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Nov 5, 2023 · Examples of Alter Egos. Musicians; Social Media Personalities; Comic Book Characters; Authors; Literary Characters; Presidential Alter Egos; Superheroes and Secret Identities. Batman aka Bruce Wayne; Spider-Man aka Peter Parker; Iron Man aka Tony Stark; Wonder Woman aka Diana Prince; Captain Marvel aka Carol Danvers; The Hulk aka Bruce Banner ...
- I. What Is An Alter Ego?
- III. Types of Alter Egos
- IV. Importance of Alter Egos
- V. Examples of Alter Ego in Literature
- VI. Examples of Alter Ego in Popular Culture
- VII. Related Terms
- VIII. Conclusion
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An alter ego (pronounced awl-ter ee-goh) is a secondary self. The fascination behind an alter ego is in its secrecy—it’s almost always a second identity or life that is being hidden from a person or character’s friends, family, and others around them. Of Latin origin and stemming from the Greek állos egṓ,the term is believed to have been coined by ...
The alter ego is just one literary device, but can be brought to life in a couple of different ways.
Alter egos let authors explore other sides of themselves, or other sides of their characters. They also exist to make certain storylines more plausible—for instance, it would be difficult for superheroes to exist as normal members of society. They need alter egos to protect their identities and truly be able to help people—thus, in the cases of sup...
Example 1
Perhaps the most well-known alter ego in literature belongs to Dr. Jekyll, a man who comes to hold the second personality of Mr. Hyde. Robert Louis Stevenson’s famous novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde explores the darker side of the human psyche, in which one person can simultaneously be both good and evil. Through scientific experiments, Dr. Jekyll accidentally unearths the evil side of himself, Mr. Hyde: Here, Dr. Jekyll explains that the evil side of him was eager to seize...
Example 2
In Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club, the narrator and main character has the alter ego without initially being aware of it. The narrator, a simple man with a boring life, develops the alter ego Tyler Durden, an extremist and activist who leads people to do all kinds of things that the narrator himself would never be brave enough to do on his own. Throughout the novel, the narrator often asks, This quote is telling for the audience and for the narrator himself—in reality, his own question is answe...
Example 1
Comic book superheroes are iconic manifestations of the alter ego. Often a superhero is a normal person with a secret identity, living a second life as a crime-fighting, humanity-saving hero. This usually happens because the character has somehow acquired supernatural powers, or certain technologies that allow them to perform in a superhuman way. For example, in Batman vs. Superman, Clark Kent (Superman) and Bruce Wayne (Batman) meet as themselves, but each knows the other’s secret. Each of t...
Example 2
Another modern rendition of the super hero alter ego is the film Kick-Ass, a story about regular people living alternate lives as crime-fighters, despite having no supernatural or extraordinary powers. It centers around the character Dave, a teenager who decides to take crime into his own hands by creating a superhero alter ego for himself. In a scene, Dave’s girlfriend asks why he is dressed like newly famous hero “Kick-Ass,” to which he replies “I am Kick-Ass.” Until now, Dave has been hidi...
Example 3
In the TV series Dexter, the main character Dexter has an interesting alter ego—in truth, he is a serial killer, but he covers it up with an alter ego, which some people believe to be his true self. His real identity is the one he embodies in secret, while carrying out his murders, but his alter ego is what he embodies in his daily life—that of a seemingly normal forensic specialist. In this character spotlight, Dexter explains his own double identity: This monologue captures Dexter’s underst...
Split Personality
A split personality, formerly known as Dissociative Identity Disorder, is a psychological condition in which a person develops multiple distinct personalities. Often in literature and film, the terms alter ego and split personality are closely associated or thought of in the same way.
Pen Name
A pen name is when an author simply changes their name to hide their identity. Unlike an alter ego, it is not usually a representation of a personality. For instance, Mark Twain’s real name was Samuel Clemens.
Alias
An alias or pseudonym is a name that someone uses for a specific purpose. Those purposes can vary—for example it can be to conceal an identity or used for an official title or position (like for a king or a pope). The term can also be applied to a huge range of things, from user names, to changed legal names, to official titles, to nicknames, and so on.
In conclusion, an alter ego can be an alluring and story-defining trait in works of literature. From the superheroes you know and love to authors who have represented themselves in their own work, the alter ego has been and will continue to be a popular trait across many types of fiction.
Learn what an alter ego is and how it can be used in literature, fiction, and psychology. See examples of alter egos in characters, authors, and popular culture.
Mar 30, 2023 · Learn what an alter ego is, how it differs from your usual self, and what types of alter egos exist. See examples of famous alter egos from movies, music, and literature.
Mar 4, 2024 · Seek inspiration from famous alter egos. Hundreds of figures throughout history have adopted alter egos. If you're lacking for inspiration, look to history books for plenty of examples of how to immerse yourself in your new identity.
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Examples #1: “I mostly do not speak much in the class as John acts as my alter ego.” Examples #2: “I don’t understand Sophia. One minute she is smiling and the next she is stares blankly. Maybe she has an alter ego and likes to stay alone.” Examples #3: “Everyone knows that Clark Kent’s alter ego was Superman. Clark was shy and ...
Feb 18, 2024 · Famous Alter Ego Examples: Batman and Bruce Wayne. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Hannah Montana and Miley Stewart. Alter egos are more than just fictional constructs; they are psychological phenomena that have intrigued us for generations.
In popular culture and fiction. See also. References. Alter ego. An alter ego ( Latin for "other I") means an alternate self, which is believed to be distinct from a person's normal or true original personality. Finding one's alter ego will require finding one's other self, one with a different personality.
