Alleviation: An International Journal of Nutrition, Gender & Social Development, ISSN 2348-9340, Volume 10, Number 10 (2023): 1-7 © Arya PG College (College with Potential for Excellence Status by UGC) & Business Press India Publication, Delhi http://apcjournals.com, www.aryapgcollege.ac.in

Uprooted Roots: Cultural Disassociation, Internal Upheavals and Identity Crisis in Diasporic Works

Priya Dutta
Assistant Professor
Department of English
Pt. Chiranji Lal Sharma Government College, Karnal
(Haryana), India
Email: priyasamridh@gmail.com

Abstract
This paper explores the theme of cultural disassociation, internal upheavals and identity crisis in diasporic works under the title "Uprooted Roots". Through the analysis of various works by diasporic writers, this study examines the complex experiences of individuals who have migrated from their homeland and are struggling to establish a sense of belonging in their new environment. The focus is on how diasporic writers navigate their experiences of cultural displacement and the trauma of uprooting from their roots through their literary works. The study examines how diasporic literature engages with issues of identity, cultural memory, and cultural loss, and how the diaspora negotiates the tension between preserving cultural heritage and adapting to new cultural environments. The paper aims to contribute to the understanding of diasporic experiences and how these are represented in literature, and the impact of such experiences on identity formation and cultural belonging.
Keywords: Uprooted Roots, Cultural Disassociation, Internal Upheavals, Identity Crisis

Introduction
The experience of migration, whether by choice or necessity, is a complex and challenging process that can have a significant impact on individuals and their sense of identity. For diasporic individuals, the process of uprooting oneself from their cultural heritage and adapting to a new environment can lead to a sense of cultural disassociation and internal upheavals. The resulting identity crisis is a recurring theme in diasporic literature. This paper explores the theme of cultural disassociation, internal upheavals, and identity crisis in diasporic works under the title "Uprooted Roots".
Through the analysis of various works by diasporic writers, this study seeks to examine how individuals navigate their experiences of cultural displacement and the trauma of uprooting from their roots through their literary works. The study aims to explore how diasporic literature
engages with issues of identity, cultural memory, and cultural loss, and how the diaspora negotiates the tension between preserving cultural heritage and adapting to new cultural environments.
By examining the experiences of diasporic individuals and their representation in literature, this paper aims to contribute to the understanding of diasporic experiences, the impact of such experiences on identity formation and cultural belonging, and the ways in which diasporic literature can serve as a means of navigating the complexities of migration and cultural displacement.

An Analysis
The issues of identity and cultural clashes have already been vastly explored in the diasporic works. Therefore, the present approach extends the scope of debate on identity to encompass the larger dimension of dialogue between cultures. Issues regarding cultural encounter, identity formation, difference and assimilation, not only form a part of diasporic literature but post-colonial and post-modernist theory as well.
If we see works of diasporic writers like Bharti Mukherjee, Jhumpa Lahiri and VS Naipaul, they all belong to Indian background and have experienced a cultural drift over three nations – Jhumpa Lahiri over India, England and America and Bharti Mukherjee over India, Canada and America and Naipaul over West India and America.
Diaspora is a term derived from Greek term ‘diasperian’ in which ‘dia’ mean across and ‘sperian’ means to sow or scatter seeds, is now sued to name the communities of people who have dislocated form their native homeland through movements of migration, immigration or exile. As mobility, dislocation and relocation along with exploration and travelling have all been human practices across the races of the world, the term diaspora has various meanings by scholars of various beliefs and schools of thought. Right from the ancient times, human races have travelled in search of their desired goals and aspiring ambition sometimes, they were really forced by circumstances beyond their control and had to consequently migrate to ‘other lands’. Hence the experience of diaspora has world – wide commonality.
Today, diaspora speaks of diverse groups of persons and communities moving across the globe. These people are not suppressed; on the contrary, diasporic community of any country makes its presence felt in the host land through its contribution in politics, literature, cinema and other forms of art. They are introducing their mother land to the people of the host land with their stories and thus acting as mediators or translators of culture and language of both countries. These people are not only recognized outside their country but also in their homeland as the governments of many countries have made certain policies for them recognizing the value of diaspora population and their contributions in the development of their own country. With the passage of time, as everything changes, there are changes to be traced in the multiplicity of diasporic activities, too. Owing to the interdisciplinary interests that the term ‘diaspora’ has earned today, it is used by anthropologist literary theorists and culture critics to describe the mass migration and displacements taking place especially in the second half of the 20th C. This term which was originally associated with exile, is today related to its more positive and fertile meaning that of fertility of dispersion. The scattered seeds (diaspora) tend to grow on the new soil, new surrounding and at the same time, inherit the characteristics of the mother plant. The theory of diaspora tries to unfold before us the hybrid and heterogeneous nature of its subjects and the concern lies about their culture, language and their experiences as groups.
Along with the concept of identity, culture and race, even language has been identified as a symbol of nation and a mode of exclusion or inclusion. Frantz Fanon’s theory on the diasporic study addresses the power of language in the formation of identity: “To speak … means above all to assume a culture, to support the weight of a civilization”
The diasporic experience essentially underline the partial culture brought by the immigrant to the new land and resultant clash of culture they suffer from. The diasporic writings have a variety of experiences to share with the world. As we see variedness in the causes of migration, there is a peculiar variedness seen in the expressions of the experience in the diasporic writings. These experience are those of sense of rootlessness, agony and pain arising out of homelessness, anxiety in the new land and the nostalgia for their homeland. As the migrants share in common the experiences of dislocation from their motherland, despite the difference in their cultures, traditions and practices, they bind with one another primarily on the basis of their similar status – that of migrants living on foreign lands and have consequently formed diasporic communities when diasporic writings are talked about, it is found that these writings are creative outcome of fluidity, conflict and instability that the writers must have experienced being migrants. It is this anxious sense of dislocation that is the characteristic of the expatriate writers.
The authors have dealt with the theme of homelessness in their works. The novels like Namesake, Jasmine, and A house for Mr. Biswas deal with the themes of homelessness and feeling of loss of identity. Their experience with India at first is that of a distant one but they are not able to brush aside their ancestral past and find themselves ultimately identifying themselves as apart of India. All the books written by them have India as the center of interest. Most of the diasporic writers have dealt with the notion of homeland and thereby have discussed their relationship with a country that is at once so far away and at once so near to them.
The ‘position’ of the diaspora writers is really interesting. They are in a way a link between their ancestral home and their new home. They translate ‘India’ to the west and at the same time open the west before the readers back home. Their portrayals of their marginalization, rejections and the stories of the insults they have suffer in the foreign country are sent back home the responsibility to tell the true story is on their shoulders. The diasporic writers draw
special attention for the reason that they belong to a special category of writers who are by default credited with multiculturalism and transnationalism.
Globalization, leading to new social and cultural pattern has largely influenced every new work that is produced by the diasporic writers.
Naipaul’s Diasporic World (1987)
Vidiadhar Suraj Prasad Naipaul, known as V.S. Naipaul, was a Trinidadian-British writer who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2001. His works often explore the themes of colonialism, identity, and cultural displacement, which reflect his own experience as a person of Indian descent growing up in Trinidad and later moving to England.
The study of Naipaul's diasporic world involves an examination of his literary works that deals with the experiences of people who have been forced to leave their home lands and settle in foreign lands due to various historical and political reasons. Naipaul's works often focus on the experiences of individuals and communities who are struggling to cope with the challenges of cultural assimilation and maintaining their own identities in a new environment.
In his early works, such as "The Mystic Masseur" and "Miguel Street," Naipaul examines the lives of ordinary people living in Trinidad and explores their cultural roots and the effects of colonialism on their society. Later works, such as "A House for Mr. Biswas" and "The Enigma of Arrival" are more autobiographical in nature and reflect Naipaul's own experiences of cultural displacement and the search for identity.
Naipaul's works also provide insight into the complexities of the diasporic experience, including the tension between the desire to assimilate and the need to maintain cultural roots, the search for a sense of belonging, and the challenges of navigating cultural differences and prejudice in a new environment.
In addition to his literary works, Naipaul's public statements on issues such as race and religion have also sparked controversy and debate. Critics have accused Naipaul of promoting an arrow and elitist worldview, while others argue that his works provide valuable insights into the challenges faced by diasporic communities.
Overall, the study of Naipaul's diasporic world provides a rich and nuanced exploration of the experiences of individuals and communities who are struggling to cope with cultural displacement and maintain their identities in a new environment.
Inner Strife in Lahiri’s Characters (2003)
Lahiri's characters often struggle with inner strife, grappling with issues of identity, culture, and belonging. Her stories explore the lives of Indian immigrants and their children, as well as the experience of being caught between two cultures.
In "Interpreter of Maladies," for example, Mrs. Das is consumed by inner turmoil as she grapples with the guilt of her extra marital affair and the pressures of being a wife and mother. Similarly, in "The Namesake," Ganguli struggles to reconcile his American identity with his Bengali heritage. He feels like an outsider in both cultures, unable to fully embrace either one.
Lahiri's characters also experience a sense of displacement and isolation. In "Unaccustomed Earth" for example, Ruma feels disconnected from her Bengali heritage and struggles to find a sense of belonging in her American life. And in "The Lowland," Udayan is torn between his political activism and his desire for a normal family life, leading to inner conflict and turmoil.
Throughout her works, Lahiri explores the complexity of human emotions and relationships. Her characters are often plagued by regret, guilt, and longing, as they navigate the challenges of living between two cultures. However, her stories also offer a sense of hope and resilience, as her characters find ways to connect with others and find a sense of purpose in their lives.
Overall, Lahiri's exploration of inner strife in her characters reveals the universal nature of the immigrant experience. Through their struggles, her characters offer insights into the human condition and the ways in which we seek to understand ourselves and our place in the world.
Struggles of Mukherjee’s (2014) Fictional Characters (2014)
Mukherjee's fictional characters often experience struggles that are reflective of the author's own experiences as an immigrant from India to the United States. Mukherjee's characters grapple with issues such as identity, cultural displacement, and the tension between tradition and modernity.
In "Jasmine" for example, the titular character must navigate the challenges of adapting to life in the United States after leaving her home in India. She struggles to reconcile her past and present selves, as well as the different cultural expectations that are placed upon her as an Indian woman living in the United States.
In "The Middleman and Other Stories," Mukherjee's characters confront a range of issues related to cultural identity and displacement. In "Fathering the Nation" for example, an Indian immigrant grapples with the pressures of being a father and husband in a new country while also staying connected to his cultural roots. In "The Tenant," a young Indian woman living in a New York City apartment complex struggles to adapt to the unfamiliar cultural norms of her neighbors.
Throughout her works, Mukherjee's characters confront the challenges of being caught between two worlds, and they often experience a sense of dislocation and alienation. They struggle to reconcile their cultural identities with the expectations and demands of their new environments, and they must navigate the complexities of social, economic, and political systems that are often hostile to immigrants.
Despite the many obstacles that her characters face, Mukherjee's works are also marked by a sense of hope and resilience. Through their struggles, her characters are able to develop new perspectives and understandings of themselves and the world around them. Ultimately, Mukherjee's works highlight the richness and complexity of the immigrant experience, and they offer insights into the struggles and triumphs of those who seek to build new lives in unfamiliar places.
Conclusion
The theme of "Uprooted Roots" in diasporic works is a complex and multifaceted one that deals with issues of cultural disassociation, internal upheavals, and identity crisis. Diasporic writers, through their works, reflect upon the experiences of displacement, alienation, and the search for identity that individuals face as they navigate the complexities of living between two cultures.
Throughout the works of diasporic writers, the theme of "Uprooted Roots" is often depicted through characters who experience a sense of displacement and disorientation, as they struggle to find their place in a new environment. These characters are often torn between their cultural heritage and the demands of their new surroundings, and they experience a profound sense of loss and longing for a sense of belonging.
However, despite the many challenges they face, these characters are also marked by a sense of resilience and the capacity for transformation. Through their struggles, they are able to develop new perspectives and understandings of themselves and the world around them, and they are able to forge new identities that are informed by their experiences of displacement and dislocation.
Ultimately, the theme of "Uprooted Roots" in diasporic works highlights the universal nature of the human experience, as individuals confront the challenges of living between two cultures and navigate the complexities of identity and belonging. Through their works, diasporic writers offer insights into the complexities of the immigrant experience and the ways in which we seek to understand ourselves and our place in the world.
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