<p>Is identity something people are born with or given, or is it something people create for themselves?
Identity is not just a name given at birth, but rather a legacy that one leaves behind. Characters from fiction like Equality-27521 and James Gatz portray the idea of identity as a whole. Likewise, Bill James, a janitor/avid fan of baseball, left a mark on baseball’s history from a position of no power. The identity of a person is in fact a choice, as you are not born with a legacy.
Ayn Rand’s Anthem conveys the theme of individualism. In the novel the protagonist, Equality-27521, embarks a trek to become an individual. Although the words “I” and “Ego” are forbidden in Equality’s totalitarian society he preservers and brings his society into the light. Equality became known under a different alias, “Prometheus”, which was the name of the Greek titan who brought the world to light. Equality’s transformation proves that one is given a choice at birth on how their name is carried on. Henceforth, the legacy a man has is a direct result of perseverance through adversity.
James Gatz from Francis Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is a paradigm of changing identity. Gatz was man born into poverty, and became a soldier as soon as he was old enough to enlist. Gatz fell hard for a beautiful woman named Daisy Buchannan and sought to marry her. Gatz’s attempts were to no avail, as Daisy’s hand required money. Gatz was determined to earn his love and eventually became rich. Gatz’s” rags to riches” story is atypical, as he cared less about money and more about his search for love. In desperation, Gatz threw lavish parties in an endeavor to see his former love. Upon striking wealth, Gatz also struck a new alias, Jay Gatsby. Gatsby was a maverick whose identity reciprocated. After Gatsby’s death he was remembered as a rich man rather than a poor love sickened soldier, thus proving identity is not permanent from birth.
Bill James was a janitor who had two loves: baseball and math. In an effort to combine the two James coined a theory called sabermetrics which shifted baseball from an unpredictable game to a game of objective stats. James’ work laid the foundation for winning teams like the 2001 Oakland Athletics and the 2005 Boston Red Sox. James’ legacy was different from that of a typical janitor, as he impacted America’s pastime immensely. Furthermore, James proves that one can still make an impact without a position of power.
Prometheus, Jay Gatsby, and Bill James are all men who left behind legacies that changed the course of fictional and actual history. Men like Bill James give hope to the average Joes of the world, and prove that any John/Jane Doe can make an impact. Identity is indeed a trait in which one can control through any circumstance. Legends create legacies through adverse conditions. People who change their identity are the legends of sports and history that we admire.</p>