Who do you identify with?

Which character or characters did you identify with in The Nameless City? Do you think the author wanted you to identify with this character(s)? How was this identification promoted by the text?

Comments

[McKenzie Brown]

I definitely identified with Kai in 'The Nameless City', which I would say was the main goal of the author. He was impartial to all groups and learning each group as an outsider and applied humanizing perspective to each group of people in the text.

[Mack Little]

I think that I most identify with Rat and and I think the author definitely wanted a lot of youth to identify and relate to her. Rat is a rebellious adventurous character who is making her own way in life and not settling for normal or average. With today's youth, we all need to strive to go our own direction in life and not settle for average or normal.

[Matt Herbert]

I related with Kai because he desires to become stronger, more confident, athletic, and be adventurous. Like Kai, I sometimes feel out of place when it comes to being a 'fighter' in the typical sense of the word (fighting as a soldier, being in the military, etc). I am more gentle in nature, yet I desire to become physically stronger so I can have more adventures (back packing, hiking, etc.) I also relate to Kai's loyalty and friendship with Rat. I value loyalty and I have been told I am an encouraging and supportive friend.

[Ming Ng]

I related more to Kai. I related to Kai because he is in a unfamiliar surrounding where he wasnt born in. Yet, he still likes to adventure and explore his new place of home and make friends. This is like my transition from Hawaii to Oregon, where I have learned to adapt and have made new friends. Like Kai it has made me stronger as a person and confident in a new place.

[Yifan Lu]

I identify with Kai in The Nameless City. Because Kai is living in a totally strange city, he is not familiar with everything around him. But he tried to get familiar with the city, and take efforts to be strong and confident. When I first came to the United States, the environment around me was so strange to me. I didn't have a sense of belonging. But during this year, I tried my best to adapt myself to this totally unfamiliar city. And now I become more confident than before.

[Jiayue Wang]

Erzi is the first Dao child born in the nameless city, and he thought he was the son of the city. He has a strong belonging of the city. He thought it's he job to train a new generation of Dao, and help rule of the city. He is the teacher and trainer of Kai, guide the youth have a strong belonging of the city, and protect the city.

[Kaylee Mok]

Some characters that I felt I identified with were Rat and Kai. Rat was very independent and did what she had to do to get by. She grew up and lived in the Nameless city that was overtaken and conquered by another nation. Rat hated the Dao people because they treated the people badly and could not truly keep peace, but the city was her home and she loved her home. I identify with her because I grew up learning a lot about Hawaiian history, and the Hawaiian nation was overthrown/conquered by the US. Rat and the Named were treated poorly and longed for peace just as my people did. Kai is another character that I identify with because he was very open-minded and remained true to himself. Because of his open-mindedness, he was able to become friends with Rat. When all of the Dao were telling him that the commoners in the city aren't worthy and aren't considered people, he found out for himself that they deserved recognition and stood up for them when they were talked down upon. In this day, I feel like it's hard to find people who will be true to their values and standards because it is easier to agree with others and fit in. I find his character to be relatable and identifiable.

[Kamalei P.]

I feel as if I identified with General Andren from the comic book, because he was always off doing his own thing for most of the book and never really made too much time for Kaidu even though he still loved him. He even wanted to make the city better by making it an equal opportunity for everyone to have a say in it. I am like him, because I like doing things on my own and try to always get what I need to get done on a set time and don't always make time for the people who want to spend time with me. But I always believe in fair or equal opportunity for everyone at the same time and try to be openminded with most people. I don't know if Hicks was trying to have most readers identify with the General, only because he was a side character and not really a main character, but I don't think I identified too much with any of the other characters.

[Madison Overholser]

For me, I most related with Rat because I also didn't have my parents there to support me much and I grew up poor/struggling to make ends meet. I do think the author intentionally wanted us to bond and identify with Rat, and the story is set up in a way that does so. Through the text is where we learn of how terribly Rat has been treated, how hungry/poor she is, how she was orphaned, and how closed off she is from other people.

[Jonathon Watt]

I personally identified with Kaidu and how he was outcasted by both his people and the indigenous people that he lived with. I think that Faith Erin Hicks wanted readers to relate to Kaidu because he is such a powerful character in this story. We can see in the text from the beginning that Kaidu is an outcast from the other Dao based on him being the son of the general, and when he enters the city on his own for the first time we can see that the indigenous people do not really like him.

[Yazmin Hernandez]

I feel that I identify with Kaidu because he is an outsider and he doesn’t enjoy doing what is expected of him. Kaidu is a person who goes out for what he enjoys rather than go for what is expected. I feel the same as Kaidu because by being a Latina women of color, people I knew expect me to become a stay at home mom and not do much. That has always been a part of my culture but I am not following what is expected, I am pursuing a degree because I want to work hard and follow what I want. Both Kai and I work and fight for what we want and not let others interfere. I feel that Hicks does this on purpose, she wants us to create a connection with the character so that we can better understand the story. It created an emotional appeal if we create a connection with the story we will enjoy it more

[halie]

I think I identify with both rat more so than anyone just because she really stands up for what she stands for and no matter what she goes through she stay so strong. but at the same time, she has moments that just break her down, but just builds it up until she finally breaks, then just needs time to herself.

[Samantha Sanchez]

I think I mostly identified with Kai; Kai seemed to be determined to achieve his purpose of unifying society in The Nameless City and did not believe in the wall between the group of people that he was associated with and the people in the city. Since Kai was also the main character, the author most likely wanted us to identify with his character.

[Peggy Smith]

I identify with Mura. I have known people like her. She is true to herself and takes her place in an honorable way. In the end she, with the help of others, saves the day.

[Moana Gianotti]

I think that I identify with Rat the most, because she is who she is, and is proud of that. I also think that I identify with her because of her prejudice against the Dao, because I think that I can hold a grudge against certain people because of things that one person did once.

[Ana Bautista]

I identify with Rat. Where she fell helpless in changing the political war because she does not belong in any group. She is happy with who she is regardless of what has happened to her. Yes, I do believe the author wanted you to identify with at least one character. He provided a variety of character with different personalities and stories.

[Jeanette Betancourt]

I think I identify myself with Kaidu, because he's definitely more cautious than Rat is, when he moves to the city he tries to explore but does not want to get into trouble. And becomes friends with new people like he did with Rat. That reminds me of myself because I also like to see new places but not get into trouble and try to be careful. And he seems to be friendly with Rat by giving her food when she's hungry which makes him a kind person.

[Peggy Smith]

After writing the paper I think that I Identify more with Rat more. She was a free spirit. She was bold, and didn't let anything get in her way. If she wanted to find something she would definitely find it one way or another.

[Yahaira]

The character that I identity the most with is Rat. Although she does not have the same power as the people from the palace her and the people of the city have a right and say over what goes on in their city. I connected that with Latinos/immigrants living in the US. I don't think that the author meant to have me specifically identify with Rat or any character, I think that he did it more of a connection with a broad group of people. It helps with engaging the readers to the book.

[Emily Miller]

I think I most identified with Kai in this story. He likes to help others, like when he brings rat food and boots. I like to think of myself who likes to help others. I also like how Kai refuses to refer to native people as scral people. I would never use derogatory terms towards people, and I hate it when people do things like that. I think the author would want readers to identify with, or at least admire this character.

[Moe Tobiyama]

I think I identify myself with Kai. In this story, he wanted to learn how to run fast from Rat, and in the last scene, he was able to jump the river because he believed himself. Also, he always tried to notice something when Rat look like angry, sad, and so on. I always keep in mind to try anything by believing myself, and I often understand what people want to say by their expression.

[Kiah]

I think that like many people I identify with Kaidu. I feel that this was the intention of the author, as Kai is the main protagonist in the book. I identify the most with him because he is somewhat of an outsider when the book begins. Many other characters have an agenda and history with the city but Kai does not. His blank slate-ness makes him easy to connect with, while others may be not as simplistic and have more of a background.

[Maria Regalado]

Like my other classmates i also identify myself with Kai, i think this way because he wanted to learn from others, for example Rat. He wanted to run like her which was his goal and he didn’t give up until he was able to cross the brigde.

[Grecia Diaz]

I have to say that I identify with Kaidu the most because he is sort of an outcast compared to the other day. Throughout high school I was as well and had a hard time fitting in. He is also a very curious person and doesn't give up. And I also relate to him in that way as well.

[Crystal Contreras]

Kaidu is the other character to which I can relate, when I moved here to the United States I felt out of place, I did not have the sense of place. I was an outsider just like Kaidu was one on the Nameless city. Now a day this is like society is very judgmental/racist about the color of people’s skin color and if it does not match to majority group that makes that person an outsider.