The Perceived Innateness of Personal Identity Traits in Society

An individual's identity is typically considered a characteristic that somebody is born with, similar to physical traits such as eye color or face shape. In truth, identity is not something that can be identified by a particular hair of DNA, rather it is something that must be formed throughout a lifetime. Therefore, at birth, one's identity is a blank canvas, all set to take in knowledge from its instant environments, more particularly household, as it is the first thing a fresh identity is exposed to.

As evidenced by Grapes of Rage, Abraham Lincoln, and The Terrific Gatsby, one's identity is primarily determined by his or her household.

In Grapes of Rage, the Joad's identify themselves with their land, as farming is their only income. Without land to farm, the Joads's way of living is entirely uprooted; thus, they are forced to alter their identities in order to endure. Nevertheless, this identification with the land is not something each Joad is born with; rather, it is a relationship that is primarily influenced by household.

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At first, Ruthie and Winifield, both still children, do not comprehend the emotional impact of the Dustbowl on their household.

Nevertheless, as they view their daddy, they start to understand that his land is what makes him who he is, and without it, he is lost. At this moment, Ruthie and Winifield's brand-new identities are starting to take shape as they, too, learn to love the land. Abraham Lincoln, a previous president of the United States, matured in a little cabin to a poor household.

He had the ability to go to school as a young kid; however, the educational system of his rural town in Kentucky put him at a drawback to lots of other politicians he completed against.

When Lincoln's mother passed, he was delegated be raised by only his daddy, whom he slowly ended up being estranged from. Nevertheless, these downsides that Lincoln faced made him the self-motivated and ambitious man he quickly became. Had he been raised in a well-to-do household by mindful and caring parents, he would not have been almost as driven and hardworking, as everything would have been spoon-fed to him. Thus, Lincoln's household life was the something ultimately identified the guy he was to become.

Lincoln’s absentee father and poor economic situation gave him the will and ambition that allowed him o do great things in the world. In The Great Gatsby, in contrast to Abraham Lincoln, Daisy was born into an extremely wealthy family. In such a family, Daisy hardly ever had the need to lift a finger, as everything was done for her. In addition, this wealth made Daisy a very desirable young woman; thus, Daisy did not often have to work to gain anyone’s approval. Had she been raised in poor family, similar to Abraham Lincoln, Daisy would have been forced to sink or swim on her own, giving her more ambition to succeed.

However, due to Daisy’s family life, she grew accustomed to a pampered life lifestyle in which everything was simply handed to her, making her the self-obsessed, materialistic, and lazy person she became. As evidenced by Grapes of Wrath, Abraham Lincoln, and The Great Gatsby, family is what primarily determines someone’s identity. Thus, identity is not some gene-determined trait that is formed prior to birth. It is something that takes shape in the early stages of one’s life, forming accordingly to his or her environment.