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Perspectives On Identity In Octaiva Butler's Novels

Perspectives on Identity
Identity.   How exactly can a person define his or her identity?   Is identity the way a person looks?   Does the physical make-up of a person constitute his or her identity?   If so, any person could potentially steal the identity of another by wearing similar clothes, changing variable factors such as eye, hair, and lip colors.   Variation in colors and styles do not constitute a new identity so the notion that identity is only physical cannot be true.   Based on that fact, would an incorrect assumption be that identity is encased in the mind, its thoughts, memories and rationale?   These things are unique to the individual and cannot be entirely stolen by another.   Or can they?   Octavia Butler uses characters with shape shifting abilities and telepathy as devices to force her readers to question identity—what comprises it, is identity the way that others perceive an individual?   Her novels Patternmaster and Wildseed suggest that identity is something all individuals—human or not—have, however subjective and ambiguous that identity may be.
Identity is ambiguous.   Wildseed questions the reader's familiarity with the concept of identity with shape shifters.   Doro is distinguishable in any body by anyone who knows him.   His identity is simply encased in a new body.   Here, it can be noted that identity cannot possibly be physical when Doro's physique has nothing to do with his being recognized, his essence is what is distinguishable.   If this is true and the identity is not the body but the spirit and/or essence then what is one's essence?   Essence will be defined as intrinsic properties that characterize.   However this definition leads only to more questions.   What are intrinsic properties and where do these properties come from?   Memories, thoughts and ideas can be considered intrinsic properties.   If so, then one could possibly assume the identity of another by retaining all that is in the mind of the other.   In Patternmaster, Teray was able...