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The Role Of Identity Development In George R. Martin's A Song Of Ice And Fire

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Introduction In George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, one of the main characters, Daenerys Targaryen, struggles to develop a sense of identity for herself while caught in the prongs of devastation; most, if not all, of her family has been murdered in some cruel form or fashion by those who are determined to eradicate House Targaryen from the face of the Earth. Daenerys is forced to deal with those who oppose her while trying to separate herself from her cruel guardian and brother, Viserys Targaryen. Erikson’s psychosocial stages provide an insight for understanding how identity development takes place and what to predict. This paper will take Erikson’s theory, particularly the identity versus role confusion stage, and apply it to Daenerys’ adolescent years, primarily focusing on how abuse and …show more content…

He was influenced by Sigmund Freud’s work, but instead of emphasizing on sexuality, Erikson centered his theories psychosocial development, which means personalities develop in different stages, not all at once. He was concerned with the “issues related to becoming an independent self and having high-quality relationships as our basic motivations” (21 Belsky). Erikson also believes the identity process does not just develop all at once, but that it continues throughout the entire lifespan. In each stage of Erikson’s theory, there is a conflict that is sort of like a midpoint in each developmental stage. The conflicts in each stage are either a hit or a miss at developing that particular quality or failing to develop the quality. By developing the quality from each stage, this can serve as promise in potential growth, which can provide a psychological backbone that can be used for the rest of your life. Failing to develop the quality can result in a weaker sense of identity and more than likely poor morale. A Song of Ice and

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