The Rolling Stones where correct when they played “You can’t always get what you want.” It is true how ever if you work hard enough any thing is possible. Usually you need to chase dreams build plans and never release hope. In Pygmalion this is a hidden theme, but just as true as ever. Identities of ones true self and of the characters is another major theme in the story.
Dreams are said to be a portal to your subconscious. With out dreams, plans, and hope humanity would be an empty husk. Dreams are one of the driving points of the creatures calling them selves humans. Dreams are important, with out them Eliza would have never striven to become what she had hoped to become. Plans are ideas put together to make something happen. With out plans Eliza would not have become the main character of the story she would have faded into the back ground and been forever forgotten. Thankfully she did have a plan. A plan to use her money that she earned to buy speech lesson so she could strive to become more productive. Hope is the most important of the three, because without it every one would have given up already. Eliza shows us that she had hope even after she thought about killing her self. She had thought there was not any thing else that she was qualified for, yet she found hope and lived her life to the fullest extent.
In Pygmalion, Shaw forces us to reflect what “I” means. Some characters wants to change who they are, while others want to stay the same. Some of the characters develops identities that change and grow. For instance how Mr. Dolittle changes visionally but stays the same internally. Shaw wanted us to ask what “I” really means about our self. He wanted us to see if we can actually change like Mr. Dolittle on the outside but same on the inside or more like Mrs. Higgins who changed on the inside over the years but same on the outside. Every day, every where, and every place people have identities. Peoples identities are always progressing into something new. Most people change to adapt to a better life. I changed from an lonely child with an speech impediment, who no one wanted to be friends with. I worked hard developed an identity, and fixed my speech impediment. I went from a loser with no friends to a pretty sociable person in high school. I created my identity by striving to try different thing so I would have more knowledge of stuff to talk about. I then would have an wider range of experiences to meet new people with similar interests.
In conclusion the themes of Pygmalion are just different intakes of peoples interpretation of the book. For instance my interpretation of the theme of identities, or my intake on the theme of dreams, plans, and hopes are my own. Some one else might see the theme of the transformation. Who knows, life just like music has infinite interpretations.
A relevantly good song is “Identity Crisis” by Thrice
