Edward Said article-- States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Edward Said article-- States - Essay Example It is very difficult to ascertain one’s identity and most people attach it to their ancestors and their homeland. Said on the other hand, left Palestine as a young child without having developed a rational sense of thinking and scientific temper and thus finds it tough to form a connection with Palestine in the present day – something that has been consistently talked about in his article. An identity crisis takes place when an individual becomes unsure of the role that he has to play in his life; many a time this may be attributed to travelling during one’s fledgling years and or not knowing the family to which one may be affiliated to. Erik Erikson, the theorist that coined the very term, has linked this crisis to the childhood of an individual. In the present case, the same can be understood by reading about Said’s departure from Palestine when he was a young boy. (Cherry, K) He studied abroad and developed American ideals as he grew older. The images and impressions that he has of Arabs and Muslims residing in Palestine are very different from the reality situation and this puts him in a tough spot when he begins to talk about his childhood. He has no memories of the country to reminisce and he feels inadequate in this regard. He has tried very excellently to explain the mechanism of Arabs and Muslims in the current scenario however finds that he can only do so with the help of Western ideals and imagery. He feels betrayed by his own ideas of a melting pot. (Visual Memoir: Edward Saids "States") Another issue that has been touched upon greatly is the idea of race and ethnicity. America today contains a hybrid mixture of people belonging to various cultures and ethnic groups as opposed to places like Palestine where it is difficult for even a single group of people to survive. One’s race and ethnicity also