The shifting identity in Slave: The True Story of a Girl’s Lost Childhood and Her Fight for Survival by Mende Nazer

Abstract

Abstract This paper explores the question of identity in Slave: The True Story of a Girl’s Lost Childhood and her Fight for Survival by Mende Nazer. Identity is studied from two perspectives: identity of the protagonist and identity of the text. The paper focuses on how Mende Nazer reconstructs her identity through recalling and narrating her experiences before, during and after slavery. The paper exposes the multiple layers of identity that emerge from the text where Damien Lewis—a white man, an abolitionist and a journalist who writes down Nazer’s story—influences not just the identity of the protagonist but also the identity of the text. This is due to the fact that the text’s main aim is to campaign against modern-day slavery. Mende Nazer’s place of residence at the time of telling her story also influences how she reconstructs her identity.