Postcolonial Trauma and Identity Reformation inBharati Mukherjee’s Jasmine

Abstract

Postcolonial literary studies invariably document the exploitation of postcolonial subjects by imperial powers. The application of psychology to postcolonial studies not only offers an insight into the psyche of those who experienced slavery, forced migration, alienation, identity crisis, and colonization, but also connects to those who faced trauma. The present study explored postcolonial trauma in Jasmine by Mukherji. It analysed how colonial legacies affect a postcolonial woman's identity, leading to crises and psychological disintegration. Drawing on Frantz Fanon's postcolonial trauma theory, Braun and Clarke's six-step qualitative thematic approach helped explore the overarching themes of alienation and identity crisis in Jasmine. The protagonist endured colonial and migratory pressures, and her identity was transformed from Jyoti to Jasmine to Jase to Jane. The study found that trauma caused the cyclical nature of identity crisis. Alienation, fuelled by undocumented status and language alienation, aggravated her suffering; however, Jasmine’s empowerment was grounded in cultural hybridity, alienation, and identity crisis instead of assimilation. The findings revealed that trauma, while destructive, also initiated identity reformation of a postcolonial woman. The study concluded that the novel’s continued relevance lay in its contribution to debates on trauma and identity in postcolonial literature. This research opens pathways for future interdisciplinary studies, comparative literary criticism, and reestablishes Jasmine’s significance in exploring identity and trauma.