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One of the first deep spiritual autobiographies. Augustine writes about his inner struggles, guilt, faith, and transformation, making identity something you analyze from the inside out. -
A philosophical dialogue where different speakers debate what love is and what it means to truly know yourself. Plato uses speeches about love to explore human identity, desire, and how we seek something higher than ourselves. -
Thousands of life-size clay soldiers buried with China’s first emperor. Each face is slightly different, suggesting individual identities inside a massive imperial vision. It shows how rules used art to shape their identity in life and in the afterlife. -
Often called the world’s first novel, this Japanese story follows Prince Genji and the people around him, showing how identity is shaped by status, emotion, and relationships in the imperial court. -
A medieval nun, composer, and visionary. Her music and visions show a woman building a powerful spiritual identity in a male-dominated church, using art and sound to express her inner world. -
An Islamic palace-fortress whose intricate designs and calligraphy reflect the identity of a Muslim kingdom in Spain. The building embodies cultural, religious, and political identity in stone, water, and light. -
A woman writer builds an imaginary “city” populated by great women from history. Christine defends women’s worth and challenges stereotypes, making female identity something to be argued for and protected. -
A late self-portrait where the artist looks straight at us, older and worn. The painting explores identity as an artist and as a human being facing aging, doubt, and self-awareness. -
The life story of a formerly enslaved African man who gains freedom and becomes an abolitionist. He negotiates identity as African, Christian, and British, using his narrative to argue for the humanity of Black people. -
A shocking painting for its time: a woman who doesn’t look modest or shy but meets the viewer’s graze. It challenges traditional ideas of female identity, class, and the male gaze. -
A play about Nora, a wife and mother who realizes her whole life has been controlled by others. Her final decision to leave her family made audiences question identity inside marriage and society. -
Du Bois describes “double consciousness” like a feeling when you have two identifies: Black and American, seen through the eyes of a racist society. He shows how racism shapes identity from the outside and the inside. -
A radical painting that breaks bodies into sharp shapes and warped space. It reflects modern identity as fractured, uncomfortable, and influenced non-European cultures. -
A photograph taken during the Great Depression showing a struggling farm worker and her kids. It captures identity as a mother, a worker, and a symbol of American hardship and resilience. -
A film about a gay Taiwanese man in New York who stages a fake straight wedding to please his parents. It explores identity across cultures, generations, and sexuality.