Identity in Second Person Singular

I appreciated Second Person Singular, because the chapters were short and the narrators uniquely alternate. As Second Person Singular follows two arab men, it provides an illustration of life as an Arab in Israel and more specifically follows struggles for justification and identity. Identity in particular, is a theme that surfaces throughout the novel, as there are two separate tracks being followed: that of a lawyer (in third person), that of a poor Arab from the occupied territories who moves to Jerusalem to study and become a social worker (in first person). I especially liked that two plots were unfolding simultaneously and then the lawyer's research is able to bring their two lives together, all because the lawyer decides to hunt down the previous owner of a second-hand copy of Tolstoy's The Kreutzer Sonata- in which the lawyer presumes betrayal from an apparent love letter found inside. I was able to appreciate the unique way in which their paths crossed.  

Identity is so crucial to the book, because of the lawyers' confrontation with Amir in regards to his assumed identity. In addition, Amir’s use of Yonathan’s Jewish identity in order to get into the Bezalel Art School, further reflects how identity plays in role in the development of the characters and in the plots’ development. As the book concerns questions of fitting in, assimilation, and appearance, it is powerfully moving. One particular quote that really stuck out to me reads as follows:

“the lawyer knew, as did everyone present, that they all merely gave the impression

of being educated. They had all come a long way, each in their own field, but in their

hearts they knew that they were lacking in comparison to their Jewish colleagues.

There was no changing the fact that they were all members of the first generation of

educated Arabs in Israel.”

This quote reveals the lawyers awareness of his lack of familiarity with general culture and also serves as a testament to varying tactics of assimilation  

We can observe an identity struggle similarly in the lawyer, who seeks to keep his image as a sophisticated Israeli Arab, by visiting the local bookstore every Thursday. There is almost a sense of entitlement, a reputation that is taken on and results in continual attempts to prove oneself to society. The book ultimately reflects coexistence in the midst of casual racism and mistrust and also reveals themes of cultural envy, material aspiration, and the power of bonds.