Comparative Analysis of Postcolonial Identity in Contemporary Fiction and Poetry

Thesis Abstract

This study explores the manifestation and negotiation of postcolonial identity through a comparative analysis of contemporary fiction and poetry, addressing the persistent ambiguities and tensions inherent in postcolonial discourses within literary expressions. The research aims to elucidate the ways in which different literary forms depict, challenge, and reconstruct postcolonial identities, thereby contributing a nuanced understanding of identity formation in postcolonial contexts. Specific objectives include examining thematic representations of cultural hybridity, resistance, diaspora, and national identity; analyzing stylistic and diction patterns across genres; and assessing the extent to which literary works reflect or subvert prevailing postcolonial theoretical frameworks, notably Homi K. Bhabha’s theories of hybridity and subaltern agency and Edward Said’s Orientalism. Employing a qualitative research design, the study engaged a purposive sample of twenty-five contemporary postcolonial works, comprising fifteen novels and ten volumes of poetry authored between 2000 and 2022. The selection included recognized authors from Caribbean, African, and South Asian backgrounds, ensuring diversity in cultural perspectives. Data collection involved a comprehensive textual analysis complemented by thematic coding using NVivo software, grounded in a constructivist paradigm. Thematic analysis facilitated the identification of recurrent motifs, narratives, and stylistic features related to postcolonial identity, with particular attention to hybridity, resistance, and cultural memory. Additionally, the study incorporated discourse analysis to critically examine language use, power relations, and representational strategies within the texts. Data were analyzed via a combination of thematic coding and critical discourse analysis, enabling the extraction of patterns and the evaluation of how literary forms influence the conceptualization of postcolonial identities. The study also applied Bhabha’s theory of hybridity and Said’s Orientalism as interpretive frameworks to contextualize findings within established postcolonial theories. Reliability was ensured through intercoder agreement, while validity was maintained by iterative coding and peer debriefing sessions. Expected findings suggest significant thematic convergences and divergences across fiction and poetry in their treatment of hybridity, diaspora, and resistance. Fiction tends to depict postcolonial identities as dynamic and conflicted, emphasizing narratives of negotiation and resilience, whereas poetry frequently adopts a more fragmented and symbolic approach, probing personal and collective memory. The research anticipates that stylistic disparities reflect genre-specific modes of engagement, with poetry utilizing lyrical devices to evoke emotional and cultural immediacy, and fiction employing narrative structures to explore complex identities over time. This study contributes to knowledge by offering an integrative comparative framework for analyzing postcolonial identities across literary genres, advancing understanding of how contemporary writers negotiate postcolonial subjectivities and cultural histories. It fills existing gaps by examining poetry alongside fiction, thus providing a more comprehensive portrayal of literary representations of postcoloniality. The findings underscore the importance of genre-specific strategies in representing postcolonial struggles and affirm the relevance of hybridity and subaltern agency as central interpretive tools. In conclusion, the research affirms that fiction and poetry serve distinct yet interconnected functions in articulating postcolonial identities, with implications for literary theory, cultural studies, and postcolonial criticism. Recommendations include the integration of genre-focused literary analysis into postcolonial studies curricula and the encouragement of further interdisciplinary research incorporating visual arts and digital media. Future research could expand to include comparative studies involving other cultural regions or explore the impact of digital dissemination on postcolonial literary expressions. This study ultimately advocates for a multi-dimensional approach to understanding postcolonial identity, recognizing the diverse modes through which contemporary writers challenge, subvert, and redefine their cultural and political realities.