Acting out of character: Window on the identity crisis.

An autobiographical account of "acting out of character" at a life turning point is presented as a window on a young person's identity crisis. Analysis of that account reveals (1) that the "play" of the tentative identities reflects the concurrent crisis in the character of that person's society, (2) that the story the person now has to tell sets forth the range of the psychosocial issues active in his life, (3) that the mysteries generated identify for the person the specific issues at crisis, (4) that the novelty of the event itself catalyzes called for changes, and (5) that the metaphor of the "out of character" actions serves to preview the ultimate resolution.