Figures of immigrants and their descendants in postmodern Canadian literature: problems with dislocation; collapse and reconstruction of identity

master's thesis

• Title (croatian): Figure imigranata i njihovih potomaka u postmodernoj kanadskoj književnosti: problemi s izmještenošću; kolapsom i rekonstrukcijom identiteta
• Author: Leona Baričević
• Mentor: Vanja Polić (mentor)
• Mentor: Dean Duda (mentor)
• Committee member: Nikica Gilić (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Vanja Polić Jurković (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Dean Duda (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; (Department of English language and literature); Zagreb
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; (Department of Comparative literature); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2019-09-30, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Philology; Anglistics
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Philology; Comparative Literature

Abstract

In this thesis three works of postmodern Canadian literature have been discussed – a selection from Margaret Atwood’s collection of poems The Journals of Susanna Moodie published in 1970, a selection from Rohinton Mistry’s collection of short stories Tales from Firozsha Baag published in 1978, and Dionne Brand’s 2005 novel What We All Long For. The goal of the analysis was to present the depiction of immigrant experience at three different points in contemporary Canadian history (mid-19th century, 1970s, 2000s) with regard to the historical and cultural contexts of the time of immigration; as well as to the protagonists’ race, ethnicity, class and social status. In the case of Dionne Brand’s novel, second generation immigrants have also been discussed in order to show how the immigrant experience of their parents affects them and shapes their identities. The analysis was conducted by employing postcolonial theories, considering that the theme of each work concerns the effects of colonization in a different way. The analysis has shown in which way the characters are coping with the sense of displacement and the collapse of identity due to dislocation, as well as in which way they rebuild their identities in the new land and if they are able to achieve reconciliation with their immigrant state of doubleness. In the case of Brand’s novel, it has been shown how the members of second generation contextualize themselves in the multicultural Canadian society with regard to their hybrid identities and marginalization they experience as members of visible minority groups. It has been concluded that only some of the analysed characters reach the stage of rebuilding an identity and reconciliation with doubleness, which results in a hybrid identity. Furthermore, is has been concluded that the Canadian official multicultural policy has not resulted in overcoming discrimination and marginalization of visible minority groups, as well as that an unambiguous definition of Canadian national identity remains unattainable.

• Keywords: Canada; postcolonialism; immigrants; identity; multiculturalism
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:131:411289
• Study programme: Title: English Language and Literature (double major); specializations in: Linguistics, Literature and Culture, Translation, TEFL; Course: Literature and Culture; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra engleskog jezika i književnosti (magistar/magistra engleskog jezika i književnosti)
• Study programme: Title: Comparative Literature (double major); Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra komparativne književnosti (magistar/magistra komparativne književnosti)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2019-10-10 15:57:11