Jamie Abrams
Dr. Holt
AP Literature 12:4
10 December 2019
The Formation of Identity through Steven Greenblatt and A.O. Scott
In Better Living Through Criticism by A.O. Scott and Renaissance Self-Fashioning by Steven Greenblatt, both authors describe the process of the formation of identity and how this process changes over time. Additionally, both authors contemplate the influence of societal and cultural factors in the formation of the self, and both writers characterize the individual who is equipt to submit to the force of self-fashioning and be changed. Both authors discuss how taste, perspective, personality, and action play a role in one’s ability to live a purposeful life and how these concepts determine one’s ability to criticize art and literature. Identity determines one’s taste, perspective, personality, and actions and is both crucial to the understanding of the text and application of text in the real world. Therefore, it is axiomatic that the formation of identity is the most important conceptual interception between the two texts.
Both authors – Scott through an individual’s manifestation of taste and capacity to criticize and Greenblatt through an individual’s response to and interaction with language – demonstrate the influence of both external and internal factors in the formation of identity. Both authors concur that “men are born unfinished animals” (Greenblatt, 4), implying that people are born with an inherent set of personality traits and preferences that are changed and fashioned throughout one’s life. As Scott explains, “your taste, however, defined and dogmatic it might be, is never static” (Scott, 45), meaning that the process by which identity is formed is an ongoing process with no definitive beginning or end. As Greenblatt details, “social actions are themselves always embedded in systems of public signification” (Greenblatt, 5), signifying that one’s identity is concurrently shaped by cultural and societal factors as well as unique experiences and internal struggles.
Scott and Greenblatt intersect yet again when they each describe the individual who is equipt to be subject to self-fashioning and change. Greenblatt explains that “none of the figures [inherit] a title, an ancient family tradition or hierarchical status that might have rooted personal identity in the identity of a clan or caste” (Greenblatt, 9) and explains that, in order to be self-fashioned, one must be a middle-class citizen with the time and intellect necessary for introspection. Similarly, Scott writes that “all it takes is the willingness to identify oneself as the person being addressed in the last line of ‘Archaic Torso of Apollo’, or the person for whom Marina Abramovic’s gaze is intended. You have already changed your life, you are not like everybody else.” (Scott, 75) Both writers clearly state that not all individuals are able to develop their identity or be changed, whether it be due to title, class or intellect.
The final similarity in the theme of identity transformation displayed in both A.O. Scott’s Better Living Through Criticism and Steven Greenblatt’s Renaissance Self-Fashioning is the shared purpose of the two authors. Both Scott and Greenblatt intend to shape their readers into individuals who are capable of self-fashioning and change and, as an externality of just opening one of the two books, the reader is already submitting themselves to the self-fashioning process. Scott and Greenblatt implement this change within the reader by using dialectic rhetorical techniques which force the reader to thoughtfully understand and investigate the text.
This self-reflection that A.O. Scott and Steven Greenblatt encourage the reader to perform shapes the reader’s identity through introspection. This is accomplished by making the reader aware of the processes of self fashioning which result in the developement of taste. By subjecting oneself to Scott arguments in Better Living Through Criticism and Greenblatt’s arguments in Renaissance Self Fashioning, one’s identity becomes automatically malleable and subject to change.
Dr. Holt
AP Literature 12:4
10 December 2019
The Formation of Identity through Steven Greenblatt and A.O. Scott
In Better Living Through Criticism by A.O. Scott and Renaissance Self-Fashioning by Steven Greenblatt, both authors describe the process of the formation of identity and how this process changes over time. Additionally, both authors contemplate the influence of societal and cultural factors in the formation of the self, and both writers characterize the individual who is equipt to submit to the force of self-fashioning and be changed. Both authors discuss how taste, perspective, personality, and action play a role in one’s ability to live a purposeful life and how these concepts determine one’s ability to criticize art and literature. Identity determines one’s taste, perspective, personality, and actions and is both crucial to the understanding of the text and application of text in the real world. Therefore, it is axiomatic that the formation of identity is the most important conceptual interception between the two texts.
Both authors – Scott through an individual’s manifestation of taste and capacity to criticize and Greenblatt through an individual’s response to and interaction with language – demonstrate the influence of both external and internal factors in the formation of identity. Both authors concur that “men are born unfinished animals” (Greenblatt, 4), implying that people are born with an inherent set of personality traits and preferences that are changed and fashioned throughout one’s life. As Scott explains, “your taste, however, defined and dogmatic it might be, is never static” (Scott, 45), meaning that the process by which identity is formed is an ongoing process with no definitive beginning or end. As Greenblatt details, “social actions are themselves always embedded in systems of public signification” (Greenblatt, 5), signifying that one’s identity is concurrently shaped by cultural and societal factors as well as unique experiences and internal struggles.
Scott and Greenblatt intersect yet again when they each describe the individual who is equipt to be subject to self-fashioning and change. Greenblatt explains that “none of the figures [inherit] a title, an ancient family tradition or hierarchical status that might have rooted personal identity in the identity of a clan or caste” (Greenblatt, 9) and explains that, in order to be self-fashioned, one must be a middle-class citizen with the time and intellect necessary for introspection. Similarly, Scott writes that “all it takes is the willingness to identify oneself as the person being addressed in the last line of ‘Archaic Torso of Apollo’, or the person for whom Marina Abramovic’s gaze is intended. You have already changed your life, you are not like everybody else.” (Scott, 75) Both writers clearly state that not all individuals are able to develop their identity or be changed, whether it be due to title, class or intellect.
The final similarity in the theme of identity transformation displayed in both A.O. Scott’s Better Living Through Criticism and Steven Greenblatt’s Renaissance Self-Fashioning is the shared purpose of the two authors. Both Scott and Greenblatt intend to shape their readers into individuals who are capable of self-fashioning and change and, as an externality of just opening one of the two books, the reader is already submitting themselves to the self-fashioning process. Scott and Greenblatt implement this change within the reader by using dialectic rhetorical techniques which force the reader to thoughtfully understand and investigate the text.
This self-reflection that A.O. Scott and Steven Greenblatt encourage the reader to perform shapes the reader’s identity through introspection. This is accomplished by making the reader aware of the processes of self fashioning which result in the developement of taste. By subjecting oneself to Scott arguments in Better Living Through Criticism and Greenblatt’s arguments in Renaissance Self Fashioning, one’s identity becomes automatically malleable and subject to change.
Cover Letter
After reading through the rubric provided for the first formal writing page, I enjoyed combing through my previous writing and applying the given corrections while writing this piece. Additionally, I enjoyed reading through my common place book and revisiting my previous thought processes and watching as they developed and changed overtime. Initially I had trouble deciding which connection I should chose, as we have discovered many new similarities between Scott and Greenblatt's writing throughout this semester, but I ended up choosing the formation of identity. At first I was afraid that identity was too obvious of a choice, but then I realized that maybe it was 'obvious' for a reason. As I read through my common place book and looked through the images on the GroupMe I realized that 'identity' and 'taste' were the two words that I saw come up the most – especially in my common place book – so I thought it would be fitting to write my paper on them. Finally, this was the topic that I chose initially, so it was especially interesting to revise it with the new knowledge that I have gained about the text and see how my thinking has developed over time.