25th Annual Student Research Conference
Burnt Shadows: Unity and Division Combined (A Deconstructionist Approach)
Sarah H. Andrews-Weiss
Dr. Hena Ahmad, Faculty Mentor
In Kamila Shamsie's novel Burnt Shadows, a Japanese woman Hiroko begins a global journey to try and find a home in a world filled with hate and violence. Focusing on three main atrocities, the dropping of the atomic bomb, India's fight against British rule, and the 9/11 attack, Shamsie's novel, along with deconstruction, reveal how these events unify diverse people together while simultaneously distancing nations even more. This results in tension between Hiroko's national and individual identity. While her national identity as Japanese urges her to distance herself from other nations (especially America), as she traverses through various countries, her individual identity urges for a unifying of people, because even though she is Japanese, she is also a human being, both similar and connected to every other person, no matter their nationalities.
Keywords: deconstruction, unity, division, Burnt Shadows
Topic(s):English
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 410-3
Location: VH 1228
Time: 3:00