BHARATI MUKHERJEE’S JASMINE: CULTURAL CONFLICT AND QUEST FOR IDENTITY

In the postmodern world, where identities are both reduced and multiplied ironically, concepts such as globalization and multiculturalism have emerged to define the new world order. while the world is shrinking into a global village where differences melt into similarities, cultures and groups outside the dominant ideology find out ways to put forward their diversity. on the other hand, so much confusion on the topic brings identity crisis forth which can be summarized as a difficulty of finding a fixed place for oneself. the indian author bharati mukherjee’s novel jasmine is the story of a young indian woman who experiences identity crisis and cultural conflict both in and out of her own culture. this paper will shed light on the identity crisis and cultural conflict of the east and women in opposition to the dominant power of the west and men with references to mukherjee’s jasmine within the framework of multicultural and feminist perspectives.