From The Situation And The Story By Jean Gornick Analysis

On further examination, signs of confusion caused by silence and lies in both essays illustrate an identity struggle. Especially, through questioning and presenting their thought process essayists prove their humanity, because they show their desire to understand the core of their writing. For instance, Vivian Gornick explains the vulnerability of essayists in “From The Situation and the Story” and stresses the importance of “a persona” in an essay (168). To achieve this distinct voice essayists are confronted with the challenge to be as honest as they can be. Therefore, the phenomenon of the personal essays is that the process of personal exploration may be heard by the readers. Numerous scholars have debated on the differences between an essay and a memoir. For

When Valentine’s mother divulges the secret of her biological father quite frankly without adding any further information about him. In addition, she confesses her indecision about what to find more horrifying: her ignorance, her mother’s dishonesty throughout the years or that she was conceived in a rape (1). Repeatedly Valentine’s thoughts circulate around the fact of her new identity: “My real father is a black man; therefore, I am black” (2). Apart from rationalizing her racial heritage, she seems to be relieved, since she compares her knowledge of being black with “coming out” (4). This may be interpreted as Valentine’s desire to be a black woman rather than a “dark-skinned Italian”, she used to be mistaken for. Contemplating on the idea of a distinct behavior she should probably adapt, after knowing that she is African-American, “Are there certain black ways to do these things that I don’t know about” (Valentine 4) [?]. Upon meeting another African-American woman, her desire to identify with her newfound ethnicity seems to