A Quest for the Meaningful Identity in Kiran Desai’s Novel The Inheritance of Loss

Abstract

The Inheritance of Loss (2006) novel written by Kiran Desai explores the devastating impact of colonialism, globalization, and displacement through its different protagonists in India and New York City. The story takes place in the mid-1980s and the events in the novel are mainly set in an isolated, dilapidated mansion in Kalimpong which is a hill station situated on the foothills of the Himalayas in Northeast India. Actually, in the wake of freedom in India, a lot of new dreams started to rise in the hearts of people, especially the marginalized who have been oppressed and silenced throughout history. However, the aspirations of the oppressed classes faced numerous obstacles in the form of bureaucratic systems established in the country as well as the colonial legacy. The novel The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai is dedicated to the quest for self-realization in the times of post-colonialism, immigration, and globalization, which tells us about an Indian man called Jemubhai, who internalizes a sense of superiority and alienates himself from his Indian roots, therefore, instead of finding himself in English culture, he only experiences an identity crisis. The narrative of the novel enables readers to observe the actual life of people with their internal conflicts related to the influence of traditions, modernization, and globalization. The characters who cannot adapt to the changes suffer from psychological disorders, despair, and loneliness; while those who are ready for changes, think rationally and are able to interact with other people have the possibility to achieve self-fulfillment. This research paper finds out a quest for meaningful identity through the identification of different issues of identity loss in the perspectives of culture, status, tradition, and home at the same time.