Asiatic: IIUM Journal of English Language and Literature
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Distant Homes: Migrant Sensibilities and the Problems of Acculturation
Full text linkContinued waves of diasporic movement over successive historical moments in South Asia make it difficult to homogenise all diaspora into one mould. The present paper explores the conflict between the process of acculturation and the longing for homeland experienced by three South Asian poets who belong to a specific period in modern diaspora. Contemporaries all, Agha Shahid Ali (1949-2001), Meena Alexander (1951-) and Imtiaz Dharker (1954-) express in their poetry their (c)overt sense of longing and attachment to the homeland even as they negotiate the different interstitial spaces they occupy. Their reinvention of their identity in the process of acculturation and their expanding political concerns lead them to look beyond the nation as home and develop a form of cosmopolitanism. Does this cosmopolitanism give them an assurance, a sense of belonging or an uneasy discomfort? I intend to discuss some of these issues as expressed in their poetry
Held to Ransom? The South Asian Diaspora and Postcolonial Discourse
Full text linkThe present paper explores the critical approaches to postcoloniality and subalternity in the theoretical writings of the South Asian diaspora as it seeks to define the nature of postcolonial theory – is it a methodology, an approach, or a theory? Its close association with diasporic studies with its emphasis on exile, homeland and identity and its constant addressivity to the West identifies it with diasporic approaches. If so, where does its use lie for home cultures? Working with Arun Prabha Mukherjee’s two books, Bhabha’s essays on the “Postcolonial and the Postmodern†and “Unsatisfied: Notes on Vernacular Cosmopolitanism,†Gayatri Spivak’s translations of Mahasweta Devi’s stories alongside her Prefaces, Introductions and translator’s notes and her long essay “A Literary Representation of the Subaltern,†the discussion foregrounds the gap between political freedom and cultural independence.Even though there has been a visible shift in translation theories and in the use and intermittent inclusion of native languages, it has still not succeeded in reclaiming cultural territories of intellectual thought. The world of the diasporic critic, no matter where located, is still locked up in a one-sided approach (refer to Vijay Mishra and Satendra Nandan). There is an urgent need to return to a closer examination of the critical views of native writers in order to relocate our objectives and define our spheres and to complete the incomplete process of liberation and reclaim lost territories. This argument requires a better understanding of colonial histories and pushes us towards an in-depth exploration of power relations. The discursiveness which appears to inhabit this discourse must be sharpened towards making a coherent pattern
Jason Lundberg, ed. The Epigram Books Collection of Best New Singaporean Short Stories, Volume 1
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Bangladeshi Women and the Concept of Agency in Monica Ali’s Brick Lane: Patriarchy, Love and “Sisterhoodâ€
Full text linkAlthough mainly set in London, an important part of the action in Monica Ali’s novel Brick Lane (2003) focuses on the protagonist’s sister Hasina and on the latter’s life realities back in Bangladesh. This paper explores Bangladeshi women and their attempt at gaining agency in a society portrayed as still highly patriarchal, in which women are forced to accept and perpetuate a principle based on fate rather than on personal choice. Ali’s view of Bangladeshi society is therefore tough, portraying men as dominant, oppressive and unreliable. At the same time, women who want to make their own decisions in life by “kicking against [their] fate†have to face discrimination and social repudiation both by men and women of their society/communities. This paper analyses these women’s struggle to gain agency while applying a variety of approaches to agency, in connection with the concepts of patriarchy, love and “sisterhood.†The transgression of boundaries by the protagonist, disapproved of by society, may be interpreted as an attempt at performing agency. However, this still has to be investigated within the context of patriarchal oppression and Muslim communities. The analysis illustrates that women’s agency is constantly obstructed by patriarchy because man still occupies the position of the legitimate, authoritarian figure that does not allow women to progress. “Sisterhood†may be seen as women’s agency and as a potential solution that challenges patriarchy. Love can be understood as existing within the framework of marriage or heterosexual relationships
Understanding the Classical Malay Literary Framework: A Reappraisal of the Poetic Theories of Vladimir Braginsky and Muhammad Haji Salleh
Full text linkThe objective of this article is to understand the classical Malay literary framework through the analysis of different Malay literary texts. The study is based on an analysis of the works of Vladimir Braginsky and Muhammad Haji Salleh, along with the interpretation of selected classical Malay texts. The article seeks to highlight the critical systems in classical Malay literature and in Puitika Sastera Melayu. The study shows that in Braginsky’s work, the author identifies the significance of studying classical Malay literature for understanding its central notion of beauty and “the beautiful†(indah) in Malay literary writings, as well as the concept of “self-awareness†and the concern of Malay writers for “the spiritual benefit†that is embedded in their writings. But in the works of Muhammad Haji Salleh, on the other hand, the author argues that the Malay literary theory, Puitika Sastera Melayu, was preconditioned by the inner structure of the society, which was embedded in the Malay language, milieu and philosophy.Â
Anchee Min's Becoming Madame Mao and the Self-Constructed Heroine
Full text linkAnchee Min’s Becoming Madame Mao (2000), is a remarkable piece of historical fiction. Min’s choice of inter-textuality between history and fiction is apt as this quasi-poetic form allows for the possibility of delving into the psychological depths of the protagonist which fills the gaps in the existing historians’ biographies of Madame Mao. The marrying of history and fiction provides Min the subjectivity to penetrate deep into the protagonist’s thoughts and feelings, thus humanising even an outcast. This paper, through a feminist perspective, shows how Min renders a powerful tale of passion, betrayal and survival through the life story of Madame Mao. Min, through her writing, harnesses the power of language and the power of imagination as an instrumental and effective strategy to tap into the process of Madame Mao’s self-construction: from poverty and obscurity to professional success and fame