Identity Crisis in Diaspora: A Study of Mengestu’s The Beautiful Things that Heaven Bears

Abstract

Emerging social, political and cultural issues around the globe have found sufficient space in world literatures, thereby widening the scope and importance of literature in general and making it a critical vehicle of change. It is in the same vein that this research paper aims at examining the impacts of immigration on individual identity and the impediments faced by migrants in adaptation in the context of DinawMengestu’s novel The Beautiful things that Heaven Bears. Applying William Safron’s theory of diaspora, the study attempts to describe the identity crisis experienced by the protagonist. Textual analysis has been used as a research method for this study. The study suggests how the African immigrants undergo the experiences of identity crisis or what they face in terms of issues related to their identity. Protagonist stands for the migrants who face hard times in naïve cultures. Study will enrich readers’ understanding of African diasporic literature.