Ibi Zoboi’s remix of Pride and Prejudice explores different philosophical and moral questions. Embracing the worldwide novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Ibi Zoboi’s remix addresses the essential issues of race stereotypes and gentrification’s influence on identity formation. The novel’s characters move from unfounded prejudices to the understanding that race does not imply the material level and type of personality. The surrounding atmosphere and cultural specificities influence the characters’ personalities throughout the story and change their attitude towards the particular minorities and races. The essential concept that Zoboi addresses in her story is identity formation. The author of the book explores identity through family and cultural perspectives.
The novel depicts several families who have different wealth and personal relationships. Zuri, coming from a low-income family, hates rich people since they mostly proclaim gentrification as a positive change. The family, especially Zuri’s sister Janae, tries to persuade the girl that the prejudices against black people should be eliminated. (Zoboi, 2019). Being a member of a low-income family, Zuri’s personality is affected by living in such conditions. She treats all wealthy people as evil due to the inequity of opportunities people are born with. In expressing the negative attitudes towards Darius at the story’s beginning, she implies that her identity is based on racial and material presuppositions caused by living and family conditions.
Thanks to Madrina’s guidance and family members’ support, Zuri realizes that differences make people unique. Madrina’s Bushwick can be considered as a prototype of a supportive family. During the decisive periods of her life, Zuri seeks Madrina’s support (Zoboi, 2019). Her identity changes positively due to the understanding that people should not be treated only by their status and race. For example, she realizes that Warren, coming from the same strata, has malicious intentions only thanks to Darius, who she hated most (Zoboi, 2019). This fact influences her identity and diminishes the role of the stereotype about race and wealth in her personality. Therefore, the author believes that the conditions in which a person was raised and the family support determine the identity-formation direction.
The cultural aspect and the surrounding political and economic conditions also can influence identity formation. Zuri’s character is strong, and she is faithful to her origins and culture. She believes that Darius is arrogant only because he comes from a prosperous family. She keeps in mind all the negative prejudices about wealth and race due to cultural peculiarities. First of all, Zuri is scared of the gentrification process, which can abolish her and her family’s everyday lives. Zuri respects the cultural peculiarities of the minority she belongs to. As a result, she considers all the outsiders and intruders, especially rich ones, potentially dangerous for her friends and family. The pride of being a member of a particular society and the desire to protect what she loves makes her personality strong. As a result, the author of the book claims that identity formation depends on cultural background.
Therefore, the remix of the well-known novel Pride and Prejudice in the Ibi Zoboi representation addresses the essential question of identity-formation. The story’s main character realizes that identity is a complicated phenomenon and that it cannot be conditioned by particular factors such as race or status. Factors that influence this multifaceted process are culture and family. Through these social determinants, people learn what personal pride means and respect other people’s pride.
Reference
Zoboi, I. (2019). Pride: A pride & prejudice remix. Balzer & Bray/Harperteen.