(Re) Examination of Psychological Identities in Selected Kenyan Youth Fiction

Abstract

This paper examines the fragmented psychological identities among the youth in Kenyan youth fiction. It intends to find out whether psychological developmental stages play an important role in identity formation of an adolescent as portrayed in the selected texts. Identity means the way human being answers to the query that how are they. This question may be asked overtly or covertly. This question also may be asked at personal or at a collective level. Even this question is very applicable to be asked to oneself also. Obviously, it can be asked to others. Different schools of thoughts are present in the identity literature. It generally emphasized either personal or social contents. It also highlights psychological or social processes. This paper highlights that identities are inexorably both psychological and social. This paper also focuses on the process how they are formed, maintained, and changed over time.  However, in this paper, I also intend to examine the extensive and interconnected nature of social identity and psychological identity content, and then consider the confluence of psychosexual developmental stages, relational and individual process by which psychological identities are formed, maintained, and change overtime. In order to discuss these issues effectively, the study deems it fit to begin by conceptualizing the notion of psychological identity in order to lay foundation for the debate.