Who Is Personal Identity In Brian Caswell's A Cage Of Butterflies
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A Cage of Butterflies
By Brian Caswell
An individual’s understanding of their own personal identity evolves over time in response to their interactions with the world. This understanding can come from the way one interacts with others, through interaction with a setting or location and through interaction with society. One’s interaction with others can create an image of self that stays with oneself for life. In Brian Caswell’s “A Cage of Butterflies”, Greg’s interactions with the other characters imposes an image of an ‘all round genius’ on himself. With no specialisation or interest, Greg sees himself as someone who ‘knows a little about a lot’ enough to engage in conversation with most people both in and out of ‘The Farm’. While this interaction can cause the self-esteem boosting feeling like Greg experiences, it can cause an opposite feeling in others…show more content… Erik’s view of his personal identity are lowered, his view of himself damaged. Interaction with the others characters in the novel has made Erik see himself as a sort of simpleton, some one of lesser intelligence. His view of his identity has been shaped by the interaction with the other characters, who are some of the brightest people in the country. While these 2 experiences shaped these individuals, another experience shaped a whole group’s identity. When the ‘babies’ went through the ordeal that gave them their telepathic abilities, they were shut out from the world, when they were put into the same room together , they shared their abilities, thoughts and experiences. When talking with the other characters, the ‘Babies’ would say “iwe”, since they had no longer any sense of personal identity, sharing their lives with each other. They felt, experienced and communicated as a whole, made up of 5 different parts. These interactions have created or shaped an image of self so profoundly and deeply