Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom. Good afternoon Mrs Pullin and year 10, I’m Elke (been here a while now so if you don’t know me then hi you do now). I’m here to speak about how one’s identity is shaped over time. Identity is a result of experiences and circumstances. It is an ever changing state, altered by our environment. Gris Grimly’s graphic novel Frankenstein (written in 2013) explores the journey of a scientist who has created new life from the heart of death and the film The Book Thief (directed by Brian Percival) portrays Nazi Germany through the eyes of a young girl. These texts both display events which shape our identity through the experience of death and how others treat us.
The loss of a loved one can take a huge…show more content… A nurtured upbringing shapes a positive personality; while a life of negativity may result in the opposite. Victor’s friend Clerval is a bright influence in his life; his huge build contrasting against Victor’s thin, dark frame. When Victor suffers from a crippling illness, Clerval’s lifting spirit is the one who nurses him back to health. This effect is also seen when he is among family and friends, however, the driving nature of his work overtakes his life and he isolates himself to complete it on multiple occasions. This detachment has a depressing effect, as he spends such long periods in ‘this deep, dark death-like solitude’. As Victor begins to create the monster’s mate, the gutters of the novel become black and the low hanging, crescent moon, which subtly alludes to the isolation of outer space, reminds us of his detachment. In her own fictional world, Liesel also benefits from those around her. When she is placed in a new home and new environment after losing her family, she meets a friend. Eyelevel and two shots illustrate their acceptance of one another and the united nature of their newfound friendship. Wherever one goes, so does the other. Liesel’s confidence grows, channeled through thieving habits, and she discards her previous apprehension. We can observe through their experiences how the characters’ identities have transformed significantly,
