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Analysis Of Alice Munro's 'The Shining Houses'

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“Identity cannot be found or fabricated, but emerges from within when one has the courage to let go”- by Doug Cooper. Circumstances, experiences and society are factors in an individual’s life which contribute to the formation of their identity. Identity is not found, instead, it’s made by conflicts, hurdles, societal pressures and obstacles in one’s life which come together in harmony to create one’s identity in its purest form. How individuals act and respond to challenging circumstances determines their values, goals and beliefs, thus, forms them as a whole. In the text name “The Shining Houses” by Alice Munro, a character named Mary experiences stresses in her life which attribute to not only her individuality but to her development as a character as the story progresses. Mary begins to express herself as inquisitive, as she faced self-conflict she became benevolent and at the end, she was selfless. Thereby, an individual’s identity is always evolving and adapting with conjunction to their environment around them. Facets such as society, their experiences and their connections with others aid individuals to understand who they are, to define their singularity in the world and therefore, an individual’s identity is significant to allow them to confront challenges. The short story named “The Shining Houses” by Alice Munro is based on societal pressures inflicted on an individual and the quest to find one’s identity through self conflict and hardships. Mary, a dynamic

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