Identity in Amy Waldman’s The Submission (2011) and Kamel Daoud’s The Meursault Investigation (2013)
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Date
2023
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Mouloud Mammeri University
Abstract
The present study investigated the issue of identity within two selected literary works: Amy Waldman’s The Submission (2011) and Kamel Daoud’s The Meursault Investigation (2013). The aim of this research paper has been to explore the complexities of an individual’s personal identity formation in the middle of societal expectations and impositions. Relying on Stuart Hall’s theory of Identity, this dissertation analyzed how the novels portray their protagonists’ identity development in two different contexts: post-9/11 America and postcolonial Algeria. The research, structured in two main chapters, The Self and the Other in Amy Waldman’s The Submission (2011) and Kamel Daoud’s The Meursault Investigation (2013),and Resurgence of Religion in the same novels. The Analysis of these two literary works together yielded three key findings. First, it confirmed the flexible and ever-shifting nature of identity, revealing that an individual’s identity formation is a transformative process influenced by historical backgrounds and societal perceptions. Second, the study revealed contrasting approaches to dealing with societal “Otherness”, demonstrating various ways characters navigate their sense of self in relation to external representations. Third, the research highlighted the significant impact of religious identity on self-understanding, showing how the resurgence of religion plays a crucial role in reshaping individual identities. These findings collectively proved that identity formation is a complex interplay between an individual’s personal choices and societal influences, as demonstrated across both literary works.
Description
66p. ; 30cm(+CD-Rom)
Keywords
Identity, Religion Self-perception, Other, Representation
Citation
Literature and Civilization