The novel Brooklyn by Colm Tobin explores the idea that the events in your life can cause a change in someone's identity. The main protagonist Elise Lacey was a young woman who could not find any work in Ireland. She needed to be sent out to America by a catholic priest who found a job there for her. Being raised in a small town where everyone knew everyone to being moved to a big city with different cultures was hard for her. In her town she grew up to be quiet, smart and obedient to her mother, sister and boss. However, many events in her life, such as the big move across the world, finding love, and the death of her sister, caused her to become more bold and rebellious. She meets a man at a irish dance, and to her surprise, he was italian.