Issue of Identity in Jamaica's A Small Place and Hamid's The Reluctant Fundamentalist: A Comparative Postcolonial Study

Abstract

The study analyzes the issue of identity under postcolonialism by comparing two postcolonial novels from different countries. The data consists of selected textual passages taken from the two works to invoke comparative study. Hamid presents that America is acting like a Neo-colonial power to show its superiority, while Kincaid evinces the realistic manner that depicts the inferiority of indigenous culture, which is also the result of Neo-colonialism. Postcolonial theory is used as a research methodology. Homi K. Bhaba's concepts of identity, hybridity, mimicry and otherness provide a basic framework for the research. Fanon's concept of national identity will also provide support for the completion of this research. The research concludes that the elite and educated class should seek identity from their own culture rather than adopting the westernized mimic culture, which makes them an inferior race in order to show their own superiority.