Topic: Identity construction
List of entries
Both a psychological thriller and an essential critique of contemporary capitalist society on consumerism, perfection, masculinity and rebellion. Fight Club’s narrator lives a regular life, working for an insurance company and collecting Ikea furniture in his free time. Suffering from insomnia, he visits support groups at night so he can experience other people’s suffering. When […]
A postcolonial short story by the award winning author Salman Rushdie on international relations, gender and power, cultural differences, and the many-sided nature of human nature. Miss Rehana visits a British consulate in India, to be reunited with her fiancée who is living in England. A man named Mr. Ali approaches her in front of […]
A fascinating collection of interconnected poems by Saul Williams reflecting on the demise of his relationship with Marcia Jones, his girlfriend, with whom he has a daughter, for several years. The speaker ruminates over freedom, ‘love’s suffering addiction’, the problems a lack of communication can cause and the visible and invisible scars a relationship can […]
This highly symbolical one-act play explores nationalism, patriotism, invasion, and sacrifice. The setting is a house in a small coastal town in 1798, Ireland. The Gillane family is preparing for the wedding of their son Peter when a mysterious old woman (Cathleen ni Houlihan) appears and foregrounds things of greater significance than a quiet married […]
In this poem about loss, grief, the fragility of happiness and growing up, the author processes the death of his younger brother who died at the age of four in a road accident. He describes the feelings and impressions when he takes a break from college to visit his family’s home. There he encounters his […]
A collection of poetry and prose originally published in 1970 that critically reflects the past, present and future of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia. The lines of Oodgeroo – also known as Kath Walker – problematise Australia’s colonial history, demand for Aboriginal rights, respect, justice and offer hope and reconciliation. The […]
An insightful essay about equality, self-esteem and treating people with respect: In this epistolary manifesto Adichie addresses a friend of hers who just had a baby – the question posed to the author is: How do you raise a to be a feminist? Her answer touches upon education, oppression, sex and many more aspects of […]
This Romantic novel of manners follows the charming Elizabeth Bennet and her character development. It portrays the complicated love story of Elizabeth and the aloof Mr Darcy. Mr Bennet has five daughters but his estate can only be bequeathed to a male heir, hence at least one of his daughters has to marry well to […]
This holocaust novel explores loss, nationalism, anti-Semitism and the power of friendship across borders and fences. The readers follow nine-year-old Bruno, who lives with his parents and sister Gretel in Berlin in 1943. As Bruno’s father, who works as a commanding officer, gets promoted, his family moves to a new house in the middle of […]
A Gothic novel of moral depth about mental health, social pressure, belonging and a family dream that turns into a dark nightmare. The birth of Ben, the fifth and rather unusual child of Harriet and David, threatens and disrupts their ordinary and happy family life. Ben’s violent, aggressive and reckless behaviour, which is due to […]
Winterson showcases a new Christmas story, drawing pastiche-like on themes of love, myth and healing in the festive season. The narrator Mrs Snow one day suddenly finds a tall fairy standing in her garden, claiming to be the Christmas Fairy herself. In the rather unusual dialogue which ensues, hard-won truth waits after every twist and […]
A rhyming story about an unexpected adventure, family and Christmas time: “Stick Man lives in the family tree with his Stick Lady Love and their stick children three…”
A coming-of-age-novel about slavery and racism, hypocrisy in society and freedom set along the Mississippi River: a white outsider and an African American slave emancipate themselves in pursuit of the American Dream. Tying in with the prequel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, who once was a homeless boy, now leads a civilised life […]
This Victorian Gothic novel is about moral decay and the evanescence of beauty and youth. Young Dorian Gray meets the charismatic Lord Henry Wotton at Basil Hallward’s studio by whom he is currently being painted. Basil sees Dorian as his new muse, infatuated by his beauty. Dorian is enthralled by the Lord’s hedonistic world view […]
Years after breaking up, Bill and Mary randomly meet on the street. Despite the time that has passed and the two of them having new partners and children, Mary still seems to be emotionally attached to Bill. But after a short exchange of words, they go their separate ways. This short story shows that what […]
A classic children’s novel about poverty and wealth, humility, kindness and greed. Charlie is an eleven-year-old boy who loves chocolate and lives with his parents and grandparents in a little hut close to a big city. They do not have a lot of money, but Charlie and his family live a happy life until Charlie’s […]
A coming-of-age movie about family, rootlessness and uncovering who you really are: The viewer is invited into three stages of protagonist Chiron’s life. As a kid nicknamed “Little”, Chiron is picked on by his peers while he has to grow up without a father. As a teenager trying to survive school, he has to realize […]
This teen drama movie explores the conflict between obedience and freedom at school: Welton Academy is an all-male, elite school in the USA. With conservative strictness, students are taught the classical contents of education. That is until a new English teacher John Keaton sets foot in Welton. His methods are far from ‘classical’, his honesty […]