Identity versus Identity Crisis: An Analysis of Erikson’s Epigenetic Principle in Isabel Allende’s Daughter of Fortune

Identity and identity crisis are crucial aspects of a person’s mental and physical well-being. Identity is what sets an individual apart from others in society. An identity crisis can cause a person to experience confusion and uncertainty at various stages of their life. Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development is based on the ‘Epigenetic principle,’ which suggests that our environment and culture influence how we progress through the planned stages of personality development. Erikson’s eight stages describe how people develop emotionally and socially throughout their lifespan. In Isabel Allende’s novel, Daughter of Fortune, the protagonist Eliza Sommers undergoes an identity crisis. The paper focuses on this concept of identity and identity crisis and the mystery and troubled identity surrounding Eliza Sommers.