Memories That Make Us Who We Are: Comparing 'The Stepford Wives' and 'Get Out' Allison Cofta College

In today’s society, where people now desire to be unique and different from others, the concept of personal identity has become very important. One acquires their personal identity through the experiences they have and how they learn and respond to them. The novel, “The Stepford Wives” by Ira Levin and the movie, “Get Out”, by Jordan Peele, address the problems that arise when someone is stripped of their memories, and are left without a personal identity, or acquire a new one. Both Joanna Eberhart, from the “Stepford Wives”, and Chris Washington, from “Get Out”, face antagonists who do not regard their victim’s lives as equal in value to their own, whether it be because of the stereotype of women’s place being in the home, or racism towards black people. Both pieces of work utilize an investigative lead character to illuminate how despite one’s perverted fantasies of recreating themselves and others to create the “ideal being”, they fail to preserve the essence of what made their victim human: their memories.

When recreating their wives to fit their idea of the perfect housewife, the husbands of the Stepford wives favor a pretty face and an obedient attitude, over making their wives have their own personalities. As Joanna is...