VEDA’S JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (JOELL)

An International Peer Reviewed (Refereed) Journal

Impact Factor (SJIF) 4.092           http://www.joell.in

EAST MEETS WEST: IDENTITY, POLITICS AND GENDER IN FADIA FAQIR’S MY NAME IS SALMA

Dr. Rupali Gupta

(Researcher, Jammu, J&K)

E-mail: Rupali.gupta07@yahoo.co.in

doi: https://doi.org/10.33329/joell.61.63

ABSTRACT

Faqir’s third novel My Name is Salma recounts the story of a shepherdess Salma of Hima who becomes pregnant out of wedlock. This puts her life in jeopardy as her brother Mahmoud intends to invoke the custom of honour killing. For her protection Salma lives in a prison and her daughter is immediately taken away from her after delivery. Then she flees to Lebanon and then to England. The text represents Salma’s reclaiming of her original identity since she is transported from one setting to another without any deliberate will on her part. She rejects her fragmented self that is embodied in the English diminutives of her name ‘Sal’ and ‘Sally’ but is able to participate actively in social life forming connections with people of various cultures. The paper explores how Salma keeps her Arab identity intact and takes charge of her life wherever she goes whether it is her native town, Hima, Lebanon or England.

Keywords:  Migration, identity, honour killing, diasporic, outcast etc.

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