The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri Analysis Of Diaspora and Sacrifices for Relationship

Abstract

Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Lowland is partly set in Rhode Island and partly in Calcutta. This novel paints a brilliant picture of Calcutta of the 1960’s and 70’s.The novel weaves the plot around the four generations of Mitra family with a breathtaking, addictive narrative style. Initially, the story develops around the Naxalite insurgency in West Bengal in the late 1960’s and 70’s—the movement that took the country by surprise. The story beautifully speaks about several genres such as diaspora, alienation, romance, family bonding, political turmoil, trust, and betrayal. In this article, I would attempt to grasp the import of the novel by situating Lahiri’s unique presence both in the fabric of the narrative as well as in the post-millennium Indian English fiction. The novel’s analytical method moves from a detailed study of the tortuous plot through a mesh of characterization. Lahiri casts a spell with the multiplex narration leading to a medley of contemporary themes. In this write-up, I would try to analyze the themes of diaspora and sacrifices for loved ones by means of textual analysis. I would also try to analyze how far the novelist has succeeded in representing the bonding between the characters, and how she had built up the characters as the novel matures in a vibrant and aesthetic brilliance. I will also try to portray how Jhumpa Lahiri makes the readers understand the humaneness of the characters.