One dictionary definition of individuality is 'the interests of the individual as distinguished from the interests of the community'(Macquarie Dictionary). Often those who rebel are seen as being individuals. They question things which are accepted by most of their society and if they believe something is wrong, they express their disapproval and act on their beliefs. People who rebel often have very strong personalities and very definite views on right and wrong. For example, Princess Diana who is probably the most famous individual of the last century. She will be remembered as an individual who rebeled against the royal family and royal protocol. She had a strong personality and suffered greatly so that she could maintain her individuality.

The fantasy novel, 'The Windsinger', by William Nicholson tells the story of two children who rebel against the strict culture of their city. These children have never known any other kind of life, but unlike everyone else living in the city Aramanth, they believe that something is very wrong with a walled city where all aspects of life are governed by exams. In this city, Aramanth, everyone constantly competes, because everything is examined and people are constantly being ranked. Families are given rankings and everyone must dress in the colour of their ranking. They are even assigned districts to live in depending on their rank, so that families with high examination results live in large houses in the scarlet district, while those with poor results must live in small apartments in the grey district. Every person is forced to compete and everyone's position in society is known to all. As a result, nobody in the city is friendly, yet Kestrel and Bowman and their parents are regarded as undesirable individuals. School children are examined and their rankings placed on the classroom board, then they are made to sit in order of their ranking. Kestrel and Bowman believe this is wrong, and even though they are ranked high in their class, they choose to sit at the back with the less intelligent. Their actions are perceived as being highly unusual and wrong, and they are thought of as being different, because in this society, nothing is more important than a high ranking.

Their commitment to the belief that something is very wrong leads them on a journey, and in the end they are able to free the city from evil. They suffer greatly on the journey, but they are determined to live in a free society. Due to their courage and commitment to the cause, they are able to find the voice of the Wind Singer and place it in the wooden tower in the centre of the city, which sets the people free.

In 'The Wind Singer' the main characters are regarded by their society as individuals because they rebel. Everyone else accepts the stringent rules which dominate all aspects of life in Aramanth without question. Why are Kestrel and Bowman different? The most obvious reason is that they have been raised in a household which questions the way people are forced to live. Their parents are open in criticising the structure of society in Aramanth. The children may have the courage to be different and try to change things because of the influence of their parents. However, these characters were inherently brave and strong personalities. This can be seen in the way they were able to defy evil on their journey to save Aramanth. For example, when the Zars tried possess Bowman by touching him, he was able to fight off the spell purely by using his strong will.

Individuals can therefore be people who have the courage to rebel, in other words, they behave differently to the rest of society due to their strong commitment to their beliefs, as a result, they stand out from the crowd. It is difficult to determine why they possess these qualities, and as can be seen in the story of The Wind Singer, it is probably a combination of their upbringing, environment and their personality.