The Quest for Identity in American Literature The quest for identity depends a lot on the emotional, cultural and social stability of an individual. Stability is the ultimate stage of this quest, this is why I believe there is a strong interdependence between the two. One cannot speak of identity without referring to emotional, social and cultural stability. Apart from these three dimensions of the human being, another important aspect of the American identity is …showed first 75 words of 2305 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2305 total…nature vs. civilization, South vs. West etc., the quest for identity is always present in one way or another in their works. All these conflicts show the need to find one's identity and to be part of a culture. The writers try to illustrate the need for an identity by using these conflicts as the starting point of their plots and thus creating a sense of the American identity in the mind of the reader.