Exploring Identity Conflicts among Immigrants: A Critical Analysis of Nadeem Aslam's Maps for Lost Lovers

Abstract

In postcolonial literature, there is often a significant focus on the experiences of exiled immigrants, encompassing feelings of isolation and a sense of rootlessness. This study aims to evaluate the identity conflicts faced by immigrants in the well-known novel Maps for Lost Lovers (2004) by Aslam. Grounded in postcolonialism as a theoretical framework with special focus on Bhabha’s notions, this research sheds light on the problem of identity conflicts of the immigrants in the English societies. It emphasizes how diaspora immigrants, positioned as outsiders, endeavor to shape their identity to align with the norms of mainstream society. The novel Maps for Lost Lovers (2004) offers a postcolonial perspective by focusing on the pitiable condition and identity conflicts of immigrants. It provides a deep exploration of identity crises, cultural conflicts, and the delicate equilibrium between the Western and the Eastern norms within immigrant families. The research concludes that Maps of Lost Lovers offers a realistic portrayal of identity conflicts of the immigrants. It also shows that Aslam is well aware of the problems of the immigrants in the western society. This research is a valuable additive to the already existing literature on identity conflict.