THE INTERPLAY OF MIMICRY & IDENTITY: NAVIGATING BHABHA’S THIRD SPACE IN HANIF KURISHI’S MY SON THE FANATIC

Abstract

This study examines My Son the Fanatic (1994) by Hanif Kureshi, focusing on the characters of Pakistani immigrants through Bhabha's postcolonial concepts of Mimicry, Identity and Third Space. The intersection of Mimicry, Identity, and third space is a compelling investigation of main characters of the short story, Pervaz and Ali. Parvez embodies the struggle of colonized subject, mimicking colonizers while grappling with their cultural values. In contrast, his son Ali represents a radical rejection of the Western values in favour of strict adherence to the Islamic fundamental roots. The qualitative descriptive study examines the impact of navigating characters' identities where they are neither fully integrated nor wholly rejected. The interplay of Mimicry, Identity, and Third space creates, an ambiguous realm where identities are not fixed in Third Space. In this regard, the results provide significant information in researching the conclusion. The finding of this study is based on dynamic nature of Mimicry, Identity, and Third Space, a dynamic interplay of mimicry & Identity, illustrating an oscillating position within the third space between total assimilation and the rejection of one’s cultural heritage.