Rihannaboi 95 Essay

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"I had no one to love me, or to make me respected, to enable me to acquire respect. I was an egg dropped on the sand, a pauper by nature." Schönfelder, 9. This quote represents the challenge the protagonist Sunny from "Rihannaboi 95," by Jordan Tannahill, faces from his family on his journey towards self-discovery. Tannahill delves into how individuals struggle to uncover their authentic selves but are restricted due to their families' ideologies and expectations. He also explores the theme of personal identity through the main character, Sunny, whose journey of self-discovery by posting YouTube videos is constrained due to the strain of obligations. With motivation from his teacher, Bailey, Sunny embarks on a path to unveil his true identity despite his family's disapproval, showcasing …show more content…

Tannahill introduces Sunny as profoundly isolated in his family, emphasizing his yearning for individuality. Moreover, how his family behaves towards him exemplifies his challenges in respecting them. For instance, Sunny first introduces his family to his audience, saying, ""Sunny, you're a girl-boy," Don't stand like that, don't talk like that, you embarrass us, "Be a man," be more like King"" (Tannahill, 18) alongside "I'm like a bad smell in the room everyone tries to ignore." (Tannahill, 18) Hence, his family envisions Sunny to be more like his brother King, implying a certain standard and behavior, further highlighting how unrealistic and damaging their expectations place on him. Another example of this standard is when his parents tell him, "Don't be such a baby, you don't hear king whining like this!" Tannahill, 19, complains about their lack of attention to him. Sunny's family attempting to impose traditional expectations and values onto him will end up conflicting with his emerging sense of identity as they do not want to see him as an individual but as a shadow of

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