<p>i'm a Chinese, it's quite hard to find someone to give feedback, so i come to CC for help; any comment is appreciated. I spent like 30mins coz still not get used to writing within such a short time.</p>
<p>assignment: is identity innate or created</p>
<p>The term identity has an intrinsic connotation relating to inborn characteristics, but when put within broader contexts, it inevitably involves defining one’s cultural, social or even historical elements, which lit the way for the identity, whether it be a person or a group. Identity is dynamic, not static; much of it is created, not given; it is a reward after struggle, not a benediction from heaven.</p>
<p>The Catcher in the Rye is apparently about a teenager’s growing up, but viewed from a slightly different angle, it is also about Holden’s search for his role in the world. He must strive to find a way out of his predicament and abandon his former identity of being an outcast. Holden needs to give up his original believes, which has formed his characters, and conform to the social norms; this is precisely a process of creating one’s identity. But this doing is not simple as it may seem. Past memories and current experiences have so much impacted Holden that to accept an identity the adults assign him means to negate everything he values. Holden eventually take a step forward – he does not run away and is even willing to go to a new school; by doing so he attaches himself with a common trait most teenagers have integrated into their characters. Holden’s new identity, or say his new role, is less sharp but more mature.</p>
<p>The search for a balance between past, present and future is also a difficult issue for a country. The word “China” conveys much about Eastern culture, philosophy and history; it does not merely indicate a geographic location. One of the most ancient countries, China has a glorious past but which has become more of a burden rather than a pride. For the past two centuries, the country has been struggling for a road to freedom and development; her situation is analogous to that of Holden in that both must forget the past to reach a better future. But today, we have gone into another extreme, demolishing the invaluable legacy bequeathed, which ultimately defines individual Chinese and the country as a whole. The consequences are disastrous –the Cultural Revolution utterly destroyed all traditions, causing the lack of moral codes for a whole generation; the Open and Reform have driven us too far in embracing Western values, resulting in huge generation gaps. Constructing a new “cultural identity” for the country -- achieving a balance between tradition and present -- is most critical in meeting challenges awaiting. </p>
<p>Identity contains not only one’s biographic information, but also cultural traits, which largely define a person. Our characteristics perhaps are partly inherited, but certainly are mostly formed within social and historical contexts. We lose our direction when we lose our cultural identity. The same is true for an organization, a country or even the human species.</p>
