GENDER,NATION AND IDENTITY IN AHDAFSOUEIF’SSANDPIPER

Abstract

AhdafSoueif is a diasporic writer whose work is laced with feministic under tones, portraying the struggle between the identities of lover, mother and individual in each woman. In her short story ‘Sandpiper’ the struggle between her different identities along with her choice of nationality is portrayed. Soueif was born in Egypt and later moved to England. Her work is a mirror of the immigrant’s woes of the land that she adopted and the land that she abandoned. The layers of conflict include the identity of nationality, gender roles, and the struggle for choices. The loss of the self with the birth of a mother is brought out with craft and finesse. The research paper proposes to identify the feministic ideas in the story along with the theme of identity crises that accompanies diasporic writing. The paper attempts to highlight the contrast as seen through the eyes of the protagonist.