An analysis of the efforts of Karim and Haroon in their search for identities in Hanif Kureishi's the Budha of Suburbia

Budiman, Silvi (2003) An analysis of the efforts of Karim and Haroon in their search for identities in Hanif Kureishi's the Budha of Suburbia. Bachelor thesis, Petra Christian University.

Abstract

In The Budha of Suburbia, Hanif Kureishi, one of the post-colonial authors, raises a problem that is encountered by most ex-colonized people after the colonial period. Confusion and need for identity are experienced by these ex-colonized people as the effect of colonialism either in the ex-colonized country or the mother country. In this novel, Haroon and Karim, the main male characters, are used by Kureishi to describe the condition of a person who faces identity crisis for his being `hybrid?. Haroon, an Indian comes to England to get higher education, undergoes a crisis of identity as a result of the colonial education he got during his childhood. He becomes a person with the physical look of an Indian and the manner, the taste and the thought of an Englishman. While his son, Karim, faces crisis identity as a result of his condition as a ?hybrid?. This agony leads both Karim and Haroon to search for identity. Identity becomes a key word in this work. Therefore, the thesis writer wants to analyze the efforts of both Karim and Haroon in searching for identity. Since this work talks about the problems dealing with the search for identity of the ex-colonized in contemporary Britain, the thesis writer analyzes the efforts of Karim and Haroon in the form of cultural approach using post-colonial theories which are also supported by historical fact especially the history of colonial education and the history of immigrant and the discrimination in Britain. After analyzing the efforts, it can be seen that although Karim and Haroon are both `hybrid?, they have different efforts in searching for their identities. In addition, it is only through a long process of searching for identity that both Karim and Haroon are able to find identity they desire. Finally, it can be concluded that searching for identity is a typical post-colonial problem because one?s identity is shaped by colonization that always produces a ?hybrid`.

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