NEGOTIATING TRADITION AND MODERNITY: FEROZA'S IDENTITY IN A POSTCOLONIAL WORLD IN BAPSI SIDHWA'S AN AMERICAN BRAT

Bapsi Sidhwa is a prominent writer who discusses various issues in her novels. In Sidhwa's works, the multiple aspects of Parsee-Pakistani-American culture are reflected. Especially, it's reflected more in An American Brat. Sidhwa depicts the Parsee culture and its values through the character of Feroza. The novel An American Brat deals not only with the transformation of Feroza but also with the cultural issues, identity, and assimilation that several immigrants face. Feroza’s conflict as a young girl between the fundamentalist way of living in Pakistan and the liberal way in America becomes the heart of the novel. The transformation exposes her to new ideas, cultures, customs, and ways of life that are different from what she has been taught. Her cultural transformation does not occur easily and takes place after several instances of alienation and crisis. Through Feroza, her parents also undergo cultural shifts, illustrating the issues faced by immigrants differently. In Pakistan, she learns the familial roles of wife and mother. But in America, women get more opportunities in education, career, and societal roles. This shows that the space for women is broader but also overwrought. This leads Feroza to ultimately accept both cultures, a sign of her cultural transformation. The exposure confuses Feroza, but she understands the values and beliefs through education. The paper focuses on the Tradition and Modernity of Feroza as an immigrant.