Loss of a Sense of Self

No two people are exactly the same, everyone is unique with their own thoughts and personality. This is why society has so many different groups people can fall into, with some people falling into multiple of these groups. However, when someone falls into the wrong type of group, this can have drastic changes on how an individual views themselves and acts. This can cause the individual to lose their sense of self, which can have negative effects for their mental health and the environment around them.

The play Trifles written by Susan Glaspell, follows the interaction of two women in the kitchen of another woman. The house they are in is currently under investigation for the murder of Mr. John White, with one woman being the sheriff’s wife Mrs. Peters, and the other being a neighbor of the Whites, Mrs. Hale, whose husband reported the murder. Mrs. Hale was there to retrieve items for Mrs. Minnie White, who was suspected of her husband’s murder. While in the kitchen the two women discover many clues as to what may have caused the murder, while the men (the county attorney, sheriff and Mr. Hale) search the rest of the residence and laughs at the two women's conversation unaware of their discoveries. Following the discovery of a dead canary in Mrs. White’s sewing box, seemingly killed by Mr. White breaking its neck, Mrs. Hale voices regret she had not visited the house often. Mrs. Hale explains how Mrs. White before her marriage was full of life and personality, however after marrying Mr. White she lost that personality. Using an analogy between the canary and Mrs. White, Mrs. Hale says they both sang beautiful songs; however, Mr. White had silenced them. Mrs. Peters described how when she was younger, a boy had killed her kitten in front of her, and she would have hurt him given the chance. The woman then realize Mrs. White likely did kill her husband in response to the death of her beloved canary, however because they understood why Mrs. White did it and how Mr. White affected her, they did not reveal this information to the men, and the play closes with the men finding no evidence to convict Mrs. White.

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Popular dramedy from the 2000’s, The Devil Wears Prada is a dramatic comedy movie about Andy Sachs, played by Anne Hathaway, follows the journey of an aspiring journalist starting an assistant job at a top fashion magazine. In the beginning of this job, Andy is often criticized by her lack of fashion and is struggling trying to keep up with the break-neck pace her boss is forcing her to work. This changes when Andy realizes she needs to adapt to the fashion industry. She starts to dress more fashionable and becomes obsessive over work to meet the needs of her authoritarian boss and fashion icon Miranda Priestly. Throughout the movie you witness how Andy changes more, leading to strain in her relationship and friendships, eventually leading to a breakup and Andy betraying her coworker near the climax of the film. Andy then travels to Paris with her boss who finally respects her where she learns of Miranda’s terrible home life and witnesses her betraying one of her closest friends to maintain the editor of the magazine. After this Andy realizes she does not want to be like Miranda and quits, she then works hard to repair the damage done to her relationship and friendships, ending the movie finding a journalist job at another magazine.

These stories both show two women who lost their sense of self; however, they show how you can lose your sense of self in multiple different ways, through relationships like in Trifles and through work like in "The Devil Wears Prada". These also show the different reactions both female characters had and how these reactions shaped their future. In the play, Mrs. White feels trapped and silenced by her husband. Eventually this led her to snap and kill him after he murdered her pet canary. Andy in the movie, however realized the direction her behavior and life was going and realized she didn't want to live like Miranda and immediately quit. These reactions show how sometimes you can realize you have changed, while others you cannot or you become trapped and can't leave.

These resonate with me because I too have lost my sense of self before due to friendships and it can be challenging to realize before it is too late. Me personally, I didn't realize how much I had changed until after those friendships had ended, which is a scary feeling. This is why it is imperative you are thoughtful about the relationships you choose and who you surround yourself with. I have also seen this pattern with close friends over the years, and it has caused me to distance myself from them due to the path they were taking. Therefore, it is important to choose the right groups to surround yourself and be aware of any changes that could affect how you act or perceive yourself or others.