Analyse three types of identity in Pirandello’s works
The essay asks to analyse three types of identity in famous Italian writer Pirandello’s work.
You would need to analyse the following:
– Social identity in The Late Mattia Pascal
– Psychological identity in One, No one and One Hundred Thousand
– Narrative identity in Six Characters in Search of an Author
The three primary sources needed will of course be those three books. For secondary sources I would strongly recommend looking at Luperini’s articles on Pirandello, along with Pirandello’s essay on humour, Ricoeur and perhaps Alfred Binet. But of course do whatever you think is best.
For social identity in The Late Mattia Pascal:
What is Pirandello’s view of Modernity?
In what way does he explore the question of identity and answer to it? What answers does he provide?
For psychological identity in One, No One and One Hundred Thousand:
You could explore the conflict between form and life.
For narrative identity in Six Characters in Search of an Author:
You could look at how Pirandello creates the identity of a character and how he creates an identity of himself as an author.
To bring closure to the essay, you could analyse the opposition between sameness (being like others) and difference (being your own self).