Addressing Student Identity within Marginalization Institutions (based on the novels by Joanne Harris)

Abstract

The drama of school has been exploited by many literatures. In particular, the contemporary British writer Joanne Harris embeds the characters of teachers and students in her novels «Gentlemen and Players», «Different Class». In both texts events center around St. Oswald’s Grammar School for Boys. Schools are places where teachers and students interact and where student identity is being formed. In the family circle a person is immediately exposed to parents’ influence. The quality of interaction depends on acts, relationship and emotions which are significant pillars for forming healthy identities. However, the analysis of the texts reveals that not only school but also family contributes to marginalization of students whose identities consequently become deformed. The paper aims to examine the role of institutions in marginalizing student identity and to determine the way marginalization occurs. St. Oswald’s turns out to be toxic environment as well as the families of David Spikely and Julia Snyde, who are students of the mentioned educational establishment. In terms of cancel culture these characters can also be considered cancelled. Marginalization within institutional processes leads to the situation when persons’ psychological motivations are disordered and their emotional stability is questioned. The exploration of the characters shows how traumatic experiences acquired in the family and within the school walls cause the lack of inner coherence which inevitably has abhorrent ramifications.