Postcolonial Loss of Identity and the Food Metaphor: Contemporary Indo-Pak Women Writers

Abstract

Most postcolonial texts document a loss of identity, and a struggle to regain a lost
self. Of all the devices used to explore this personal domain, the metaphor of food
is the most potent and intimate. This paper aims to examine four books written by
authors from the Indian Sub-continent that centre on identity issues in the wake of
colonisation on various levels. In particular, it traces the food metaphor throughout
the texts, looking for parallels in thought and expression. The striking similarity of
a culinary vocabulary across these writings is a revelation in the understanding of
the postcolonial predicament.