kat believes that Gerald is in love with her and cares a lot about her, though in reality, Gerald just thinks of her as someone for sex. This is proven after he fires Kat from her job and assures her that, “Of course, we can still see one another. I’d miss our afternoons. ”(42).

Read More
1135 Words | 5 Pages

Mrs. Johnstone has a small messy house full of children with lots of noises, games and fights. While Mrs. Lyons has a big empty house without any noises, because she has a problem that is she can’t get babies, but in the same time she is so desperate for having one. Mrs. Lyons always pressures and tries to convince Mrs. Johnstone to giver one of her babies that are coming soon, but Mrs. Johnstone is hesitant and tentative about it. However when she thinks about how her child’s life would be like; living in a rich house with

Read More
343 Words | 2 Pages

In the short story ‘The Hairball’, Kat’s insecurity and loneliness makes Kat an arrogant and selfish individual by believing she is needed by everyone; also without her, nothing will be perfect. To begin, Kat has high expectations and is picky on what she likes. When Ger calls Hairball disgusting and demands Kat to throw it out, Kat narrates, “…she’d rather have Hairball in a bottle on her mantelpiece than the sloppy dead flower he’s brought her, which will anyway rot a lot sooner than Hairball will (31-32).” This shows the readers that Kat did not appreciate the flowers and obviously wanted something better in terms of “value,” also it shows how disrespectfully Kat comments about the flowers Ger bought her. Secondly, Kat changes Gerald by

Read More
1025 Words | 5 Pages

The Enlightenment was a period in the 18th century that marked the push for self-discovery, growth and the recognition of rationalism. This period developed several influential thinkers, many of whom are celebrated today. Among these thinkers are Thomas Jefferson and Baron Montesquieu, two of the Enlightenment's most notable pioneers. The Enlightenment Movement brought forth thinkers throughout the world, and the environmental differences between Jefferson and Montesquieu shaped their crucial, but contrasting ideas. Although Thomas Jefferson and Baron Montesquieu were revolutionary philosophers with differentiating ideals, it is undeniable that when conjoined, their ideas are the foundation of our world today.

Read More
1190 Words | 5 Pages

INTRO: Iconic 80’s movie The Breakfast Club is our inspiration for this dialogue. When this group of high school delinquents was assigned to write an essay during detention on who they were, the group sparks up the conversation of personal identity, ultimately discovering themselves. The scene opens with the students serving their detention sentences in the Library.

Read More
893 Words | 4 Pages

She is being easily swayed by the man who is making her think that the baby is “the only thing that is bothering [them and] it’s the only thing that’s made [them] unhappy” (212). The “love” she has for him seems real to her at first but soon she realizes it is not even true because she does not really mean anything to him and the baby she is carrying does not make him happy at all since he is going through so much just to get rid of it. She is presented with this realization when she says, “but if I do it, then it will be nice again if I say things are like white elephants, and you’ll like it” and to that he replies, “I’ll love it. I love it now but I just can’t think about it.

Read More
89 Words | 1 Pages

Due to the power of perceptions, the Australian identity has for a long time been negatively associated with racism, homophobia, and hostility to culturally different ethnicities. The misrepresentation of identity is also a result of long-held stereotypes and generalizations, which are an exaggeration of actions or beliefs of a few people in the Australian society. The misconceptions, perceptions, and stereotypes have unfortunately created a false identity that all Australians are racists, biased and hostile when it comes to people of other ethnicities and cultures, or beliefs that they

Read More
500 Words | 2 Pages

What is Identity? Identity is like a fingerprint; it clearly determines who people are. Identity is something that people are not born with, it is an act people do that classifies their identity. People need to act upon their own choices to determine their own identity rather than being influenced by the choices of others. So, people must follow their own path in order to keep their own unique identity.

Read More
1538 Words | 7 Pages

Everyone 's identity and culture does have an effect on who they are because of the clothes they wear, their personality, and where they come from. The short stories "Totem," by Thomas King, and "Identities," by W.D. Valgardson, both explore how people are judged and treated differently because of their identity, color of their skin, and culture background.  This paper will discuss the ways in which the authors engage with the themes of judgement and discrimination.    In the short story, "Totem" shows how racism causes people to treat culture and identity differently. Totem took place in the Southwest Alberta Gallery and Prairie Museum.

Read More
1090 Words | 5 Pages

1. The movie I have selected for the identity analysis assignment will be the Breakfast Club (1986). The movie is about five teenagers who are from different groups in high school cliques; the popular girl (Claire), the loner (Allison), the athlete (Andrew), the nerd Brain) and the outsider (Bender). They spend the Saturday in detention together.

Read More
456 Words | 2 Pages

Though Kat tries to cover it up, it reveals that she truly does not like her own identity as she detested Ger’s image, who is exactly a reflection of herself. Kat’s lack of knowledge about who she is as a person altered her interests and affected the relationships around her. Lastly, Kat is lost as a person because she lives her life as what others perceive her to be. Though she tries to be unique and do things out of the norm, Kat desires the attention of others which fuels her unique and vogue persona. Her need for attention is evident when Gerald says, “Kat has a tendency to push things to extreme, to go over the edge, merely from a juvenile desire to shock.

Read More
1756 Words | 8 Pages

Identity development during adolescence Adolescence is a developmental transition between childhood and adulthood and also a period of prominent change for teenagers when physical changes are happening at an accelerated rate. Adolescence is not just marked by physical changes but also cognitive, social, emotional and interpersonal changes as well. The development of a strong and stable sense of self known as identity development is widely considered to be one of the crucial tasks of adolescence. Identity development of an adolescent is influenced by external factors, such as their environment, culture, religion, school and the media.

Read More
1258 Words | 6 Pages

While identity focuses on uniqueness such as how an individual is different from and similar to others, diversity focuses on the range of the difference and uniqueness such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, among others. Diversity should be seen as source of strength. However, it can also be a source of violence, oftentimes by those who fear or dislike difference. In the best light diversity is foundation for peacebuilding – since it enables us to draw strength and be respectful of difference. Identity and diversity are linked.

Read More
885 Words | 4 Pages

Self-identity is defined as the recognition of one's potential and qualities as an individual, especially in relation to social context. In other words, self-understanding. Finding self-identity is more more difficult for some people than others. In the autobiography Black, White, and Jewish: Autobiography of a Shifting Self by Rebecca Walker, the author reflects on her identity as a mixed raced individual which is illustrated through Walker’s reflections. People define themselves in many different ways.

Read More

More about Hairball Essay On Identity

Related Topics

Open Document