The member of a traditional clan might express his identity in the formula I am we.

He cannot yet conceive of himself as an individual, existing apart from his groupwhen the feudal system broke down, this sense of identity was shaken and the acute questions Who am I arose. -Erich Fromm- Discuss the outcome of the stories in relation to the quotation above. In Common Story by Kassim Ahmad and Buku Catatan Farid Badrul by Mohd. Tajudin Abd. Rahman, the writers intention is so blatant, that is to reveal that the search of identity is inevitable though the outcomes could be devastating or delightful, and culture may serve as favorable or detestable constraint. In the stories, Yusuf and Farid, the protagonists, attempt to break free from their primary group, actuated by discontentment and self-triggered effort to explore, to seek for what presumably, a better life. However, they are unknowingly bound by their own personal judgement of their primary group, and that proves to be the obstacle for them to achieve their real self-identity though successful at last. Yusuf in Common Story, is raised in traditional Malay society, secured by strong, impenetrable bond of his group. But, when he goes abroad to further his studies, the bond has gotten loose; he begins to see his culture from the eyes of an outsider, reevaluates it and decides that it is not appropriate anymore and develops liking for a new group he finds in Singapore- the urban, modern, sophisticated, educated group, the total contrast of his own. The reformed Yusuf eliminates anything of his culture: his language, customs and life to adapt himself to the new group, to give him something he can be proud of (of being able to distant himself from his roots), thus his being successful as a new member. However, when he experiences rejection of his dream girl, his new-formed identity is shattered, and just then he realizes that he has been living on false hopes, and he does not fully belong to that group. He has nothing to fall back on but his pride, which he has to swallow when he returns to his old group, the one he seems to ignore. This situation is related to the quotation above in the sense that Yusufs frustration over the loss of his new identity signifies the Yusufs failing concept of I am we in which he is left without any identity: of the new group hes been rejected, and the old group hes dismissed. He begins to reevaluate his stand, in which group does he belong to. In the end, he returns to his old group that provides greater support (family, relatives, etc) and again, the concept I am we gives Yusuf emotional security, which he thinks as so too.

The same can be applied to Farid Badrul in Buku Catatan Farid Badrul. Farid thirsts for his parents emotional support (love, attention) and somehow that affects him of his being, his sense of self or even his importance. Consequently, he tries to seek solace for his wounded heart by spending his school holiday at his uncles village. By going there, he gets a lot of attention from his uncles and cousin- something that is lacking in his life, besides having something to occupy his mind. But, during the holiday he stumbles upon a new discovery- he is different from the new group he is with. His identity as a rich modern Malay boy, and raised in city is a contrast to the rural backward traditional Malay society. He faces an identity crisis of whether to bend to the conventions of the new group or stay the way he is. Judging from his action, he does seem to want to maintain the faade of his deprived identity when the new group proves to be more beneficial. He begins to reevaluate his old self, emotionally neglected kid of materialistic and careerminded parents, and decides that he does not like it. Therefore, his question of Who am I is answered when he makes the move to adapt himself to the new group which supports him better. He bends to the new group by conforming to their norms such as wearing songkok, doing prayer and reciting verses- all because he wants to develop similarity, and familiarity which gives him a new identity. He subconsciously tries to create I am we, and not just because he does not want to be different or fears of being negatively evaluated by the members of his new groups. In the end, he thrives on being a new Farid, and there may be no question of whether he will go back to his old self as long as his emotional need is not disrupted.

To conclude, Farid Badrul and Yusuf are two examples that can illustrate the successful search of identity based on the concept of I am we after the failing of the pre-formulated identity. And the stand-out similarity is that both of them crave for emotional support to give them self-fulfillment: Yusuf, needing to heal after devastating experience of finding a new identity and Farid Badrul, wanting attention and affection to give him sense of existence and importance.