Migrants and Refugees in Contemporary Fiction. Identity Crises in "The Buddha of Suburbia" by Hanif Kureishi

Migrants and Refugees in Contemporary Fiction. Identity Crises in Author: Philip Sell
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
ISBN: 3346364313
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 19

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Book Description
Seminar paper from the year 2017 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 2,0, University of Rostock, language: English, abstract: The term paper consists of an introduction, three main chapters and a conclusion. The first part of the main chapter demonstrates the different forms of identity crises which are thematised in the novel “The Buddha of Suburbia” by Hanif Kureishi. At this place some theoretical terms just like hybridity need to be mentioned and explained for a further understanding. Furthermore, the reader gets familiar with some other characters who play an important role in terms of identity. Part two and three of the main body specifically focus on the novel's main protagonist as well as on two major forms of identity crises. First of all Karim's Indian background is taken into account accompanied with the problems his cultural hybridity causes. Afterwards the many sexual experiences the narrator gains in the novel are investigated. Which events have an impact on his personality? Which kinds of inner conflicts does he have to face and does he manage to solve them or does he miserably fail? All these questions are answered in the main body. The conclusion contains a summary of all important aspects investigated in the paper. Moreover the thesis which was proposed in the introduction will either be confirmed or confounded.

Migrants and Refugees in Contemporary Fiction. Identity Crises in "The Buddha of Suburbia" by Hanif Kureishi

Migrants and Refugees in Contemporary Fiction. Identity Crises in Author: Philip Sell
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
ISBN: 3346364313
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 19

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Book Description
Seminar paper from the year 2017 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 2,0, University of Rostock, language: English, abstract: The term paper consists of an introduction, three main chapters and a conclusion. The first part of the main chapter demonstrates the different forms of identity crises which are thematised in the novel “The Buddha of Suburbia” by Hanif Kureishi. At this place some theoretical terms just like hybridity need to be mentioned and explained for a further understanding. Furthermore, the reader gets familiar with some other characters who play an important role in terms of identity. Part two and three of the main body specifically focus on the novel's main protagonist as well as on two major forms of identity crises. First of all Karim's Indian background is taken into account accompanied with the problems his cultural hybridity causes. Afterwards the many sexual experiences the narrator gains in the novel are investigated. Which events have an impact on his personality? Which kinds of inner conflicts does he have to face and does he manage to solve them or does he miserably fail? All these questions are answered in the main body. The conclusion contains a summary of all important aspects investigated in the paper. Moreover the thesis which was proposed in the introduction will either be confirmed or confounded.

Space and Cultural Identity in Hanif Kureishi's "The Buddha of Suburbia"

Space and Cultural Identity in Hanif Kureishi's Author: Marita Mehnert
Publisher:
ISBN: 9783346384072
Category :
Languages : de
Pages : 16

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The Depiction of Class and Self-Created Identity in "The Buddha of Suburbia"

The Depiction of Class and Self-Created Identity in Author: Robert Willrich
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
ISBN: 3640542932
Category : Identity (Philosophical concept) in literature
Languages : en
Pages : 53

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Book Description
Seminar paper from the year 2009 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1,3, University of Bamberg, course: London in Literature through the Ages, language: English, abstract: Being one of Hanif Kureishi's most famous works, The Buddha of Suburbia has been discussed numerously in academic writing. Up to now, most scholars have, unfortunately, only focussed on the most apparent topics of hybridity and racial as well as migrational identity. Although fairly striking, only few have paid attention to the British class system that is portrayed in the novel, and if they have, only in passing. This paper is not intended to be added to this long list. I rather want to concentrate on how diverse and comprehensively the topic of class is approached by Kureishi, how class is depicted. For this reason, I want start with some more general facts about lower middle class, but will try to directly compare them to the contents of The Buddha of Suburbia. Secondly, I aim to show how, especially, class is depicted and to describe what makes someone belong to a certain class. How is affiliation expressed and how can one distinguish from other social groups? What does influence our thoughts and beliefs, and why do people want to break out? In regard to this, I will pay special attention to how the suburbs are presented in the novel and to what extent they differ from London. Finally, I want to examine in how far London offers a chance to flee suburbia and lower middle class influences. Does the anonymity of England's capital provide the basis for a new self, to create something new, and leave the past behind? Do people have to surrender, not to say sacrifice, their old identities in order to make it in London? What is the price for climbing the social ladder, and can one find a new, but genuine, self after having left the old behind? My paper shall answer these questions, it seeks to unfold some of the complexity of Kureishi's début novel and to offe

The Buddha of Suburbia

The Buddha of Suburbia PDF Author: Hanif Kureishi
Publisher: Faber & Faber
ISBN: 0571249396
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 354

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Book Description
Winner of the Whitbread First Novel Award 'A wonderful novel. I doubt I will read a funnier one, or one with more heart, this year, possibly this decade.' Angela Carter, Guardian The hero of Hanif Kureishi's first novel is Karim, a dreamy teenager, desperate to escape suburban South London and experience the forbidden fruits which the 1970s seem to offer. When the unlikely opportunity of a life in the theatre announces itself, Karim starts to win the sort of attention he has been craving - albeit with some rude and raucous results. 'One of the best comic novels of growing up, and one of the sharpest satires on race relations in this country that I've ever read.' Independent on Sunday 'Brilliantly funny. A fresh, anarchic and deliciously unrestrained novel.' Sunday Times 'A distinctive and talented voice, blithe, savvy, alive and kicking.' Hermione Lee, Independent

The Issue of Hybridity in "The Buddha of Suburbia"

The Issue of Hybridity in Author: Daniel Jung
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
ISBN: 3346120716
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 22

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Book Description
Seminar paper from the year 2019 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 2,0, University of Cologne (Englisches Seminar I), course: Stories of Migration, language: English, abstract: This paper examines how Kureishi depicts the matter of growing up in a (Western) society having a multicultural background in his novel "The Buddha of Suburbia". The analysis will focus on the main character of Karim. The method of practical criticism will be applied and furthermore the author will rely on pertinent secondary literature. Based on selected motives and scenes concerning the protagonist, it will be explored how the novelist broaches the issue of hybridity in his story. Therefore, it will be refered to relevant postcolonial theories dealing with the subject of colonization and identity. The theorists to be mainly drawn on will be Homi K. Bhabha, Edward Said, and Stuart Hall. To fully understand Kureishi‘s main figure it is crucial to consider England‘s historical background in the 1970s. Set in times of change and immigration the novel requires to take these then tense social conditions into account. Hence, the following lead questions will guide this analysis: How and where does Kureishi show the issue of hybridity through his main character Karim? By merely reading the books ́ title, one gets a sense of the novel ́s main theme. The connotation of each of the two subjects already creates an atmosphere of two different and yet cohesive aspects. While Buddha (from a European point of view) stands for something being far away, strange, exotic, the term suburbia reminds of something that is around the corner, familiar, comforting. Thus, already the title hints at one of the main themes The Buddha of Suburbia deals with. It is a subject the Western world is heavily confronted with these days: Who am I? Where do I come from? And followed by the inevitable subsequent question: Where do I belong? Obviously, this question is mainly asked by people with at least two cultural backgrounds. In 1990 Hanif Kureishi looked into this subject in his aforementioned novel. Born in 1954 in London, the author himself grew up as son of an English mother and a Pakistani father.

Migration, Trauma and Identity in Modern Indian Novels

Migration, Trauma and Identity in Modern Indian Novels PDF Author: Dr.Keshav Nath
Publisher: Shanlax Publications
ISBN: 8119042220
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 81

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Book Description
Drawing on a wealth of research, personal stories, and clinical insights, this book offers a nuanced and compassionate look at the profound impact of trauma on identity. It invites readers to explore the complex ways in which trauma can influence our beliefs, behaviors, relationships, and sense of purpose, as well as the challenges and opportunities that arise when we seek to reclaim our sense of self after trauma. From the lasting impact of childhood abuse to the challenges of navigating cultural and societal expectations, the book offers a deep and insightful exploration of the many ways in which trauma can shape identity. It also offers practical tools and strategies for those who are grappling with the aftermath of trauma, and for those who support them. Ultimately, this book is a powerful exploration of the ways in which trauma can shape our identities and our lives. It is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and a call to action for greater understanding and empathy.

‘An Englishman, almost’: Hybridity and Initiation in Kureishi's 'Buddha of Suburbia'

‘An Englishman, almost’: Hybridity and Initiation in Kureishi's 'Buddha of Suburbia' PDF Author: Viktoria Groepper
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
ISBN: 3640631544
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 19

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Book Description
Seminar paper from the year 2009 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1,3, University of Regensburg (Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik), course: English Literature III - The 20th Century, language: English, abstract: “My name is Karim Amir, and I am an Englishman born and bred, almost. I am often considered to be a funny kind of Englishman, a new breed as it were, having emerged from two old histories. But I don’t care – Englishman I am (though not proud of it), from the South London suburbs and going somewhere. Perhaps it is the odd mixture of continents and blood, of here and there, of belonging and not, that makes me restless and easily bored. Or perhaps it was being brought up in the suburbs that did it. [...] I was looking for trouble, any kind of movement, action and sexual interest I could find, because things were so gloomy, so slow and heavy [...] it was all getting me down and I was ready for anything.” (The Buddha 3) The first lines of Kureishi’s novel reveal most of what this “utterly irreverent, wildly improper but also [...] truthful [...] and very funny” (Salman Rushdie) story will deal with: “initiation, identity, the outsider looking in, and racial conflict. All of these issues are introduced in the first paragraph.” (Kaleta 68) Karim Amir, the son of an Indian father and a white English mother is the protagonist and narrator of the novel The Buddha of Suburbia. First published in 1990, the novel is considered to be Hanif Kureishi’s most successful novel. It combines the two genres “Bildungsroman” and “Condition of England” novel. Both are typical for the 19th century, but Kureishi successfully combines them both and brings them into a contemporary setting. (Bentley 161) The term “Bildungsroman” was coined by the German philologist Johann Morgenstern and arose during the German Enlightenment, presenting the psychological, moral and social shaping of a usually young protagonist...

Refugee Boy

Refugee Boy PDF Author: Benjamin Zephaniah
Publisher: A&C Black
ISBN: 1472514815
Category : Drama
Languages : en
Pages : 96

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Book Description
An eye for an eye. It's very simple. You choose your homeland like a hyena picking and choosing where he steals his next meal from. Scavenger. Yes you grovel to the feet of Mengistu and when his people spit at you and kick you from the bowl you scuttle across the border. Scavenger. As a violent civil war rages back home, teenager Alem and his father are in a B&B in Berkshire. It's his best holiday ever. The next morning his father is gone and has left a note explaining that he and his mother want to protect Alem from the war. This strange grey country of England is now his home. On his own, and in the hands of the social services and the Refugee Council, he lives from letter to letter, waiting to hear something from his father. Then Alem meets car-obsessed Mustapha, the lovely 'out of your league' Ruth and dangerous Sweeney – three unexpected allies who spur him on as Alem fights to be seen as more than just the Refugee Boy. Based on the novel by Benjamin Zephaniah, Refugee Boy is an urgent story of a courageous African boy sent to England to escape the violent civil war, a story about arriving, belonging and finding 'home'.

Perspectives on Identity, Migration, and Displacement

Perspectives on Identity, Migration, and Displacement PDF Author: Steven Tötösy de Zepetnek
Publisher:
ISBN: 9789860235418
Category : Asian diaspora
Languages : en
Pages : 210

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Book Description


The Issue of Hybridity in "The Buddha of Suburbia"

The Issue of Hybridity in Author: Daniel Jung
Publisher:
ISBN: 9783346120724
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 24

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Book Description
Seminar paper from the year 2019 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 2,0, University of Cologne (Englisches Seminar I), course: Stories of Migration, language: English, abstract: This paper examines how Kureishi depicts the matter of growing up in a (Western) society having a multicultural background in his novel "The Buddha of Suburbia". The analysis will focus on the main character of Karim. The method of practical criticism will be applied and furthermore the author will rely on pertinent secondary literature. Based on selected motives and scenes concerning the protagonist, it will be explored how the novelist broaches the issue of hybridity in his story. Therefore, it will be refered to relevant postcolonial theories dealing with the subject of colonization and identity. The theorists to be mainly drawn on will be Homi K. Bhabha, Edward Said, and Stuart Hall. To fully understand Kureishi's main figure it is crucial to consider England's historical background in the 1970s. Set in times of change and immigration the novel requires to take these then tense social conditions into account. Hence, the following lead questions will guide this analysis: How and where does Kureishi show the issue of hybridity through his main character Karim? By merely reading the books ́ title, one gets a sense of the novel ́s main theme. The connotation of each of the two subjects already creates an atmosphere of two different and yet cohesive aspects. While Buddha (from a European point of view) stands for something being far away, strange, exotic, the term suburbia reminds of something that is around the corner, familiar, comforting. Thus, already the title hints at one of the main themes The Buddha of Suburbia deals with. It is a subject the Western world is heavily confronted with these days: Who am I? Where do I come from? And followed by the inevitable subsequent question: Where do I belong? Obviously, this question is mainly asked by peop