THEME AND SYMBOLISM THESAURUS

IDENTITY



Never struggle with Show-and-Tell again. Activate your free trial or subscribe to view the Theme And Symbolism Thesaurus in its entirety, or visit the Table of Contents to explore unlocked entries.

CHOOSE MY PLAN

HELPFUL TIP:

Your story's theme is its central message to readers and can be reinforced with specific symbols and motifs pulled right from the setting. Additionally, symbols woven into a scene can underscore your character's emotions, establish mood, and even generate conflict. Explore your story theme thoughtfully and use associated symbols to do more with less.
THEMATIC STATEMENTS THAT MAY APPLY TO YOUR STORY:
We are the sum of our experiences.
Our identities are immutable, given to us at birth.
Some things about our identities can be changed and some can't.
We can become whoever we want to be.
Our differences don't need to divide us.
We can't be truly happy until we embrace who we really are.
We shouldn't have to change ourselves to be accepted by others.

LIES (ANTI-THEMATIC STATEMENTS) YOUR CHARACTER MIGHT BELIEVE:
This is who I am—I can't change.
I can't escape my genetics.
My failures/traumas/areas of struggle define me.
How can anyone know me when I don't know myself?
I am defined by what I think, believe, feel, or value.
My circumstances at birth will always define me.
I am how others perceive me to be.
If people know the real me, they won't accept me.
People who are different from me are suspect.
I am what I do.
I can be different things to different people.

CHARACTER TRAITS TO SUPPORT OR CHALLENGE THE THEME:
ANTISOCIAL, CHILDISH, DISHONEST, EVASIVE, FLAKY, HYPOCRITICAL, INSECURE, JUDGMENTAL, MACHO, PREJUDICED, PRETENTIOUS, SELF-DESTRUCTIVE, UNETHICAL, CONFIDENT, COURAGEOUS, EMPATHETIC, HONEST, INTROVERTED, MATURE, NURTURING, PRIVATE, SOCIALLY AWARE, SPIRITUAL, TRADITIONAL, WISE

WOUNDS THAT MAY SHAPE A CHARACTER'S PERSPECTIVE:
...

CREATIVE WORKS THAT EXPLORE THIS THEME:
...

NATURAL SYMBOLS FOR THIS THEME:
...

HUMAN & SOCIETAL SYMBOLS FOR THIS THEME:
...

...