Kahoot 1

Alma Kahoot

Professor Najla El Merabi

Engl101

30 September 2023

Deadly Identities

The article “Deadly Identities,” published in 1998, Amin Maalouf outlines the daily

internal struggles and prejudice people with multiple identities face in today’s world when it

comes to choosing a side they most associate with. He says that an identity cannot be

categorized; you can only have one identity that contains unique elements that define an

individual for who they are and make them authentic. The author also points out that whoever

claims more than one identity becomes marginalized through nationalistic fanaticism and

xenophobia. Maalouf stresses the detrimental impacts this has on shaping a person and our

society. He states that if an individual is forced to divide their identities due to religion, ethnicity,

race, or nationalism, it breeds ground for war, violence, and other inhumanities between groups

since people have limited their identity to one facet of their being. I do not necessarily agree that

individuals can only be limited to one identity unless they want to ensue violence in society. That

seems like an extreme ordeal. A single identity will not fit in different contexts if you belong to

more than one social group. For instance, when I travel to Bosnia, I dress differently and behave

more casually than in Pakistan due to the culture and lifestyle. Moreover, some people can live in

their birth country for their whole lives but still feel connected to another country because of

their identity. This is the case with me. I was born in Pakistan and lived there for almost nine

years. Still, I never felt a deep cultural connection compared to when I visited Bosnia for only a

brief time during the holidays. The author is successful in establishing common ground, using

effective tone and word choice throughout the article and demonstrating credibility in his work.
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Firstly, Maalouf establishes common ground in the article by elaborating on specific

points related to conflicting nationalities and providing relevant examples. His elaboration

constitutes relatability and a deeper understanding of the topic for the reader. For instance, when

he states that having multiple identities does not necessarily mean one must have dual

citizenships so they can have a chance to relate to the article, he states, “Multiple opposed

belongings meet in each man and push him to deal with heartbreaking choices.” Opposed

belongings in this case could mean many things, for instance, economic differences, religious

differences and a terrible history. Moreover, he provides sufficient examples of different

scenarios involving diverse culture clashes for instance, between a Serb and Croatian, Hutu and

Tutsi and American with a black father and Jewish mother. In this way, Maalouf opens the floor

for people to relate to his article on other levels besides citizenship.

Secondly, the article exhibits a tone of honesty, calmness, and reasonability, while trying

to make the reader understand the urgency of the topic. The article is informal, but Maalouf

writes in a sophisticated way because his attitude towards the topic is serious. The tone aligns

with the urgency of the issue presented along with the intended audience as the topic is not only

aimed at people with multiple identities. In the beginning, the tone is calm and reasonable as he

explains his life story and common misconceptions he has encountered. Gradually it becomes

harsher and angrier as he explains the detrimental consequences of society as they breed

“slaughterers” by way of making people choose one identity. Regarding word choice, the author

uses harsh words like “traitor,” “renegade” and “slaughterer” to describe the consequential status

of a person choosing a single identity, telling us how strongly opposed he is to it. The article

ends on a particularly thought-provoking note whereby he says, “a single being declared with

rage,” which is very foreboding and gives the reader a sense of how incredibly detrimental the

effects of declaring allegiance to a single identity can be on society.

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Lastly, the author is considered credible in his writing as he himself has dual identities,

living in Lebanon and France for a long time. The examples he gives of conflicting identities are

recent and researched, especially regarding Algerians living in France due to immigration.

Tensions regarding these two groups occur regularly in today’s world and it reiterates Maalouf’s

point. He has written other articles and books about this topic in multiple languages, and some

have been recognized internationally, thus showing his experience as a well-published and

respected author.

To conclude, Maalouf successfully shed light on a topic that is very overlooked. His

expository style of writing is key to making readers understand

- Sum up arguments

- What do you want readers to understand

- Why my argument is important