Hybridization, Mimicry, and Identity Formation in Monica Ali’s Brick Lane

This study critically examines Brick Lane (2007) by Monica Ali, focusing on the novel’s exploration of identity formation, hybridity, and mimicry within the context of postcolonial migration. Through Homi Bhabha’s theoretical framework, the analysis investigates how Ali portrays the complexities of diasporic identity, cultural negotiation, and intergenerational tensions among Bangladeshi immigrants in London’s Tower Hamlets. The protagonist, Nazneen, embodies the struggles of first-generation immigrants as she navigates the liminal space between her inherited traditions and the realities of her host society. Her journey toward self-determination is contrasted with the experiences of her husband, Chanu, whose failed attempts at assimilation highlight the limitations of mimicry and the psychological toll of cultural displacement. Similarly, second-generation characters, including Shahana and Razia’s children, illustrate the challenges of negotiating hybrid identities while resisting parental expectations. The novel underscores the ways in which migration disrupts rigid cultural binaries, offering hybridity as both a site of resistance and transformation. By contextualizing these struggles within postcolonial theory, this study contributes to a nuanced understanding of Brick Lane as a literary articulation of identity negotiation, cultural hybridity, and the ongoing impact of colonial legacies on diasporic subjectivities.