Abstract

Identity is an ambiguous concept, yet it is central to virtually every sphere of human interaction. "Who" one is, claims to be, or is designated as delineating a horizon of possibility. The question "who?" is a riddle. On the one hand, the answer is defined by where one fits into the world. On the other hand, there is an almost inalienable presence of one's self/soul to oneself that seems to resist classification with respect to world structures. The point of intersection between the world and the soul is a ground of ambiguity upon which the story of a life is told, performed, observed, produced and sold. This work riddles with Ricoeur, Merleau-Ponty, and Hannah Arendt in order to articulate and delineate identity in such a way as to be faithful to both worldly conditions and the fears and aspirations of the soul. Insofar as one's identity is knowable, it is knowable as a narrative. Ricoeur's contribution to narrative identity is his assertion that human existence is fundamentally temporal. Consequently, the circle of action and narrative is central to the question of identity. Novel narrative forms are emerging from technological advances. For example, computer games have developed into a multi-billion dollar endeavor. Just as fiction and history imitate action and in turn inspire action, so too do digital narratives. This thesis explores the ways in which identity is articulated and ascribed by emerging digital narrative forms.