Am I good person or a bad person? Will others find out my true identity? And if they do, will they accept or reject me? These are questions that many face at some point in their life, and in Chime, Briony's struggle to figure out who she truly is gets complicated by the lies her manipulative stepmother tells and a fear of being killed for being herself. It can be hard enough to reveal one's true self to the world, but even harder if you, like Briony, believe yourself to be wicked and worthy to be hanged.
Questions About Identity
- Does Briony fully believe in the negative identity she has built for herself, or does a part of her still care for and believe in herself?
- How does Briony's negative self-identity affect those around her?
- What could Briony's father have done differently to help Briony develop a more positive identity?
- While Briony struggles with her identity, Rose seems comfortable as herself. What advice might Rose give Briony about loving herself?
Chew on This
By making Briony doubt in her own identity, Stepmother becomes a more powerful and enduring enemy.
Briony's identity issues, though complicated by witchcraft and the death of her stepmother, are not all that different from those of an average teen.