Exploring Gendered Identity Crisis in
Diasporic Space In the Works of Jhumpa
Lahiri and Bharati Mukherjee
Simran Punia*
Assistant Professor (Resource Person), Gurugram University, Gurugram, Haryana
Abstract - Research on diasporic and female studies is a significant and intriguing focus
within contemporary literary studies. Diasporic literature has its origins in the migration of
less privileged individuals to new and promising lands such as America, Britain, Canada,
Trinidad, and others. Migration is often seen in countries with a colonial past. The newly
independent individuals moved to foreign countries to escape poverty and seek a brighter
future. The new lands were a fertile ground for material success, but they also had a negative
impact on the mental well-being of these immigrants. The newcomers found a pre-existing
culture, traditions, and rules in the new lands. The recently relocated individuals discovered
themselves in a dilemma between their familiar history, the unfamiliar current situation, and
the uncertain days ahead. Their minds became permanently ensnared in the complex network
of historical and geographical factors.
Keywords - Jhumpa Lahiri, Bharti Mukherjee, women identity
INTRODUCTION
The literature of the diaspora is essential for understanding global culture and history. Both cultures
and individuals migrate, establishing themselves in different locations or being displaced. While the
immigrant authors share many similarities, it's important to acknowledge that they each have unique
experiences due to the varying circumstances of their migration and establishment. Diasporic
literature portrays the experiences of individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures who have
moved to various regions of the globe. Indian diaspora literature can be discovered worldwide. It's
fascinating how Indian literature reaches every corner of the globe. Studying diasporic literature
reveals that the initial and subsequent groups of emigrants experienced a deep yearning for and
disconnection from their native countries. The central issue of diasporic literature revolves around
rootlessness. Individuals in the diaspora feel displaced and isolated in their new surroundings.
Transplanting roots can evoke a range of negative feelings in individuals who are deeply rooted in
their culture. Bharati Mukherjee and Jhumpa Lahiri, writers of the Indo-American diaspora, both depict
the pain felt by their protagonists.
The first film, The Wife (1975), portrays the sense of detachment and loneliness experienced by a
young bride, whereas the second film, The Namesake (2003), narrates the challenging voyage of a
Bengali couple from India to the United States. The challenges experienced by a first-generation
immigrant in a new country are beautifully portrayed in these two pieces. English has extended its
influence in Diasporic literature through the contributions of female authors such as Bharati
Mukherjee, Meena Alexander, Chitra Banerjee Divakuruni, Jhumpa Lahiri, and others. Diaspora
communities are formed by individuals who have migrated from their home country to seek
opportunities in a different place. Writers from the Indo-American diaspora, like Bharati Mukherjee
and Jhumpa Lahiri, depict the diaspora experience through diverse settings in their stories. Bharati
Mukherjee's novel Wife delves into themes such as cultural clashes, societal injustice, and the
intersection of eastern and western values. The characters in The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, set in
the United States, struggle to adapt to their new surroundings. Similar to Bharathi Mukherjee, her
work reflects aspects of the author's personal life. Dimple, the main character, is a youthful Indian
woman in Mukherjee's novel Wife. Amit Basu, Dimple's husband, is a youthful engineer. She was
completely under the control of the alien society. Because of feelings of anxiety and insecurity, she
struggles to adapt to life in America. She struggles internally and finds it challenging to adapt to New
York society. Dimple's stress from adapting to a new culture leads her to commit a tragic act in the
novel's climax.
Authors like Bharati Mukherjee, Jhumpa Lahiri, Anita Desai, Kiran Desai, Kavita Dasvani, M. G.
Vassanji, and V. S. Naipaul question readers' preconceptions about ideas such as "home," "country,"
"native," and "alien" through their narratives of refugee/immigrant experiences. The authors present a
case opposing a dualist interpretation of the cultural distinctions between the East and the West.
Authors from the diaspora often question established notions of identity and societal norms that
dictate life both in their home country and in foreign lands, unlike earlier writers who focused on cross-
cultural interactions and portrayed traditional lifestyles and characters to highlight the cultural
distinctions. Exploring the postcolonial viewpoint of former colonial populations through diaspora
fiction. Several influential works, including Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Women
and Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own, as well as more contemporary pieces like Judith Butler's
Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity, have played a significant role in shaping
women's studies as a separate academic field. Exploring the postmodern environment and delving
into the study of the feminine mind bring fresh perspectives to this area. The experiences of migrating
women outside of India are depicted in the works of Bharati Mukherjee and Jhumpa Lahiri.
The works of diasporic women shed light on their internal struggles arising from cultural displacement,
social alienation, and ethnic tensions. Examine their research on women's issues to assess their
stance on the feminist movement's objective of dismantling patriarchy. In her book Delightful
Daughters, Mukherjee offers examples illustrating the challenges that diasporic women encounter.
Tara, the protagonist, and her teenage son decide to stay in San Francisco following her divorce.
Mukherjee effectively portrays her growth as a woman through her various roles as a daughter, wife,
mother, and grandmother. The focus of Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri is on women who
are marginalised by gender, caste, and ethnicity. The themes of diaspora and feminine identity are
delved into in the writings of Jhumpa Lahiri and Bharati Mukherjee. Diasporic Indian authors skillfully
utilise the contrast between the Indian past and the foreign present to vividly portray their characters'
lives for the reader. Within their imaginative paintings depicting the experiences of immigrants,
themes of identity, history, culture, modernism, and westernisation frequently surface. Indian identities
constantly shift between truth and appearance as the past remains a constant reflection of their traits.
Despite these challenges, both provide valuable information about the female perspective, illustrating
how migration has impacted their emotional well-being and hindered their ability to bond. These
characters are a result of the circumstances mentioned, including Tara in (Wife), Mrs. Sen, and Boori
Ma (Interpreter of Maladies). The central issue of diasporic literature revolves around rootlessness.
Both Jhumpa Lahiri and Bharati Mukherjee employ a range of methods to capture the pain
experienced by their main characters. They depict immigrants who uphold their cultural beliefs and
traditions while also embracing the customs of the host country. The disruptions detailed by Lahiri and
Mukherjee extend beyond the challenges faced by immigrants in foreign lands. Some individuals
approach uprooting as an unavoidable aspect of the human experience, adopting a philosophical
perspective. We are all navigating through this vast universe. One can gain insight into the
experiences of first-generation immigrants by delving into and comprehending their literary works.
Mukherjee and Lahiri delve into subjects like pregnancy trauma, the conflict between Orient and
Occident, and the feminine psyche and affection for Calcutta.
REVIEW OF THE WORK IN THE AREA
Research on diasporic and female studies is a significant and intriguing focus within contemporary
literary studies. Diasporic literature has its origins in the migration of less privileged individuals to new
and promising lands such as America, Britain, Canada, Trinidad, and others. Migration is often seen in
countries with a colonial past. The newly independent individuals moved to foreign countries to
escape poverty and seek a brighter future. The new lands were a fertile ground for material success,
but they also had a negative impact on the mental well-being of these immigrants. The newcomers
found a pre-existing culture, traditions, and rules in the new lands. The recently relocated individuals
discovered themselves in a dilemma between their familiar history, the unfamiliar current situation,
and the uncertain days ahead. Their minds became permanently ensnared in the complex network of
historical and geographical factors.
THE LITERATURE OF THE INDIAN DIASPORA
Vijay Mishra's work "Theorising the Diasporic Imaginary" is a significant analysis of the literary and
cultural materials of the Indian diaspora. It is a significant addition to diaspora theory overall. Mishra
contends that a comprehensive understanding of the Indian diaspora requires consideration of the
specific locations within nation states of both the historical Indian diaspora during early capitalism
after the abolition of slavery and the contemporary diaspora associated with late capitalism
movements. Mishra used a theoretical framework centred on trauma, grieving/impossible mourning,
spectres, identity, travel, translation, and recognition to define the word "imaginary" as any ethnic
enclave inside a nation-state that identifies itself as a community experiencing relocation, whether
consciously or subconsciously. He analyses the writings of prominent authors such as V.S. Naipaul,
Salman Rushdie, M.G. Vassanji, Shani Mootoo, Bharati Mukherjee, David Dabydeen, Rohinton Mistry,
and Hanif Kureishi, who are currently residing in various countries including Canada, Australia,
America, and the UK. He demonstrates how these authors represent both the diasporic imagination
and the historical and contemporary struggles of the Indian diasporas.
"Negotiating Identities: Women in the Indian Diaspora (Gender Studies)" by Aparna Rayaprol and
Apama Rayaprol provides a gender-specific view on how immigrant populations see and carry out the
process of rebuilding their lives in a new country. When a community is in a crisis when there are two
opposing choices, religion becomes a significant symbolic tool in reconstructing the community. The
community in issue is South Asian, and their physical gathering place is the Sri Venkateswara temple
in Pittsburgh. The author firmly establishes her work within the realm of women's studies, asserting
that the concept of the "immigrant" has often been seen as a uniform entity while overlooking the
aspect of gender. She argues in her research that the experiences of immigrant women should not be
equated with those of males. The book "Women Writers of Indian Diaspora" by S K Anand contains
thirteen critical essays analysing the works of Anita Desai, Bharati Mukherji, Jhumpa Lahiri, Chitra
Divakaruni, Meera Syal, Abha Dawesar, Anita Rau Badami, Kiran Desai, Kavita Daswani, Monica
Pradhan, Shauna Singh Baldwin, Meena Alexander, Suniti Namjoshi, and Rishma Dunlop, exploring
their complexity, richness, and paradoxes. The articles on poetry, fiction, and short fiction by women
writers of the Indian diaspora provide various insights into diaspora life, covering themes such as
exile, nostalgia, rootlessness, alienation, racial and gender discrimination, marginalisation,
assimilation, identity, and cultural hybridization. Contemporary women authors use literary space to
emphasise women's difficulties and existential challenges from a gendered perspective. The book will
be very beneficial for anybody studying authors of the Indian diaspora.
The book "Naming Jhumpa Lahiri: Canons and Controversies" is a compilation of articles edited by
Lavina Dhingra and Floyd Cheung. This work offers innovative perspectives on Jhumpa Lahiri's
literature. This analysis of Lahiri's literature explores the varying interpretations and changing
meanings of family, nationality, home, ethnic-global migration, and canonicity that arise from her work
and literary acclaim. This collection is a crucial source for comprehending the subjectivity concerns in
her works and the discourses that shape it. Fakrul Alam's biography of Bharati Mukherjee focuses on
her writing prowess. Fakrul Alam's comprehensive analysis of Bharati Mukherjee's published works
asserts that despite the author's self-identification as an American writer, her Indian background,
upbringing, education, marriage to a North American, and career in America are crucial for interpreting
her fiction. Alam believes that Mukherjee effectively uses her own experiences of exile, expatriation,
and immigration together with her strong storytelling abilities and vivid imagination to create vivid and
unforgettable stories about the challenges and thrills of adapting to a new environment.
India highly values the notion of Diaspora. Despite living in faraway locations, diasporans have
maintained their emotional, cultural, and spiritual connections with their country of origin, India.
Novelists such as Salman Rushdie, Amitav Ghosh, and Anurag Mathur have effectively portrayed the
social and cultural aspects of the Indian Diaspora. They all address the issue of Diaspora identity in
their works. Female novelists and short-story writers of the Indian Diaspora have shown their efforts to
maintain culture and identity in their host countries via their creative works. Indian authors such as
Anita Desai, Kamla Markandaya, Bharti Mukherjee, Chitra Banerjee, Jhumpa Laheri, and Kiran Desai
have depicted the identity struggles of Indian diaspora men and women in their literary works. These
female authors hold the issue of feminism in high regard. Their paintings demonstrate the early
struggles of women in a male-dominated environment. The authors eloquently depict the women's
anguish, distress, torment, and psychological distress. They claim that global prosperity and peace
would ensue when women are universally respected.
CONCLUSION
Diasporic literature is essential for comprehending global culture and history by depicting the
experiences of persons from many origins and cultures who have relocated to other places. Indian
writers Bharati Mukherjee and Jhumpa Lahiri, both belonging to the Indo-American diaspora, examine
issues of displacement, social inequality, and cultural conflicts in their writings.
These writers' works challenge established perceptions of identification and cultural conventions by
questioning beliefs about "home," "country," "native," and "alien." They examine the postcolonial
perspective of past colonial communities via diaspora fiction, including works like Mary
Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Women and Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own.
Diasporic women's literature explores their internal conflicts resulting from cultural relocation, social
isolation, and ethnic conflicts. The authors effectively depict their characters' lives by contrasting the
Indian past with the foreign present, emphasising issues such as identity, history, culture, modernism,
and westernisation.
Indian identities fluctuate between authenticity and perception, with their history serving as a
consistent mirror of their characteristics. Both writers provide excellent insights into the female
viewpoint, showing how migration has affected their mental health and impeded their capacity to
make connections.
Diasporic writing provides a distinct viewpoint on the lives of first-generation immigrants, revealing the
difficulties they encounter in their new surroundings. Readers may acquire insight into the lives of
these people and the complicated relationship between identity, culture, and society standards by
exploring the works of these writers.
Current literary research emphasises diasporic and gender studies, studying the literary and cultural
content of the Indian diaspora. The movement began with the migration of disadvantaged persons to
new territories, often in nations with a history of colonisation. The immigrants had difficulty in their
mental well-being as they navigated a conflict between their known past and the unknown present.
Vijay Mishra's study "Theorising the Diasporic Imaginary" examines the literary and cultural elements
of the Indian diaspora, with an emphasis on particular locales within nation states of historical and
present diasporas. Aparna Rayaprol and Apama Rayaprol provide a gender-specific perspective on
how immigrant communities reconstruct their lives in other nations, highlighting the significance of
gender in comprehending the challenges faced by immigrant women.
S K Anand's book "Women Writers of Indian Diaspora" provides analytical articles on the literary
works of Anita Desai, Bharati Mukherji, Jhumpa Lahiri, and other authors. Fakrul Alam's biography of
Bharati Mukherjee emphasises her skill in writing and how she draws from her own experiences of
exile, expatriation, and immigration to create memorable tales about the difficulties and excitement of
adjusting to a new place.
India greatly appreciates the concept of diaspora, as shown by authors such as Salman Rushdie,
Amitav Ghosh, and Anurag Mathur who expertly explore the social and cultural elements of the Indian
diaspora. Indian writers including Anita Desai, Kamla Markandaya, Bharti Mukherjee, Chitra Banerjee,
Jhumpa Laheri, and Kiran Desai have portrayed the identity challenges faced by Indian diaspora
individuals, emphasising feminism.
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