Exploration of Identity: Quest for the Selfin Salman Rushdie’s East,West

Abstract

This dissertation explores the issue of identity-the ‘self’that Salman Rushdie raises in his literary magic East,West.Rushdie picking his characters from the general background of the society, especially from postcolonial Indian society, contends that every individual has his own unique identity amidst various identities an individual has, which is his ‘self’. Individual with whatever class, caste, gender, nationality, religion etc. one may belong to every individual has self-identity, whichs\he acquires during his or herlife time. Self-identity is a concept of oneself including the perception about self, own attitudes, flaws, status and worth. In this project characters like Miss Rehana, Ramani, Huma and Atta, Khan, Chekove and Zulu, and Courter, Mary and Chandani all go through the sense of identity crisis. The situation of identity crisis leave a mental stress on them causing depression, frustration and trauma: since they cannot mix up with the society because of their unique taste and qualities as opposite to society’s norms and values. So they march towards the quest for their self- identity. This project shows that each individual’s self-identity is vital in his\her life, when individual begin to respect his self he automatically start respect other which then create a harmonious society. This research depicts the problem of identity crisis, in this collection of stories through the technique of story-telling and forwards the concept of quest of identity and identity formation. This anthology whether the person associated with any class, caste, gender, religion, or nationality; the first and foremost thing is they are general human being. And their self-identity is imperative for the over-all development of the society.