October 31, 2016 - 15:49
The environment plays a huge role on identity. As Frankie eats a bag of nuts Geek tells him, “Did you know that the FDA says that peanuts are the most pesticide- saturated food in the American diet?” in which Frankie replies that he does not care. In this case it can be observed how the environment has shaped Geek’s and Frankie’s prospectives differently. Part of Geek’s identity is that he is an activist against all non- natural products in foods and the environment has played a role in that by the increased use of GMOs and other technology that has caused seeds and foods to be grown unnaturally. Geek’s awareness of what is going on in his environment has caused him to become an activist and protest against these issues.
Furthermore, Yumi suggests that “Maybe that’s what happens when you run away from home. You get older, but you never grow up”(240). When living with her parents Yumi felt like she could no longer live in the environment and felt as if her parents could not tolerate her lifestyle. As a result, she left home and never came back for many years. Because she was unable to endure this environment she claims that she will never be able to be an adult and act mature. This is evident through her behaviors of not putting her children and parents as her priority and asking others to take care of them. Therefore, her identity of being immature is associated with not being to live in the environment she was raised in.
Cass’s environment of being near children has also caused her to almost drive off with Poo, Yumi’s child. Cass who is a good, loyal friend to Yumi never says no to any favors Yumi asks her to do. But as she spend more time with Poo she longs for a child even more which causes her to almost run off with poo. This environment has made her that desperate for a child that she would risk so much to run off with a child. She even thinks, “At least she had tried. Even if it was a stupid idea and nothing had come of it, she felt proud of herself for that”(216). This criminal act seems very unexpected for someone like Cass to do. Her environment of being around the children has caused her to become a different person.