Defining a person is not as simple as looking through a dictionary. Deduction, reflection, and a thoughtful mind are all necessary to illustrate the real person. The formation of a person's identity is based entirely on events that happen to them. Many literary sources prove that the major aspect in the formation of a person's identity lies in memories. In literature, they include the fundamentals of memory in their morality. The importance of memories is demonstrated significantly in The Outsiders when Johnny acts differently due to his abusive childhood; in the Letter from SE Hinton, when she recounts how her wish to become a writer became her future and her true identity; and Julian Baggini's talk, where he said directly that memories shape who "you" are. Johnny's abusive past and SE's desire for a life away from social struggles all shaped who they later became. The uniqueness of a person's personality is determined primarily by their memories. One of many sources, The Outsiders, by SE Hinton, shows that memories are important in defining a person. Two of the most notable characters in the book are Johnny and Ponyboy. Ponyboy remembers Johnny's background information that shaped who he considered a friend. Ponyboy once said, "I remembered Johnny, his face all cut and bruised, and I remembered how he had cried when we found him, semi-conscious in the corner." Johnny had a very difficult time at home – it took a lot to make him cry” (Hinton 4). Ponyboy's caring companionship with Johnny is entirely defined by his past. Johnny's pitiful stature makes Ponyboy a more proactive person. Her new protective attitude towards Johnny represents both of their new identities. The fact is that at home, Johnny's "...father always beat him, and his mother ignored him... middle of paper ... be the same person regardless of the circumstances of the memory transplant." This quote illustrates the importance of each factor in shaping a person. He points out that a loss of memories can have drastic consequences on a person, such that a heart transplant could never match. Memories are clearly defined as the most influential factor in a person's identity. Multiple sources have proven that memories are important in establishing a person's identity. In The Outsiders, Johnny's violent and difficult past has affected the way people view him and the way he views himself. SE Hinton wrote about his memory of his dream of becoming a writer, his true identity. Finally, in Julian Baggini's lecture, he introduces the idea that multiple factors shape a person. Appearance can paint what a person looks like on the outside, but memories help incorporate emotion and movement into a painting of the self..