莫妮卡‧阿里《磚巷》中的身分認同軌跡

Abstract

本文借用學者史都華˙霍爾（Start Hall）對於身分認同之構築的理論來探討莫妮卡‧阿里《磚巷》中身分認同的意識形態及其主體性如何因個人選擇而改變；同時也探討身分認同危機如何因家園想像中感受到的不安全感而產生，進一步探討身分認同之流動性的可能。

This thesis aims to explore how the ideology of identity and subjectivity is recruited and changed with transition of personal choices, how identity crisis is generated when confronting with insecurity in the homeland, and to suggest a possibility of a fluid identity. I am particularly interested in two seemingly opposite characters: Chanu and Karim. The former one considers himself superior to his Caucasian colleagues because he owns an English literature diploma from Dhaka University and a certificate from a British university; while the latter considers himself an English at the beginning but gradually shift his identification to a Bangladeshi in the end. In this paper, I examine Chanu and Karim’s identity crisis by reading with Stuart Hall’s theoretical framework on identification. I argue that Chanu’s failure in England is due to his eagerness of identifying with the white, which causes turbulence in the process of his identification until he releases himself from such illusion. I also want to explore Karim’s nostalgia of the imaginary homeland－ Bangladesh and his interpellated subjectivity with theory of Louis Althusser. As a second generation, Karim has never set foot upon Bangladesh. He deems himself as an Englishman but projects his nostalgia and passion for the imaginary homeland on Nazneen. I will start with the analysis of Karim’s transformation from being a British to a Muslim fundamentalist. Then, I will look into Karim’s desire toward Nazneen as his “real thing.” Finally, I will explore the cause of Nazneen’s transformation from being a virtuous wife to an autonomous entrepreneur.