Navigating The Labyrinth Of Identity: The Immigrant Experience In Bharathi Mukherjee’s Jasmine

Abstract

The immigrant experience is a complex blend of identity exploration, adaptation, and transformation. Bharathi Mukherjee’s Jasmine intricately weaves the narrative threads of the protagonist’s journey from India to America, offering a compelling portrayal of the immigrant’s quest for selfhood amidst cultural dissonance and evolving landscapes. This paper probes into Mukherjee’s exploration of identity through Jasmine, the resilient protagonist who navigates the complex layers of her selfhood. The analysis focuses on Jasmine’s transformation from Jyoti in India to Jane in America, tracing the intricate shifts in her identity as she embraces new personas and adapts to diverse environments. Mukherjee skilfully captures the clash between tradition and modernity, patriarchy and liberation, and the dynamics of assimilation versus preserving cultural roots. This paper studies Mukherjee’s portrayal of the immigrant experience as a quest for agency and self-definition. By dichotomising the complex layers of Jasmine’s identity formation, this paper aims to unravel the complexities inherent in the immigrant experience and shed light on the universal human pursuit of belonging and self-discovery amidst cultural pluralism.