Identity

Throughout The Girl With Seven Names, issues of displacement and belonging contribute to Hyeonseo’s difficulty in establishing a sense of her own identity. Early in her life, she feels she does not belong to her father when she discovers he is not her biological father. This lack of familial belonging in a country which values family and bloodlines confuses Hyeonseo’s sense of identity and makes her feel distant from her father and brother.

Later, Hyeonseo’s issues with identity flourish due to her physical displacement and immigrant status. While living in China as an illegal immigrant, it is impossible for Hyeonseo to ever feel like she belongs. She is forced to construct multiple new identities for herself, not out of a sense of self-development, but out of fear and desperation. Her fabricated identities are not a reflection of who she is, but are a cover for...