How Does David Neel's Identity Change Throughout The Novel

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Recommended: Analysis of My Journey to Lhasa

My Journey to Lhasa by Alexandra David-Neel is a travel narrative that revolves around David-Neel’s treacherous journey to the city of Lhasa, Tibet at a time when it was closed off to all foreigners. David-Neel herself was a Frenchwoman by birth, however throughout the narrative it becomes apparent that her French identity isn’t the most accurate representation of David-Neel as a person. At the age of six, David-Neel began her fascination with comparative religions, an effect of her parents being of different religions. As she grew up, that fascination concentrated itself to Buddhism. As her knowledge about Buddhism grew, her desire to “go beyond the garden gate, to follow the road that passed it by, and set out for the Unknown” grew as well …show more content…

David Neel’s multi-faceted identity shifts throughout the novel, never truly aligning with one nationality. Instead, her identity revolves around an undying fascination of Tibet, and an inability to rid herself of her underlying Frenchness. Ultimately, David-Neel’s identity is only concrete on the basis that it changes based on its effectiveness in allowing her to reach her goals.
David-Neel’s identity, first and foremost, aligns with her original French self. The factors that impact that change in her identity are essential to understanding her true identity. When she began the journey to Lhasa, it was important for David-Neel to blend in with the people around her. Using her vast knowledge of the Tibetan people and customs, she chose to disguise herself and her adopted son, Yongden, as arjopas. An arjopa is a type of Tibetan pilgrim, who is usually poor and of a religious order. David-Neel’s use of this disguise for her own personal needs is a great indicator of her identity throughout the beginning of the journey. This is one of the first examples in the travel narrative where David-Neel appropriates the Tibetan people, especially the arjopas, by claiming their look as something to help her own

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