Textual Identity Bothering the Semiotic Self: Nina’s Alternating Identities in Black Swan

Abstract

Abstract The semiotic self derives from one’s idea of self. It consists of a trio of relations between one’s past self, present self and future self, in which the present self speaks to the future self by interpreting the past self. During such a reflexive process, the self may be bothered by the conflicting identities rising therein if particular identities force the self to move upward or downward, and fail to reach a coherent, continuous self. In the movie Black Swan, Nina’s inability to render the alternating role between the white swan and the black swan is a case in point. The self, beset with conflicting identities, finds its best expression in Nina’s confusing roles in face of her “ being” and “playing” on the stage. This paper investigates Nina’s textual identities by way of her semiotic self that houses her shifting identities.