Journal of Sociology of Art and Literature

Journal of Sociology of Art and Literature

A Comparative Study of the Formation of Transnational Identity in the Characters of Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America, The Namesake, and Interpreter of Maladies through the Lens of Postcolonial Criticism

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Fatemeh Diba 1
Seyed Abolghasem Hosseini (Zharfa) 2
Mohammad Esmaeili 3
1 MA of Dramatic Literature, Institute of Higher Education of Islamic Art and Thought Qom, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Institute of Higher Education of Islamic Art and Thought, Qom, Iran
3 Acting Graduate from Arjmand Art School, Tehran, Iran
10.22059/jsal.2026.353350.666209
Abstract
Immigration often leads individuals to distance themselves from their national identity and encounter new cultural environments in the host country. As a result, immigrants attempt to construct a new sense of self and eventually develop an intermediate or transnational identity. This process is particularly challenging for Eastern immigrants moving to Western societies due to cultural differences, stereotypical representations, and unequal power relations. This study aims to examine the representation of transnational identity and immigrant experiences in the works of Firoozeh Dumas and Jhumpa Lahiri from a postcolonial perspective.This research employs a comparative literary approach based on library research and analytical methods. The selected works of Lahiri and Dumas were analyzed through the lens of postcolonial criticism and transnational identity, drawing on the theoretical frameworks of Bhabha and Edward Said. The study focuses on the ways immigrant characters negotiate cultural differences and construct new identities within Western societies.The findings reveal that the fictional characters created by both authors ultimately develop a transnational identity. In confronting the challenges of East–West migration and adapting to new social and cultural environments, immigrants share similar experiences in various aspects of life, including marriage, customs, and belief systems. However, notable differences exist in the authors’ perspectives. Dumas presents a more authentic and detailed portrayal of the homeland, largely due to her direct lived experience in Iran, whereas Lahiri’s representation of India is shaped by inherited cultural memory rather than personal experience.The study concludes that transnational identity emerges as an inevitable outcome of the immigrant experience in both authors’ works. While the process of identity formation reflects common patterns of adaptation and cultural negotiation, differences in the authors’ personal backgrounds significantly influence their depictions of homeland and belonging. These findings highlight the importance of lived experience in shaping literary representations of migration, identity, and cultural hybridity.
Keywords
Eastern immigrant
Firoozeh Dumas
Jhumpa Lahiri
Postcolonial Criticism
Transnational Identity
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Journal of Sociology of Art and Literature
Volume 18, Issue 1
(spring & Summer 2026)
September 2026
Pages 133-152

  • Receive Date 03 January 2023
  • Revise Date 15 August 2023
  • Accept Date 09 September 2026
  • Publish Date 23 August 2026