Identity In Paul Kalanithi's When Breath Becomes Air

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Recommended: Identity as a theme in literature

Throughout the book “When Breath Becomes Air” by Paul Kalanithi, there is a reoccurring theme of identity. This theme appears in several parts of the book, one place being where Paul completely loses hope over his cancer spreading. “Lying next to Lucy in the hospital bed, both of us crying, the CT scan images still glowing on the computer screen, that identity as a physician-my identity- no longer mattered” (Kalanithi 2016:117). This was Paul’s “I can’t go on.” moment. He realized here, that his entire life’s work and his identity were gone. As humans, it is vital to find our own identity and to live through it. Our identity is what gets us from day to day, giving ourselves purpose to live. By not being able to work and continue through his

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