Alienation and Identity in E.M. Forster’s A Passage to India and Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things: A Comparative study

Abstract

This study analyzes the themes of alienation and identity in E.M. Forster's A Passage to India and Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things, emphasizing the cultural and social conflicts influenced by colonial and postcolonial contexts. Both works examine the intricacies of identity development in countries contending with the lasting effects of colonialism, caste systems, and cultural hybridity. Forster’s depiction of colonial India underscores the alienation arising from the confluence of race, religion, and imperial authority, whereas Roy’s tale examines postcolonial Kerala, revealing the rifts within family and community instigated by caste discrimination and cultural conflict. This research reveals a notable gap in comparative studies of colonial and postcolonial Indian contexts, highlighting the connection between personal and political aspects of alienation in the formation of identity