Self Perspective Essay Example

Self Perspective Essay Example Self Perspective Paper Self Perspective Paper The Positives and Negatives Is self- Identity created over time, or are we born with It? Self identity, also known as self concept, self perspective or self construction refers to how a person university of Texas In Austin, Texas. In their article Self Verification 360 degrees: Illuminating the Light and Dark Sides they explain the self verification theory. North and Swan explain, Self verification theory asserts that people are motivated to seek confirmation of their negative as well as positive self-views (n. Page). They also note, Because self views serve these vitally important functions, people become invested in maintaining them (n. Page. ). George Orwell is an English journalist and novelist. His book, Down and out in Paris and London, Documents the life of the lower class people in Paris and London in the 1 us. Of these people, Boris creates his self-identity through being overly optimistic, Bozo creates his self-identity through being an artist, Payday creates his-self Identity through his self-pity and Charlie is through his lies. Boris, Bozo, Payday and Charlie all do not match up with Swan and Norths self- reification theory. Then enters Boris, Boris was a Russian waiter. He is by nature overly optimistic and creates his self-identity though it. Boris explains, l have always said it, there is nothing easier to get than money (Orwell 44). ). If money was so easy to get then he wouldnt be in the situation that he is in. Most times he says things that are obviously untrue such as, Boris states, Oh we shall find something. I have got a few cards up my sleeve. There are people who owe me money, for instance-Paris is full of them (Orwell 29). If there were really people all over Paris that owed him money then e would be collecting the money. Boris also states, What things a man can do with brains! Brains will make money out of anything (Orwell 31). There he goes again with being overly optimistic he has a brain but has gone days without eating before. When Orwell first meets up with Boris one of the first few words out of his mouth was starving to death is this goes on much longer (Orwell 28). Swan and Norths self verification theory, assumes that people work to preserve their negative as well as positive self views by seeking confirmation for these self One time in particular Orwell goes into description about Boris regimen to get ready. Orwell says, He shaved without soap and with a razor- blade two months old, tied his tie so that the holes did not show, and carefully stuffed the soles of his shoes with newspaper (30). Orwell also notes, Finally when he was dressed, he produced an ink bottle and Inked the skin on his ankles where It showed through his socks (30). The fact that Boris goes to such extreme lengths to make himself look presentable says a lot about how he wants people to perceive him. He wants his self Image on the outside to look as good as possible when fledgling a Job. Other than the times he gets dressed up to look for his past mistresses and tells them about his misfortune. Orwell says, Sometimes in hopeful moments Boris spent fifty centimes on a stamp and wrote to one of his ex mistresses, asking for money'(34). Boris doesnt fit Swan and Norths theory because he doesnt try to get confirmation from people he Just does as he wants. Hes not ashamed of being poor. Bozos self-identity is created through having no self pity. He has a mangled leg and earns a little bit by drawing chalk paintings on sidewalks. He struggles inside the roll of desperate poverty so he can have some sense of dignity. He wore the usual beggars clothes but wore a collar and tie and was proud to wear it. Orwell writes, The collar a year or more old, was constantly going around the neck, and Bozo used to patch it with bits cut from the tail of his shirt so that the shirt had scarcely any tail left. (166). Orwell notes, His damaged leg kept getting worse and was going to have to be amputated one day (166). Orwell also says, With all this, he had neither fear, nor regret, nor shame, nor self pity. Orwell 166) Bozo explains, Being a beggar, he said, was not his fault (Orwell (166). Bozo cared about what others thought of him as he was constantly fixing his collar. He was also always reminding Orwell that he wasnt just someone who begged for money (167). Orwell states that, He considered himself in a class above the ordinary run of beggars, who he said, were an abject lot, without even the decency to be ungrateful (16 7). Even though Bozo was a beggar, in a way he felt he was better than all the other beggars. He had no self pity on himself. He provided a service than rather than Just a jugular beggar. The people didnt pay him to go away he got paid for his services. Bozo doesnt match up with Swan and Norths theory, Self verification theory asserts that people are motivated to seek confirmation of their negative as well as positive self-views (n. Page. ). Bozo wants people to look at the positives about him. He doesnt want people to seek confirmation on the negative views about himself. Then enters Payday, he creates his self-identity through his self pity. He was dressed better than most tramps he wore a tweed shooting Jacket and a pair of old evening trousers with the braid still on them (Orwell 149). The braid that was still on his pants in his mind was a lingering scrap of respectability he made sure when it was loose to sew it back on (Orwell 149). He tried to keep up his appearance as much as possible he carried a razor and a boot brush that he would not sell (Orwell 150). He had sold some of his other belongings such as his pocket knife and his papers but wouldnt sell his boot brush or razor. Even though Orwell says Payday was horribly ashamed being a tramp he still ad picked up all the little tricks that all tramps did (150). When they walked by a vending machine he would pull the lever to make sure that no loose change came out and he never missed a cigarette end on the ground. Even though he was horrible ashamed of being a tramp, in public he still did all these little things that tramps did. Payday doesnt fit the theory of the Texas University Professors Swan and North, Self verification assumes that people work to preserve their negative as well as positive seeking confirmation for these self views. As Orwell writes about Payday he says, The thought of his bad luck never seemed to leave him for an instant (152). Payday is always is so negative that he doesnt fit Swan and Norths theory. Payday never gives anyone anything positive to seek confirmation of; he is always talking about all the negatives in his life. Charlie is a young man who seeks his self identity through being the center of attention. Orwell explains, He was a youth of family and education who had run away from home and lived on occasional remittances (10). Charlie would bang on the zinc bar and yell for silence (96). The stories Charlie told were not always to be awaken seriously. Charlie wanted to be liked but by the public as he always wanted to be the center of attention but his stories werent any nature to be liked. Charlie says At twenty -two I am utterly worn out and finished (Orwell 10). He tries to make him sound older and worldly than he actually is. Charlie goes into his story of him drugging his brother and robbing him of all his money (Orwell 11). Then with the money he got a guide and wanted to go to the borders (Orwell 12). He basically goes on to say he paid money and got to do whatever he wanted with a girl. Which is he ultimately raped her. (Orwell 13). Charlies story was disgusting. He wanted to be the center of attention and always be telling stories. Even though everyone knew they were most likely not true. Charlie does not go with Swan and Norths self verification theory of people are motivated to seek confirmation of their negative as well as positive self- views (n. Page. ). Charlie doesnt really care what people think he Just wants to tell his stories and wants people to listen to him. In conclusion, the book Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell, ho is an English Journal and Novelist had a few interesting characters. Self-identity is created over time as we are not born with it. Boris creates his self identity through being optimistic and tries to get self verification through talking about positive things about himself as well as the negative things about himself. Bozo is a street artist also known as a Screener; he creates his self-identity by having no self pity even though his life is never going to get any better. Bozo is always looks on the bright side of everything. Payday creates his self identity though having self pity. Payday is a man who is quite ashamed of being a tramp. But he still has picked up all of the tramps little tricks throughout his time and doesnt try to hide them.. At last there is Charlie he is a young man from money and education. Charlie created his self identity through being a liar. He is also quite a story teller. Ultimately Charlie, Bozo, Payday and Boris do not match up with Swan and Norths Self Verification theory of, people are motivated to seek confirmation of their negative as well as positive self- views (n. Page). Can one change their self identity multiple times throughout their life?