Identity Crisis Depicted in Two Literary Works

In these instances one is part of a minority (e.g., by race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation), or if one has identifications with multiple groups (e.g., by being biracial), or if one is pulled by conflicting messages (e.g., those coming from the media and the family), an identity crisis is likely to emerge. It is from these instances that writers draw inspiration for their stories as literature mirrors life.
             AIMS.
             The aim of this work entitled "Identity Crisis in Chimamanda Adiche's Americanah and Richard Wright's Native Son" is to find out or study why an individual's self formation process undergoes severe difficulty or danger. This difficulty of self formation occurs in all parts of the world and is more often than not as a result of the confusion brought about by one's society. The identity of an individual is derived by that individual or given by the society. This confusion is depicted in both books and explored through the eyes of the hero and heroine, who struggle with this uncertainty. The major concept involved in this study is the issue of race and its effect on the "colored" people. The study basically will seek to dispel the notion that class stratification is a bigger challenge than race, as they are both big issues. As the setting of both novels involves the country America, which is far advanced and even has a man of colour as its president, racism is still very much alive in the country. This study will show the adverse effects of race on self formation of the targeted individual.
             BACKGROUND.
             The problem of identity crisis has been one of the major problems of mankind in every society. Identity crisis in an individual can present itself as a result of race, ethnicity or sexuality. In researching various human experiences regarding the concept of identity of an individual or as collectives, it is paramount to examine the various elements that come together to form the pieces of events that lead to the struggle for self awareness and worth of an individual in a dynamic and ever changing world and an environment that is politically, socially, and economically driven.