3rd+Article

You seem to have started the ideas for your work. I already sense a possible organization developing. 10/10

Author: Mufid James Hannush

Title: Erikson on Development in Adulthood: New Insights from Unpublished Papers. Journal: Journal of Phenomenological Psychology. Volume: 37. Issue: 1. Publication Year: 2006

Pages: 7

1) Mufid summarizes the definition of an ideal adult's identity. Identity is something constant--something that is subject to change. Erikson is the psychologist who created research based on identity, and the journal explored what it is to have, maintain, and create a healthy adult identity. A healthy adult identity is integrated and integral to their community. A healthy identity results from well-learnedness and knowledge. A healthy adult feels both empathy and sympathy for a loved one. Adults must learn to be less individualistic and autonomous for this fosters a disconnection with his/her community if they wish to develop an identity that is healthy--in Erikson's definition. Morals are essential to a well-developed, successful identity; pride must be set aside. Mature adults must learn to bring their childlike sense of wonder and joy back into their life; however, joy and play must be tied to some sense of shame and guilt.

2) Its interesting that joy and play must be tied to a sense of shame, which, according to the article, is tied to early childhood. It is also very strange that Erikson didn't approve of wholly independent adult identities because it may give them room to detach themselves from a community that is not essential for survival. It seems that none of the characters of The Picture of Dorian Gray or The Importance of Being Earnest possess more than one of the traits of a healthy adult--Wilde has created impotent being for his satirical show of Victorian Society.

3) I agree that a person must be a part of some kind of community-although it depends on which-to have a healthy identity. However, I don't agree that we must go as far as to make ourselves dependent to fulfill this need. It would be interesting to compare the identities of the characters of the two novels (with those of The Importance of Being Earnest having healthier identities), and to delve deeper on why the identity of both Dorian Gray and Earnest fail, yet Earnest is given a happy ending. Is it solely because Dorian Gray has killed and sinned? Earnest, too, has--just to a mush lesser extent. Perhaps it is because Earnest has fully accepted the Victorian ideal for behavior while Dorian opts for a life of meaningless pleasure. Perhaps because Dorian creates a dual-identity of sort to become bad while Earnest creates one to do bad things yet maintain a spick and span image-an identity that does not fail. In addition, Algernon creates a second and third identity to serve his own needs and to earn the love of Cecily Cardew; so, maybe the fact that these two men are creating dual identities to win the love of their respective women that they are not subjected to The Picture of Dorian Gray's horrific ending.