Cultural Mobility and Identity Construction in BapsiSidhwa'sAn American Brat and Bharati Mukherjee's Desirable Daughters: A Diasporic Reading

Abstract

This research explores various crosscurrents and undercurrents of western culture which creates adverse conditions for Indian and Pakistaniimmigrants in BapsiSidhwa'sAn American Brat and Bharati Mukherjee's Desirable Daughters.In both novels characters from Indian continent migrate to Unites States of America in search of better life, education and wealth. As times passes by, they go through cultural and psychological clashes. They feel they are inferior and below the human line. They do not get education, health facility and freedom. Natural rights and fundamental rights are mere dream for them. In the midst of prejudice and other anti-migrant hassles, they do not hesitate to adapt the shifting cultural locale as a strategy of survival. The characters of the novel; Feroza, Tara, Parvati and Padma adopt western way of education, culture and religion as a camouflage to resist western atrocities. However, they are sandwiched in-between in the midst of western culture. They create imaginative community as diaspora. With the application of diasporic concepts and notion propounded by Arjun Appadurai, Staurt Hall and Franco Jean, the research explores the new hybrid identity and cultural transformation of expatriates. Key Words are Diaspora, Mimicry, Hybridity, Adaptation, Survival, Inbetweenness.