How an Individual Formed Its Identity - Essay Example

Identity formation is a phenomenon that results in an individual serving one with a distinct personality. There can be a couple of factors that might lead to the identity formation of an individual. This may include the environment or the notions that one prefers to follow.

Additionally, by describing the population of his hometown, Brownsville, he states, ‘almost everyone I know is Mexicano: neighbors, teachers, principals, dropouts, doctors, lawyers, drug dealers, priests’. Therefore, this cultural environment made him feel himself a Mexican. The thing that made him closer to his Mexican identity was the annual four-day celebration of Mexican heritage, under the name of Charro Days (Casares). The experiences described above are the author’s childhood experiences; however, when he grows up and leaves his town his exposure to his identity formation expands to a significant extent. As he starts exploring the world, he seemed to believe that in the United States immigrants and minorities have always been exploited by the media, as they know well how to stereotype an ethnic group.

While experiencing the events of his life, the author acquired the realization that the stereotypic image created in the minds of Americans describes Mexicans as criminals, involved in dirty and lustful activities. As Casares was called as Mexican-American by natives; nevertheless, after realizing that being a Mexican is dealt as abuse in America, no matter how honest and innocent one is. Thus, the author later appeared believing like his father that he was a proud Mexican (Casares). Moreover, the other essay ‘American Dreamer’ written by Bharati Mukherjee shows the other side of identity formation.

The essayist, from the start of the essay, appears to claim to be a naturalized American. The actual birthplace of the writer is Calcutta, India, where she experienced all the true essence of his culture. Before and after moving to Iowa, she always felt herself as an Indian, due to the deep penetration of Indian culture in her blood. However, during her academic years at the University of Iowa, she entered into a love relationship with a Canada-based American, and; she got married to him (Mukherjee).

The essayist is also found describing the identity formation in India in a way that, ‘A Hindu Indian’s last name announced his or her forefathers’ caste and place of origin’. Unlike Casares, Mukherjee is not much influenced by the core of her culture. She spent her ten years in Canada with her husband and children, where she felt lonely and seemed quite nostalgic in terms of his memories with America. As the time blurred her memories with India, though; she claimed herself as a naturalized American.

In the end, she again appeared to be claiming, ‘I am a naturalized US citizen and I take my American citizenship very seriously’. By her stances, it can be analyzed that her orthodox Indian family would not have accepted her, as she got married out of their family; therefore, she made her identity by adjusting to American culture (Mukherjee). The analysis has demonstrated that the identity formation of an individual is greatly influenced by the environment one experiences in the present time, along with the influence of one’s perceptions of society.