Dragon Pearl

Identity plays a role for both individuals and groups throughout Dragon Pearl. Whether as a struggle or a way of understanding the world, identities shift and allow the characters to become more than they once were. As the story unfolds, the author uses the shifting identities and relationships of the characters to analyze the impact of identity on human decisions and self-esteem.

Though identity is a personal journey, it is heavily influenced by one’s companions. From the moment Min assumes Jang’s persona on the Pale Lightning, she begins to change, both physically and emotionally. Up until then, Min has one specific idea of who she is—a girl from a poor planet who wants more out of life. However, when she takes on Jang’s identity, Min’s idea of herself begins to blur as she tries to keep the two versions of herself straight. In Chapter 19 when Sujin announces Min as Cadet Jang to a superior officer, Min inwardly wonders whether all this indoctrination will have her saluting her own family members when she gets home, adding that “whether I’d recognize my own name at all was an open question at that point” (153). As the book progresses and Min learns more about her brother and Jang’s death, she realizes that her personal sense of identity is an amalgam of everyone she has pretended to be. However, the lessons she has learned and the growth she has experienced through impersonating others do not make her those people. Instead, they transform her into a strong and understanding girl who recognizes the importance of saving the Fourth Colony, rescuing Jun’s ghost, and laying Jang to rest. The experiences that Min has while assuming other people’s identities help her to realize who she truly is, illustrating the important role of others in helping one to develop a stronger sense of self.

Ultimately, Dragon Pearl implies that identity is a choice, as shown by the dynamics between the different species in the story. Widely held opinions can affect a group’s collective identity and offer a way for groups to accept or reject perception that society has of them. From the beginning of the book, Min is frustrated about hiding her fox nature and dislikes the necessity, resenting the fact that all other species view foxes in a negative light. Foxes are judged based on tales of how others of their species tricked and harmed people in the past, and over time, that identity has become synonymous with all foxes, even though foxes, like other species, are all individual people who act in their own unique ways. Min’s cousins and aunties barely use their Charm and don’t go around tricking or hurting people. By contrast, Nari has made a living out of compelling people to part with their money. Also, the fact that Min’s mother renounced this unscrupulous lifestyle implies that it is possible to reject one’s assigned identity and choose a new path. Altogether, the various ways that foxes confirm and deny the stereotypes applied to them show how people can choose to redefine who they are, rather than conforming to fit society’s preconceived notions.

While foxes are judged for their identity, they are also proud of their heritage, a theme that is seen in other groups throughout the novel. Though Min’s mom has frowned on using Charm for fear of the social stigma involved, Min has also been raised on stories of her ancestors and culture, showing that her family has a level of pride in who they are. Similarly, tigers, goblins, dragons, and other supernatural species come to the story with a sense of group identity based on the stories of their people. Sujin uses their magic in accordance with their trickster nature, and Haneul is proud of her nature magic, even if she sometimes tries to suppress it, especially around humans. Min’s initial reaction to Captain Hwan is one of fear because tigers are known for being fierce and dangerous, and while this turns out to be true, Min does the same thing to the captain that others do to foxes; she judges him based on what she knows about tigers as a group, rather than on what she knows about the captain himself. As a proud tiger, the captain doesn’t let the judgments of others affect him, and he uses his commanding nature to his advantage to achieve his goals and intimidate those who would get in his way. Thus, many of the novel’s characters find their true selves by the end of the book.

When applied to individuals, identity shows us who they are and who they will become. When applied to a group, identity can be a way of understanding others, but if identity is arbitrarily assigned by an outside force that does not bother to understand what makes a group who they are, this incorrectly applied identity can quickly devolve into a conglomeration of judgments or stereotypes. Whether for a person or group, identity is a personal journey, and personal identity requires recognizing one’s strongest internal qualities, as well as embodying the best of what others see.