Forces Beyond Our Identity

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“Our identity is shaped by forces beyond our control” Ones identity is not fixed, it fluctuates depending on how we dress, what we wear, what we do and quite frankly can be shaped by forces beyond our control. The intrinsic perceptions that others uphold of us, can be a base as to how we may be seen by many other peers, and in a strange sense our peers are like a mirror that reflect back to us who we represent. Our upbringings additionally induce us with a variety of beliefs and virtues that remain within us forever, and whilst this is a force well beyond our control, and in the hands of parents, it plays a pivotal role in the shaping of our identity. On the other hand, yet still a force beyond our control, those unexpected events whether…show more content…
Some people are able to adapt themselves to ever changing reality around them, perhaps from events and circumstances well beyond their control, and indeed their fate, however others are not. Those of whom have an anchored identity may find change a difficult thing, whilst those who are constantly changing are more open to a world of opportunities, which eventually leads to personal growth. Strongly resembling this, in the ‘Suburban Sonnet’, we see that an ordinary housewife in her 50’s changes from being a once musician, to a hard working housewife due the fact that her husband requires this, an event beyond her control. She used to practice the fugue, ‘though it can matter to one now if she plays well or not’, which is attempting to exemplify the point that what she once held as a strength, is simply now irrelevant to her current day to day life. Gwen Harwood uses the tones of stress, bitterness and defeat to capture the image of the lady’s identity. She would hush her children as they cried below her, whilst she was also trying to cook the family meal, and would experience the notion of zest and love, whereby Harwood attempts to create an obvious reflection in her identity by the use of a sympathetic and miserable mood to the poem. We can see that this upsets her, and perhaps she is giving a false sense of happiness to her husband about her new life as a

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