"Exploring Existentialism through Jhumpa Lahi...

"Exploring Existentialism through Jhumpa Lahiri's Narrative: Perspectives on Identity, Belonging, and the Diasporic Experience"

Author Name : Devinder Kumar, Dr Ravinder Kumar

ABSTRACT This paper delves into the existential themes present in Jhumpa Lahiri's works, offering a comprehensive thematic analysis of her exploration of identity, belonging, and the diasporic experience. By examining her characters' existential struggles, it analyses how Lahiri portrays the complexities of selfhood and cultural displacement. The paper investigates how Lahiri's narratives, rich in postcolonial perspectives, depict the nuanced realities of individuals caught between cultures, grappling with feelings of alienation and the search for meaning. Her characters often confront the challenge of reconciling their inherited cultural identities with their lived experiences in new environments, leading to profound reflections on self and existence. This thematic analysis highlights how Lahiri's work provides a critical lens through which we can examine broader existential questions and their impact on contemporary discussions of identity and the human condition. Through this exploration, we gain deeper insights into how Lahiri's storytelling captures the essence of the diasporic experience, shedding light on the universal quest for belonging and self-understanding amidst the complexities of a multicultural world.