Lives Between Worlds:
Hyphenated Identity and the Experience of Dual Belonging in
Jhumpa Lahiri’s “Mrs. Sen’s” and “The Third and Final
Continent”
Dr. Junti Boruah
ABSTRACT
This paper examines the theme of hyphenated
identity and the experience of dual belonging in the short stories
“Mrs. Sen’s” and “The Third and Final Continent” by Jhumpa Lahiri.
Both stories portray the experiences of diasporic individuals who
live between two cultures and attempt to balance the memories of
their homeland with the unfamiliar realities of the new world. The
characters inhabit a state of cultural in-betweenness, where their
sense of belonging remains partial as they navigate between the
memories of their homeland and the expectations of the adopted
country.
Their experiences reflect a hybrid space where old traditions,
memories and new experiences interact continuously. This in-between
space becomes a site where conflicting values and emotions coexist.
Thus, rather than presenting assimilation as complete change, the
stories reveal how identity evolves through negotiation of different
cultural influences.
Instead of holding a fixed sense of identity, the characters reflect
a complex reality marked by multiple, sometimes contradictory
affiliations. By examining the narratives, the study highlights how
Lahiri presents the complex realities of diasporic life where
identities of individuals navigate overlapping cultural worlds
shaped by memories, longings and new beginnings.
Keywords: hyphenated identity, diaspora, in-between space, home
