Who are you, really? Sorry, that's a pretty weighty question and it might take you a while to answer. It definitely takes Buzz Lightyear a long time to figure out.
Buzz starts off believing he's an intergalactic space ranger…which sounds pretty impressive. But, he's brought low when he finally realizes he's just a toy. Woody also suffers from his own identity crisis when he loses his place as Andy's favorite.
And if the cast of Toy Story is having this hard of a time figuring out who they are then what chance do complicated humans have?
Questions about Identity
- Why do you think Buzz believes he's a space ranger right out of the box? Wouldn't he have memories of being made in Taiwan?
- How does Woody deal with his changing identity throughout the movie?
- Does being a toy really mean as much as Woody says it does? What do you think a toy's purpose is?
Chew on This
Toys are made to be played with by children and then discarded when those children get too old or bored of them. It's a pretty depressing thought actually.
Buzz is affirmed in his new identity when he realizes he does make a difference in the world—or at least in Andy's world.