Analyzing Acculturation Strategies and Psychological Outcomes in Post-Colonial Narratives: A Study of "The Reluctant Fundamentalist" and "An American Brat" Using Berry's Acculturation Theory

Abstract

This research paper analyses the acculturation strategies and their psychological outcomes as depicted in postcolonial narrative. For this purpose, John W. Berry's Acculturation Theory is applied to analyze the protagonists in Mohsin Hamid's The Reluctant Fundamentalist as well An American Brat by Bapsi Sidhwa. It is a qualitative study that applies textual analysis technique to focus on the texts of the two selected novels. The research underscores the differential effects of these strategies in terms of their impact on cultural identity and emotional health by exploring Changez’s movement from acculturation to acculturation and Feroza's journey from separation towards integration. Based on textual analysis of the selected novels, these results illustrate how societal and cultural expectations powerfully shaped character experiences thereby showing that creating supportive environments is essential for a successful acculturation process within multicultural settings; with mixed findings about adaptive coping strategies. Here we have an insight into developing post-colonial identities and the nuances of navigating across cultures.