Transnational Alienation in Thapa’s Seasons of Flight and Adichie’s Americanah

Abstract

This research project uses Manjushree Thapa’s Seasons of Flight and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah attempting to explore the concept of transnational alienation in their characters. For this, the researcher employs the transnational perspective as a part of the umbrella term: globalization. The migrant protagonists, Prema from Thapa’s Seasons of Flight,and Ifemelu from Adichie’s Americanahgo to America intending to get a better job, independent lifestyle, sound security, and other opportunities. But they do not find their wish come to reality the way they had expected. They do not feel comfortable adjusting to the new environment and the people there. The reality for them in America goes beyond their expectation. Crossing different national territories these migrants reach the host country with big dreams, but after experiencing all the odds there, they desire to return to their home country. On the other hand, they are unable to live comfortably in the host country due to the sense of nostalgia towards their home country. When migrants cross the transnational borders, they concern with new identity, language, cultures, and practices. They try to adopt the socio-cultural practices of the host country. But they are unable to erase the cultural memory of their homeland as well. By the time they face the reality, neither do they return to their origin, nor do they become able to adopt the culture of the host country. So, they develop the sense of dislocatedness there in the host country and also they find it tough to assimilate with the culture there. They neither remain in the host country peacefully nor do they find the return to the homeland an easy one. As a result, the protagonists feel being the victim of transnational alienation whether in the host country or they return tothe land of their origin.