HOW DO PEOPLE BUILD AN IDENTITY THAT DEFINES THEM?

INTRODUCTION.

Identity is what a thing is or who a person is. One’s identity is how they define who they are and also how others define them. People’s definitions are never the same. People usually have an image of themselves and things they believe in the kind of person they are. A firm sense of identity brings security, comfort, and it is as well desirable. Identity helps people in making decisions and gives an idea of how to carry themselves. When people know themselves, they become better people and inspire others who will influence the world. The choices we make define us and portray our character. Most people define other people based on their appearance, what they like to do, their culture, or even their relationship and connection with others. In most cases, the way people define is not how we want to be recognized. Defining yourself to yourself before representing yourself to others is essential. People in a western culture mostly identify themselves by how they differ from others, knowing that they compete with their style, acquired things, and physical appearance. They also define themselves according to how they compare themselves with everybody else, their talents, and their skills. A logical sense of identity requires one to see themselves the same way, even though at times, one might change their behavior. The level of one’s self-esteem affects their identity because identity depends on who one thinks of; they are, and how they see themselves and how they value themselves is what people call self-confidence.One’s mental health, behavior, and relationship with others are affected by self-esteem. Self-identity changes actions because it serves as an information source when people plan on acting. Personal identity levels affect people’s attitudes and beliefs about controlling behaviors.

Our secret by Susan Griffin is about the suppressed pain and shame that humans carry and how it affects them. Heinrich Himmler’s boyhood was oppressive and callous. Griffin’s girlhood was repressed, and her family life was a frantically unhappy one. Griffin returns to Himmler’s thread of life often, featuring his boyhood diary and recordings of events and times which his father Gebhard, who was a schoolmaster, forced him to keep. Griffin used the life of Himmler to reflect her life. A woman said that speaking openly was impossible in her family following her father’s profession and war times.“There were nuclear missiles standing just blocks from where she lived. However, her father never spoke about them. Only after many years away from home did she learn what those weapons were” (Griffin,299). Griffin was sent to her grandmother’s at six years. Himmler’s diary reminded Griffin of her grandmother’s house life. Leo, who never got emotional until he confessed his murder to Griffin, said that he killed a black man who was innocent after returning from war. He said that after looking into the man’s broken face, “he’s just like me” (Griffin,341). This made Griffin breakdown. She uncovers her fury about her grandmother’s unfair punishment at the age of 8. Griffin’s grandmother’s character is so profound as one imagines her standing behind Griffin, whipping her. This essay will analyze how one can build an identity that defines them.