Representation of Subaltern Identity: A Study of Othering in Sea of Poppies

Abstract

The present study is designed to explore the identity construction/reconstruction in Sea of Poppies. It is investigated in the backdrop of postcolonial theory. Norman Faircloughs Three-dimensional approach of critical discourse analysis is used to examine the construction and reconstruction of different types of (us/them) identities in the colonial era reflected in Sea of Poppies. The analysis deals with the descriptive dimension of Critical Discourse Analysis and discusses discourse as a text that investigates the functional linguistic elements of the overall narrative construction (identity construction/reconstruction) as a counter-discourse to power. It analyzes the identity construction on two levels of representation that is the relation between conversational participant/reader and text/discourse and the expressive which unveils attitudes and ideologies the study sheds light on the way the colonizers defined the other subjects just to define themselves as superior by associating the positive attributes to “us” and negative attributes to “them” thus made them peripheral other subjects.