# What Identity and Alienation means in Saïd the Fisherman

> Saïd's journey to London and back, and his loss of status, highlight his struggle with identity and his alienation from both his native culture and the foreign world.

## Explanation

Saïd's journey to London and back, and his loss of status, highlight his struggle with identity and his alienation from both his native culture and the foreign world.

Saïd hides his true reason for leaving, fabricating a story to maintain his esteem among strangers.

Saïd's attempt to adopt the missionary's clothing reflects his search for a new identity, while his shaven head and old garments mark him as an outsider.

Saïd's assumption of a false identity as a high officer, and his unease among the villagers and at the khan, reflect his alienation from his true self and his surroundings.

Saïd feels lonely and out of place in the vast city, despite being mistaken for a person of importance.

## Links

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