Volume IV Issue III July-September 2024

Name of Author : Kuldeep Singh

Title of the paper : Tradition, Identity, and Healing: Cultural Beliefs and Diasporic Experiences in Jhumpa Lahiris Writing

Abstract: Diasporic literature explores the complex relationship between cultural heritage, identity, migration, and belonging. Jhumpa Lahiri, a renowned writer today, examines the experiences of Indian immigrants and their descendants as they navigate inherited traditions and the demands of a new cultural environment. This paper analyzes the representations of tradition, identity, and emotional healing in Interpreter of Maladies 1999, The Namesake 2003, and Unaccustomed Earth 2008. Using qualitative textual analysis and drawing on the theories of Stuart Hall, Homi K. Bhabha, and Avtar Brahma, this study examines the significance of family relationships, naming practices, food, memories, and intergenerational conflicts. It argues that tradition provides cultural continuity but can also be a source of tension, while identity is formed through negotiation of inherited values and personal expectations. The paper concludes that healing in Lahiris stories involves acknowledging cultural difference, coping with emotional loss, and creating new ways of belonging.

Keywords : diaspora, cultural identity, tradition, displacement, emotional healing, belonging.

DOI :

Page No. : 61-63