Problems of Alienation and Assimilation : The Short Stories of Jhumpa Lahiri and Chitra Banerjee Divakarun

In Postcolonial literature Indian diaspora today has emerged with multiplicity of histories variety of cultures traditions and a deep instinct for survival. The process of survival of the diasporic individual/community between the home of origin and the world of adoption becomes the seminal motif of the narratives woven around the lives of these relocated characters. It is a vacillation between roots and wings oscillating continuously from longing to belonging: a voyage from alienation to final assimilation. Jhumpa Lahiri as an American - Indian as well as Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni Indian - American novelist have made deep marks on the world literary canvass. Their stories honestly depict the issues faced during their own cultural relocation. Their characters are displaced (alienated) from their land of origin to USA where they are simultaneously invisible and excessively vulnerable as a racial minority till they finally relocate (assimilate) in USA as naturalized citizens. The stories by the two authors give us a clear vivid and complete picture of the working of the two societies -Indian and American. The readers entirely empathize with the protagonists and can relate to their psyche feelings and imagination. This work encapsulates the various journeys undertaken by the fictional characters and can be a rich source for further angles of inquiry leading to more research on diverse themes related both to the diasporic writers and their fictional worlds.