Exploring the voice of Deterritorialized Diaspora through the Reading of Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake

This study undertakes an analysis of Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake with the aim of voicing deterritorialised diaspora specifically immigrant experiences identity fragmentation and cultural displacement with reference to the Ganguli family. The study utilizes theories from postcolonial and diaspora studies specifically ‘Deterritorialization’ to show how Lahiri’s work produces a distinctive diasporic voice# which is influenced by experiences of spatial displacement# generational conflict and identity negotiation. Deterritorialization therefore is not just about physical movement from India to the U.S but it is more about the deeper# profound psychological and cultural displacement that immigrants from India experience. The novel reveals how the experiences of Ashoke# Ashima and Gogol due to migration result in identity fragmentation leading to self-redefinition. The novel also reveals how the experiences of the immigrant community# specifically the first and second generations# are influenced by the dynamics of diaspora identity. The first generation feels a sense of nostalgia and alienation# while the second generation feels a sense of confusion and ambivalence# as revealed through Gogol’s experiences with his name# which is eventually accepted# but with a sense of conflict between assimilation and heritage# thereby creating a diasporic voice# which is fluid# fragmented# and dynamic# but never fully rooted or fully assimilated. By examining the narrative style# symbolism and characterization in The Namesake# this paper aims to illustrate the ways in which Lahiri represents the lived experiences of deterritorialized subjects. The conclusion drawn is that Lahiri’s works subvert notions of identity and homeland# revealing the migrant experience as an ongoing rather than static phenomenon. Lahiri’s realistic style with its emotional richness gives voice to the silent struggles of migrants# transforming private experiences of displacement into cultural expression

Cultural identity · Deterritorialization · Diaspora · Immigration · Narrative · Postcolonial and Cultural Literary Studies · Short Stories in Global Literature · South Asian Studies and Diaspora