Linguistic and Social Mimicry in Post-9/11 Diasporic Fiction: A Comparative Study of Burnt Shadows and Home Boy

Abstract

This paper examines how linguistic and social mimicry has been depicted in post-9/11 diasporic fiction in Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie and Home Boy by H. M. Naqvi. It elaborates on the idea of mimicry, as theorized by Homi K. Bhabha, in describing how diasporic characters attempt to gain acceptance in culturally and politically charged environments by mimicking dominant western linguistic and social norms. The study uses the method of qualitative textual analysis that highlights specific moments in the story that demonstrate linguistic, accentual and social performances. It shows that linguistic mimicry is a symbolic capital which enables limited inclusion in the dominant society and yet it is a way to assert the difference of the subject. Social mimicry is also a process of integration and preservation, highlighting fluidness and variability of diasporic identity in the post-9/11 world. The research demonstrates that mimicry is not just a matter of imitation, but a dynamic negotiation that is shaped by power structures, cultural dynamics and geopolitical pressures. This paper highlights the ambivalent nature of mimicry by juxtaposing the two texts, where the identities created through mimicry are accepted and rejected. It adds to postcolonial literary scholarship by highlighting the importance of language and social performance in the formation of diasporic identity.