“A flase identity can fool anyone, even yourself” The idea that identity can be created and destroyed has been played around with alot during modern literature, it is an interesting
Idea and creates alot of thoughts and theories that relate to the change of identity. Through the texts “The Great Gatsby” written by F Scott Fitzgerald, “The Lost Decade” written by F Scott Fitzgerald, “Unknown” directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and “The Blind Side” written by Michael L Lewis the change of identity is relevant in each text, though been shown through different situations. The idea that you can’t rely on objects for happiness is also twisted in, along with the thought that identity is not a physical being. Another point that these texts play with is having to work to be the person you want to be and this is One point that all texts display in one way or another, you can’t make an identity and live by being someone you aren’t.

In the text Great Gatsby written by Scott Fitzgerald, Gatsby’s identity becomes faded and has no true meaning, as he bases his life on an object that he doesn’t have. Gatsby is broken when he finds out Daisy has left him, so he recreates his whole life and turns himself into a new person as he thinks she left him because of his old self. Gatsby tricks himself that if he gets with daisy he will be happy, but in reality he signed away his happiness when he made up his fake life. When Nick tries to explain to Gatsby that “You can’t repeat the past” Gatsby reacts by being surprised and says “why of course you can” as if trying to convince Nick that his he’s wrong, but at this point in the book he is starting to have doubts, and when he says this he is trying to convince himself that he still has a chance with Daisy Gatsby begins to break down as he is slowly getting pushed closer and closer to the realisation that his whole life, and everything he has worked for is based around one materialistic object that has no true meaning,

this is the similarity between Gatsby and Trimble from “The Lost Decade” in the text, they both rely on a materialistic object for their happiness and put everything else behind them. Although Gatsby and Trimble base their lives around different things, they both have the same meaning, in Gatsby’s eyes, Daisy is the end goal she is the ultimate prize, but in reality she is an inanimate object, she has no value and Gatsby spends so much of his life chasing Daisy, as Fitzgerald describes Gatsby as having “…foggy eyes…staring into endless nothingness…”. Trimble has done the same thing as Gatsby except alcohol is his Daisy, he spends 10 years of his life spinning in the never ending circle of alcohol. Although Trimble was similar to Gatsbys situation i think they were both at different stages, the main differences was that Gatsby only got a glance of Daisy and only got a glimpse of what a life with her would look like, where as Trimble has past that, and had come to the realisation of the pain it caused. This meant that he had to break his new life, he had been trapped in his new identity and he had to overcome it. This had taken a toll on Trimble as he describes it as being “ten long years”, meaning that even though he was taken himself out of the ordinary world, he could still see and understand what he was doing. This is the same problem that Martin experienced in “unknown” directed by Jaume Collet-Serra.

Martin is an undercover assassin who has a fake identity to get closer to his target, every thing goes to plan when he lands in russia until he is in a car crash and wakes up in hospital 2 weeks later, during which he has forgotten his previous life and thinks he is his fake identity. Although Martin and Trimble are in different situations they still have to overcome a false identity. Trimble has only himself to blame, where as Martin has been incredibly unlucky, regardless they both faces a huge challenge to recover their identity. When martin wakes up he is positive that he knows who he is, and when he meets another man claiming to be Dr Martin Harris he becomes extremely confused “no, im dr martin harris!” but because he has no passport, driver license or any proof or ID no one believes him. He then starts to pick up the pieces of his real life and becomes extremely confused, and after Martin realises the danger he is in. He eventually finds out what has happened, “Who am i!”, he says this to the assassin kingpin who has pretended to know martin throughout the text, and i think this is also relevant to Trimble as when he spends his life as an alcoholic he has no life and doesn’t know who he has become.

In the text “The Blind Side” written by Michael L Lewis, Michael Oher is a young black man who lives in the poor side of town known for its violence. People who live here are known to be aggressive and because of this most people ignore or avoid this area and its residents, when Lea-an Touhy sees michael walking down the street in the rain she stops and says “we cant just leave him” this is her considerate personality accepts micheal and she brings him home for a place to sleep.”ive never had one before…What a room to yourself…no a bed” When Michael says this he isn’t just talking about a bed he is saying that this is the first time someone has taken a chance on him and given him the opportunities that everyone else has. Although no one has taken a chance on Michael because they presume him to be another drop out, but in reality he only needs one person to take a chance on him to show who he really is and this is what Lea-ann does. Michael doesn’t change his identity, he was born into the life to be automatically judged, and this is the similarity between Michael Oher and Martin Harris, they both got thrown into having to work for their lives. Both Michael and Martin has been unlucky with their lives and instead of give up like most people would, they showed courage and strength in themselves to work to be the person they are. Even though Michael has done everything wright in his life, people will always judge him because of his size and the colour of his skin, and this shows the readers that identity is not a physical being, it shows that true identity is shown when being put in troubling or trying situations.

Through these four texts identity is shown as being something that you’re are born with, and that you have to work four. It is clear after analysing these texts that identity can not be changed in a matter of minutes. Micheal shows that you have to be who you want to be, you cant change yourself because someone else doesnt like you. Gatsby and Mr Trimble shows us that you cant base your life around an object and rely on that for happiness, and Dr Martin Harris shows us that even if your identity is changed against your will, you will never be wright, until you are truly yourself.

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