Identity in the Hairy Ape Yank as a Part of the System...

UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE CATAMARCA FACULTAD DE HUMANIDADES DEPARTAMENTO INGLÉS PROFESORADO EN INGLÉS ASIGNATURA: LITERATURA NORTEAMERICANA Identity in the Hairy Ape: Yank as a part of the System and as a Social Outcast PROFESSOR: Mgter. Marà ­a del Valle Bulla Mgter. Lucà ­a Fernà ¡ndez STUDENT: Mercedes, Gutià ©rrez YEAR: 2012 Yank’s initial space in the world which defines his self is, eventually, shattered by the intruding gaze of Mildred. His search has to do with a displacement, a spiritual emptiness and an isolation that challenge his former lifestyle. As his initial reality disintegrates, Yank tries to reconcile with the ‘image’ setting out in search of an identity which would fit the†¦show more content†¦(Abudullah Al-Dulaimy, 2011: 5) It is well known that Yank relies in his vision of societal structure on the basis of belonging, that is why by the begining, he thinks he has found an equilibrium in life and he is happy with his work. Therefore, he has the reputation of being a hard and very effective worker among his companions and he is pleased and comfortable with his present circumstances. (Aloostany, 2011:1) His feeling of completeness is well described by O’Neill. He depicts him as a ‘part’ as an important piece for the mechanical world he vener ates, he is the brute force that makes the engines of the ship work. (Abudullah Al-Dulaimy, 2011: 6) â€Å"I’m de ting in gold dat makes it money! And I’m what make iron into steel! Steel, dat stands for de whole ting! And I’m steel—steel—steel! I’m de muscles in steel, de punch behind it!†(O’Neill, 1922: 13) Yank feels he is a valuable person for the first time when he enters the company, he feels comfortable and settled there, since during his chilhood he had been foresaken, he felt at home in the ship’s furnace. (Abudullah Al-Dulaimy, 2011: 5) Human traits are lost in the middle of the American Capitalist structure. The community became immersed in luxuries and overlooked the spiritual world around them. People became mere employees, their morality