Diasporic Pain and Mediation in Jhumpa Lahiri's Unaccustomed Earth

Abstract

Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri reflects how the diasporic experiences of the immigrant characters perceive in the other’s land. The characters in almost all the stories undergo many ups and downs in course of getting adjusted in the new alien land. The migrants get pain from the clash of culture and pleasure from the gain of autonomy in the hybrid situation which however helps them mediate between the native culture. Most of the characters belong to Asian origin who migrate for their concrete mission but they cannot live up to their expectation and hence start facing many pains and sorrows. They put maximum effort to become completely audacious to come up above the limit of the natives. In course of their stay, they start getting some good jobs, respect and finally mediate themselves thinking that they are great to come across those challenges. Therefore, the diasporic pain as a traumatic experience is seen in the migrant characters but finally they are bound to become happy and mediate themselves because of their success in their economy, modern education and liberation. The author is successful in projecting diasporic voice of migrants that allows ambitions to hover in the air, far beyond one’s destined lot and limitations. The psychological turmoil they experience and the sense of loss they arrive at, are true to many of the post- colonial mimic men. The immigrants’ hybrid situation helps them to juxtapose with both pains and mediate to the situation of new land.