THE CONCEPT OF IMAGINARY HOME IN JHUMPA LAHIRI`S “MRS. SEN`S”
Jhumpa Lahiri is a prominent figure in the Asian-American tradition. The complex semantics of heroes` images, the interweaving of plot lines, intertextual connections, the simplicity of presentation, and the dynamic plot development are characteristic features of her writings. The immigrant proble...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Alfred Nobel University Publisher
2019-12-01
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| Series: | Вісник університету ім. А. Нобеля. Серія Філологічні науки |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://phil.duan.edu.ua/images/PDF/2019/2/16.pdf |
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| Summary: | Jhumpa Lahiri is a prominent figure in the Asian-American tradition. The complex semantics of
heroes` images, the interweaving of plot lines, intertextual connections, the simplicity of presentation,
and the dynamic plot development are characteristic features of her writings. The immigrant problems are
major in Lahiri`s literary. Most of her characters who are representatives of two cultures find themselves
“nowhere”. The article deals with the relationship between cultural and personal identity. The concept
of imaginary home as an important factor for the preservation of cultural traditions which is especially
relevant in the context of modern transculture, is explored.
It is important that immigrants of different generations define the “home” concept in their own way.
So, for the first generation, the home is associated with the actual place of birth and identical to nostalgia,
past, a sense of cultural loss. As a polysemantic notion, “home” allows a symbolic “journey with the walls”.
It means that the character continues to be at home mentally, even though he has left it physically. The
main character is a representative of the old diaspora. She continues to be tied with her “home”: living
in America, she tries to recreate the artificial life she used to in Calcutta, as well as regaining her “lost
identity”. Mrs. Sen lives by the memories and “hides” behind the past, so as not to notice the chaos, the
sense of loneliness and inconvenience in her still-artificial American house.
The character is “locked” inside, she is deeply lonely, and seems to be distant not only from others,
but from herself as well. It is indicated that it is impossible to deny own ethnic origin completely, and that
the mixing of two cultures leads to the existence of a character with a hybrid consciousness that does not
refuse his roots. Mrs. Sen realizes that only at home in India she feels safe. “Everything is there” means that
everything which is valuable to her is left in India. Only details from the past are important for the character:
a paper letter from India (not an e-mail), a whole fish with its head which is so hard to find in America and
a vibrant sarees collection that no one needs here. Ms. Sen understands that it is just a copy, because
she lacks real communication. Symbolically, she imitates “her” and does not want to accept American life
which is identified with aggression. The theme of communication (the story shows friendship between
two people of different age and origin) is no less important. The characters are very similar because of the
loneliness: both Mrs. Sen and Elliot lack complete communication with their relatives.
Result in, Mrs. Sen often mentions her home in India because past experience and cultural memory
are still important. The character feels lonely in the American society and at the same time, she contrastes
herself to others (Mrs. Sen continue to live Indian life), and believes she will never be able to adapt to
America completely. |
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| ISSN: | 2523-4463 2523-4749 |