Analysis of the Cultural Dichotomy and Diasporic Consciousness in Bapsi Sidhwa's Novel “An American Brat”

Abstract

Bapsi Sidhwa’s Novel “An American Brat” significantly showcases the diasporic identity of women of color and also takes on triple contrast between the struggles of a Parsee women in Islamic state, Islamic women in American land and an immigrant in foreign land. This paper aims at navigating through the evolution of diasporic consciousness in this novel and study the dichotomy in the cultural practices of the two nations of America and Pakistan. Through this paper, we also bring into the limelight, the weight of diasporic double consciousness and the effects it has on the moral compass of an individual. Our paper highlights the closely knit nature of culture and society and showcases how that plays an important role in the evolution of diaspora and diasporic consciousness. In the end, we have made sure to include the parts where both positives and negatives about a new culture can be displayed and have not made the mistake of dabbling with the positives of the new western culture alone, which is often mistakenly swapped with diaspora.