Who Are You When You Lose Your Job? And Other Questions You Can Answer by Making Art
The article explores the emotional aftermath of losing a job and the identity crisis that can ensue. It reflects on the author's personal journey of grappling with self-worth and the impact of work on identity. Through the lens of art and writing, the author seeks to reclaim a sense of self beyond professional titles.
- ▪The author experienced a profound sense of loss and questioning after being laid off from their job.
- ▪They reflect on the struggle to maintain a sense of identity when professional routines are disrupted.
- ▪The piece emphasizes the importance of art and personal expression as a means of navigating the complexities of unemployment.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
After I was laid off, I found myself haunted by the line “Had a dream I was Bartleby.” It had come to me very much like a dream, not thought so much as arrived. I wrote it down on the first piece of paper within reach, a pink Post-it, in the quick scribbles I am known to leave around the house.Article continues after advertisement For days, the line wouldn’t let me go. It followed me into the kitchen. Out into the yard. Down the street and across town on whatever minor errand I was running. It was there in the produce aisle, stuck between the impulse to buy mangoes and the need to remember we were out of apples. It was there at the gas pump, in the numb nothing of watching the numbers tick upward. The pink Post-it was still on my desk in the basement but the line had gotten loose.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Literary Hub.
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