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A PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDY OF ALIENATION AND QUEST FOR IDENTITY IN THE

NOVELS OF MANJU KAPUR Waseem Akram

Research Scholar, Bhagwant University Rajasthan Ajmer Dr. Manju Sharma

Bhagwant University Rajasthan Ajmer

Abstract:-The psychological term "identity crisis" is defined as "a time of ambiguity and disorientation during which a person's sense of self becomes unsteady, usually as a result of a shift in their expected goals or place in society." The tight cultural struggle that newcomers experience is always followed by their attempts to acclimatize or include, either to be recognised by a distinct identity as a racial group or to be absorbed. They therefore switch their attention between their social and cultural identities, which are in some ways ill-defined and mutable. Despite spending a significant period of time abroad, they have ties to their former countries that either directly or indirectly define who they are. The most well-known modern Indian English novelist is Manju Kapur.

Manju Kapur in her novel The Immigrant brings up the elements of identity crisis in the context of migration. This novel mentions all the troubles and traumas faced by immigrants in abroad. The immigrants always face a close cultural conflict which has always been followed by their attempts to adjust or engross, either to be known by a separate identity as a racial group or be assimilated. So they shift their focus between their social and cultural identities which are in a way unstable and fluid. Thus the present article tries to analyse the psychological study of the quest for identity and alienation in Manju Kapur‟s The Immigrant.

Keywords: Alienation, quest, identity, immigrant.

A person's sense of identity becomes unsteady during an identity crisis, which is described as a period of uncertainty and confusion, typically brought on by a change in their expected goals or social role. The phrase was first used by German-born psychologist and psychoanalyst Ericson, who is best known for his theory on “psychological development of humans.” Literature has defined and examined the journey of humanity's search for and discovery of identity throughout its history. The most well-known contemporary novelist in Indian English literature is Manju Kapur. At Delhi University's Miranda House, she teaches English literature. To date, she has published five novels and an anthology. After being released in 1998, her debut book Difficult Daughters won the prestigious Commonwealth Award.

Her third book Home, was published in 2006 and was nominated for the Hutch Crossword Prize. Her fourth book, The Immigrant, was published in 2008 and was nominated for the India Plaza Golden Quill Award and the DSC Prize of South Asian Literature in 2010. Her second book, A Married Woman was published in 2002 and was shortlisted for the Encore Award. Custody, her sixth book was published in 2011. Themes covered by Manju Kapur include lesbianism, the diaspora, social and economic forces, gender interactions and feminism. In her book The Immigrant, Manju Kapur discusses identity crisis in relation to migration. All the difficulties and tragedies experienced by immigrants overseas are discussed in this book.

The tight cultural struggle that immigrants experience is invariably followed by their attempts to acclimatise or engross, either to establish a distinct identity as a racial group or to blend in. They therefore switch their attention between their social and cultural identities, which are in some ways ill defined and mutable. Despite spending a significant period of time abroad, they have links to their former countries that either directly or indirectly define who they are. In his writings, G.S. Sharat Chandra describes this feeling of alienation as:

I leaped from one life to another, and in between lay nothing but vacuum… we remain at large distant and clothed by our separate worlds. We know that the bonds we shared while growing up do not unite us anymore… In these new worlds, immigrants readjust and reinvent themselves, struggling to find their place in an

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alien landscape, netting some gains but also incurring deep emotional losses… (The Immigrant 7)

The Immigrant by Manju Kapur tells the tale of Delhi based Nina Batra, a 30 year old single English Instructor at Miranda House, Delhi University. Nina and her mother are fighting to make ends meet in a cramped apartment after the loss of their diplomat father. On her 30t h birthday, the book opens with a bleak. she became aware of her dwindling chances for ma rriage. However, a trip to an astrologer changes the course of her life by arranging a meetin g with an RI dentist who travels from Halifax, Canada. After his parents were killed in an a ccident a few years ago, the prospective groom, Ananda, left New Delhi. Ananda brings a fo rm of loneliness to his marriage that is based on his perception of sexualinadequacy.

Suffering from premature ejaculation he has failed to have relations with Western women earlier. After an initial inertia, he secretly visits a therapist later and She was by herself to mull over her plight. However, she soon enrolls in a course in library science and has an extramarital relationship. The pair doesn't try to get to know or love one another.

Nina discovers that she is not just unprepared for the She finds a cultural gap in addition to the vast gaps in her barren relationship. Nina is alienated on two different levels She feels helpless in a strange country with only her husband to talk to. This relocation is not only an address change; it is also socio cultural.

Immigration leads to both literal and figurative border crossings. In addition to this, there is the oppression that women experience in societies where men predominate. Thus, the cultural alienation, identity loss, and diaspora related dislocation bring up a variety of viewpoints for authors who seek to depict these experiences in their work. The expatriates or immigrants are citizens of two nations. They therefore switch their attention between their social and cultural identities, which are in some ways ill defined and mutable.

Despite spending a significant period of time abroad, they have links to their former countries that either directly or indirectly define who they are. The search for identity and the problem of alienation are both explored in the book. Common themes including alienation, the displacement of Indian culture, the diaspora, and the search for identity are covered. It portrays loneliness and a concentration on one's own identity rather than the larger world. Should the immigrant try to integrate and become more like the people in his or her adopted country or keep at preserving his or her cultures and traditions in the face of an environment that threatens to smother them are just a few of the identity issues that are brought up by the narrator at the beginning of the book. It has to do with the concerns of the disenfranchised immigrants and their search for identity.

Ananda and Nina gradually transition from the strict vegetarianism of their childhood to an omnivorous diet, and Nina notices that she does the same with her wardrobe. She eventually moves from salwar kameez to Western attire after feeling unable to wear her saris. Finally, Nina cedes to the portrayal of her life abroad that Ananda gave her. Between the pair, a nagging identity dilemma began to emerge. Arguments, accusations, guilt, apathy, and finally adultery all follow to produce a marriage atmosphere very different from the one at the beginning. Nina experiences an identity crisis as a result of her first inability to balance her American and Indian identities.

This causes cultural isolation, which then causes personal isolation. Nina finds that life in Canada is totally different from Indian culture. When it first started, there was a sense of independence from the prying eyes of the family and neighbors. "No servant, landlord, landlady, neighbor, or mother was there to see," said the woman. The seclusion is pleasant at first, but it soon gives way to loneliness because there is no one with whom to chat or enjoy the simple joys of daily life. An Indian wife finds it more difficult to adapt to those circumstances. As homesickness sets in, she begins to feel alone in her emotions.

She could not be drawn to a mechanical existence with western cuisine .Other than reading books, she did nothing else. The tale is conceptually separated into two halves by Nina's life throughout the book. Nina goes to school for a masters degree in the second half after spending the first half clinging to her Indi n identity, values, and rituals. studies at the local university and, in doing so, gradually discovers her own freedom and identity in Canada after much finding of "feet." The dialogue between Ananda and Nina reflects a certain sense of the search for oneself as Nina sets her feet to be independent and declares, "I miss

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home," before giving birth. I miss working. I miss being active. I sense that I'm a shadow.

I'm nothing but your wife. (The Immigrant 222)

Ananda and Nina are searching for a peaceful cohabitation in married life, yet they are connected by their shared loneliness. When Nina's husband is away at work, she feels isolated and prefers to sleep, read, or go shopping for junk food that is high in sugar.

According to Kapur, "The power of shopping together cannot be overlooked in marriage."

Indians are known for appreciating their values and ethics, but when they are in a foreign country, they adopt a different outlook. According to Kapur, Nina feels estranged from Indian culture and is perplexed in her search for identity since "at the moment all she is a wife, and a woman is alone for long hours." Eventually, even novels won't be able to divert attention. When the house‟s attractiveness and convenience is no longer sufficient to fully make up for it. She then understands that she will always be an immigrant. (The Immigrant 122) Nina claims that “some Indians become immigrants slowly and that she cannot discover a means to escape her estrangement. They do not belong to the group of people who have left persecution, poverty, starvation, enslavement, or threats of death, nor do they belong to the group for whom the doors of their nation slam shut the moment they cross its borders. (The Immigrant 120) Due to diverse languages, customs, cultures, traditions, beliefs, and attitudes, Indian immigrants experience identity issues and alienation.

When people, like Ananda and Nina, struggle with internal issues, the fusion of East and West ideals makes them feel estranged. The conflict between Indian culture and Western influence causes people to have psychological difficulties. This makes the in depth psychological analysis of alienation and the search for identity important in the context of immigration difficulties. Even though the novel is set in the 1970s, Manju Kapur's portrayal of emotions of alienation and dislocation will undoubtedly resonate with modern Indian immigrants who are attempting to adapt to life in the West on the one hand and life in the West on the other. The pair lives simultaneously in two different civilizations and they experience a variety of losses, including those related to their identity, loved ones, financial stability, and social position. They also worry about the future of their own faith.

The first inability of Nina to She experiences an identity crisis as she tries to balance her American and Indian identities.This causes cultural isolation, which then causes personal isolation. Ananda encountered the terrible loneliness that comes with being a new immigrant when he made his first trip to Halifax. He missed the intimate aspects of Indian living, the shared meals, the flavorful spices, and the vegetarian diet he was used to while he was at his uncle's house. However, his sense of rejection quickly subsided as he absorbed western society. His feeling of alienation persists despite the fact that he establishes himself as a reputable dentist and works hard to prove that he is more Canadian by nature than Indian. Soon after arriving in Canada, he takes the name Andy and begins eating meat. But Nina finds it more difficult to adjust. Using the name Andy at home, in her opinion, invites estrangement into the bedroom. Kapur examines the unique difficulties that young immigrant women encounter in wives face in their life. They are already so pressured in professional and the immigrant who enters as a wife encounters greater challenges. If she has employment, it will come later and only after much regaining her footing. As the author claims: Nina doesn't understand why this is taking place to her.

She holds a current visa. She is honorable, devout, fearful of God, and deserving. She is on edge since she is alone with the lady, who avoids eye contact and treats her like a subhuman. Despite being addressed as ma'am, there is no sign of respect. Nina is used to receiving respect. It came with her social standing, education, accent, and clothing. (The Immigrant 107

WORKS CITED

1. Chandra, Sharat. G.S. “Immigrants of Loss” Hippopotamus Press, 1991.

2. Kapur, Manju. The Immigrant. New Delhi: Random House India, 2008. Print.

3. Sharma. S.L. “Perspectives on Indians Abroad.” The Indian Diaspora. Ed. N. Jayaram. New Delhi : Sage Publications, 2004. Print.

4. Dr. Rajesh, S. Latane, „Alienation and Quest for Identity in Manju Kapur‟s „The Immigrant‟ RJMS, Volume- 1, Issue- 1.

5. Wolfreys, Julian. “The J. Hillis Miller Reader by Julian Wolfreys” (2005-02-03) Paperback – stanford University Press, 1856.