Fractured Identity in Fault Lines – Creative Writing – christinatherton
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Fractured Identity in Fault Lines
Fractured identity in Fault Lines
Fault Lines (1993), by Meena Alexander, is an autobiography that depicts the broken nature of Alexander’s third world culture incorporated in a western first world country. Alexander portrays her life as disjoint and without a sense of belonging through emphasizing the feeling of disconnection between herself and the different environments she lives in. Her life revolves around her insecure and naive self-identity. The utilization of rhetorical questions, negative diction and imagery represent Alexander’s fractured identity.

Throughout the excerpt, Alexander uses rhetorical questions to focus attention on her own insecure nature and disconnection from the decisions and environment around her. As she reflects on her life, “night after night”(9), she questions her “crookedness of flesh, thrown back at the eyes”(11) that catch sight of her. Alexander dehumanizes herself by referring to herself as “crookedness of flesh” which contributes to her thoughts of her own lack of belonging and insecurities. The negative and degrading connotation of the statement “crookedness of flesh” (11), depicts the pessimistic view of herself conveying her lack of self-confidence and self-assurance which indicates an aspect of her fractured identity. “But questions persist” (55), as she asks herself “what could i ever be but a mass of faults, a fault mass?” (58). Alexander utilizes chiasmus to emphasize her self-deprecation and the lack of worth and value she sees in herself. This portrays her fractured identity through the aspect of disbelief and a demeaning perception of herself. Through the use of rhetorical questions, it evidently depicts her lack of self-respect which connects to the overall depiction of a fractured lifestyle.

Alexander’s use of negative and demeaning diction and imagery signifies the unsatisfied view she has of herself and depicts the appalling ways she treats herself, which is an aspect of her fractured identity. On summer nights Alexander “tormented myself.. worrying myself sick” (82) because of the lack of connection she has towards the “multiple migrations”(80) she’s experienced.

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(2016, 11). Fractured Identity in Fault Lines. EssaysForStudent.com. Retrieved 11, 2016, from
“Fractured Identity in Fault Lines” EssaysForStudent.com. 11 2016. 2016. 11 2016 < "Fractured Identity in Fault Lines." EssaysForStudent.com. EssaysForStudent.com, 11 2016. Web. 11 2016. < "Fractured Identity in Fault Lines." EssaysForStudent.com. 11, 2016. Accessed 11, 2016. Essay Preview By: christinatherton Submitted: November 7, 2016 Essay Length: 539 Words / 3 Pages Paper type: Creative Writing Views: 574 Report this essay Tweet Related Essays Why the Persian Gulf War Was Not Iraqs Fault At 2:00 A.M. (local time) on August second 1990, Saddam Hussein sent the Iraqi military across the border into Kuwait, and sparked a war whose 2,025 Words  |  9 Pages The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass - an Analysis of the Formation of Identity The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An Analysis of the Formation of Identity "You have seen how a man was made a slave; 2,232 Words  |  9 Pages Identity Theft – Cause, Prevention, and Effect IDENTITY THEFT – CAUSE, PREVENTION, AND EFFECT INTRODUCTION A major growing problem within the United States is identity theft. Identity theft is the stealing and 3,081 Words  |  13 Pages The Child as Father to the Man - Erikson and Identity Running Head: ERIK ERIK’S SON “The Child as Father to the Man” - Erikson and Identity Cameron Delacroix Camosun College Erik Erikson is known for 2,446 Words  |  10 Pages Similar Topics Anime Impact On Generational Identities Media Identity Analysis Get Access to 89,000+ Essays and Term Papers Join 209,000+ Other Students High Quality Essays and Documents Sign up © 2008–2020 EssaysForStudent.comFree Essays, Book Reports, Term Papers and Research Papers Essays Sign up Sign in Contact us Site Map Privacy Policy Terms of Service Facebook Twitter

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Meena Alexander And Broken Nature Of Alexander. (July 8, 2021). Retrieved from https://www.freeessays.education/meena-alexander-and-broken-nature-of-alexander-essay/