Transformation of Identity in Diaspora: A study of Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake and The Interpreter of Maladies

Abstract

Globalisation has made the world into a more connected and interdependent place. JhumpaLahiri provides a literary voice to the global Indian Diaspora, being herself the daughter of immigrants. Most of her literary works explore diasporic conflicts. One of the main themes evident in her writing is identity transformation. Identity is not a static entity. It is something that is under constant transformation. Lahiri’s fiction reflects this in the immigration context.

Migrants are often caught in between their roots and the ways of their foreign land and hosts. Many get caught in a web of confusion that can result in an identity crisis. This short communication explores identity transformation in the characters of two of Lahiri’s renowned works. Migration results in a fracture of identity in homes and individuals are expected to build new personalities on new foundations in their host culture.