“I am an Englishman born and bred, almost”: Karim Amir’s (lack of) search for identity in Hanif Kureishi’s The Buddha of Suburbia

Abstrakt

"I am an Englishman born and bred, almost": Karim introduces himself at the beginning of

Hanif Kureishi's novel The Buddha of Suburbia. As a second-generation migrant, Karim is forced to externally deal with racism and internally to try to understand and construct his own identity. In my article, I argue that for Karim, his ethnic identity does not become his self- defining feature. Rather, it is his artistic mind and restless nature that are at the core of who he truly is as a human being and these characteristics are his driving force behind most of his actions. Nevertheless, even though Karim's own sense of self does not come from his ethnicity, everyone else judges his worthiness based on his racial origins. The article begins by discussing Karim's private life to examine to what extent his position in society is determined by being a second-generation migrant. Followingly, I consider Karim's acting career where I discuss the complexity of representation in art and Karim's moral dilemmas which often force him to choose between livelihood and dignity. Finally, I draw parallels between Karim's diasporic identity and how it coincides with the issue of gender and nationality.