Discursive reflection

Question 1

Introduction

Answer 1

In my discursive piece, ‘Swimmer’, I explore the distinctive personal challenge of reconciling dissonant aspects of an individual’s heritage, and the beauty of realising that this constant act of cultural exploration is necessary to consolidate one’s identity.

Question 2

Nam Le

Answer 2

• inspired by his portrayal of the difficulty in reconciling opposing elements of heritage in writing, emulated to respond to identity
• symbolically represent beauty of finding our authentic selves

In his metafictive Love and Honour and Pity and Pride and Compassion and Sacrifice, I was inspired by Nam Le’s portrayal of the challenge in reconciling opposing elements of his heritage in his writing. I emulated this in relation to identity and emphasised my initial fear of being abandoned in the liminal space of the two worlds through the visual imagery of “shattering my half-submerged torso that was caught in this limbo”, however then subverted this in my “venturing into the ocean”, symbolically representing the beauty of finding our authentic selves when we voluntarily subject ourselves to this “never-ending traversal of these islands”.

Question 3

Stamp Collecting

Answer 3

• inspired by his use of motif, metaphorically represent beauty in cultural heritage
• stickers as fragments inspired use of extended metaphor of other islands, identity emerges from…
• fragmentation of sand, past present future etc

Question 4

conclusion

Answer 4

• rejection of the bricks, state of ongoing discovery is necessary to authentically form ones identity
• integrating language techniques and authorial intent
• beauty in recognising that competing aspects of one’s identity can coexist and form the pillars of our character