World
Literatures in English: Identity
Examples of Stories on
the Immigrants and their Cultural Identities
"Digging up the Mountain"
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Bissoondath's criticism of the nation p. 2
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Hari's sense of identity
-- the past--Hari & politics --familiar with the minister;
in-between two parties
-- Hari & the land -- the mountain; "land of milk and honey"
-- Independence --Hari's stores closed; the revolver
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from planting grass to digging up the mountain
"Insecurity"
Ramgoolam's sense of identity
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Ramgoolam and the island p. 69
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R's social position; started as a poor noble; on the fringe of events,
has a store too;
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Ramgoolam and History: comprehension in the past; lack of it in the present
-- Ramgoolam witnesses the historical changes 70
-- R vs. Black power p. 71
-- the past--writing, making speech
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the present -- sources of his sense of security
-- smuggling money out; exporter p. 71 ;
-- not trusting the mail system
-- source of satisfaction: his bank book
-- his Hindu devotion 73; 76--"Security" p. 94
source of insecurity
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from saving money to buying a house
"The Lady from Lucknow"
Identity of the narrator (Nafeesa Hafeez)
-- and her husband Iqbal --p 349 in upper-middle class; as a "not-quite"
350; 354
-- at the international reception p. 351
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the past--Muslim; the story from her neighborhood, the novels 352
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her attitude toward the affair -- as a woman who wants to get out 350
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Nafeesa at James' house 354
major images related to identity--heart 349; as a golf ball 350; 356
