who are YOU???
Almost all the stories that I’ve explored in the past (though I concede that it's really not that many stories in the grand scheme of things) have been written using the following pronouns: He, She, We, They, and I. So it was pretty surprising, while also refreshing to see the use of the 2nd person pronoun You in Playing Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain by Jamil Jan Kochai. The consistent use of the 2nd person throughout instantly sets it apart from many past texts, somewhat reflective of how the use of “you” in the story itself sets apart/distances the protagonist from his cultural heritage. The intentional use of a 2nd person POV in Playing Metal Gear doesn't just serve as a narrative choice, it reveals an identity crisis. The story slips between the narrator’s childhood self, his adult gamer self, his Afghan family history, and his literal game avatar. The result? A kaleidoscope of identities that feels almost disorienting to the reader, which is kinda the whole point....
