27th Annual Student Research Conference
Defining Family Relationships: A Queer Postcolonial Analysis of Jhumpa Lahiris The Lowland
Daniel W. Tremaine
Dr. Hena Ahmad, Faculty Mentor
Subhas is and isn't a father. Guari is and isn't a mother. According to Kages "Queer theory looks at, and studies, and has a political critique of, anything that falls into normative and deviant categories, particularly sexual activities and identities." In The Lowland Subhash is Bela's Dad but not her biological father. Gauri actually gives birth to Bela but doesn't feel like a mother. Udayan is the defining element of their family, in spite of or perhaps because of his absence, rather than a normative romantic and sexual bond. The familial and sexual identities in The Lowland are complex, different, and ever changing, often creating tensions where these identities intersect with the roles that must be played. The acknowledgment and resolutions of these tensions is vital to understanding the text.
Keywords: Lowland, Brotherhood, Queer, Family, Relationships
Topic(s):English
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 205-4
Location: VH 1320
Time: 10:15