![]() ![]() ![]() I argue that the lengths Ali goes to in order to establish the distinctness and individualisation of Nazneen’s experience, combined her depiction of fringe characters, such as Chanu and Razia, as they interact with London and British culture absolves Ali from the “burden of representation”. Rather, Ali seeks to create a more nuanced portrayal of how London uniquely shapes the life of a few immigrants and how in doing so, she evades totalisations of the immigrant experience in London. In this paper, I will argue how it is fruitless to interpret the inclusion of Hasina’s life in Dhaka as a foil intended to project certain messages about the ability of London to enrich an immigrant’s life through providing them with the tools to emancipate themselves. What critics tend to overlook, however, are the subtle ways in which Ali subverts or complicates both Nazneen and Hasina’s characterisations. ![]() The epistolary form of Hasina’s narrative – and its role in Nazneen’s life – is an issue that often perplexes readers and critics alike, especially given the seemed stereotypes that litter Hasina’s narrative. ![]() Monica Ali’s portrayal of London and Nazneen’s experience as an immigrant is, to a great degree, inflected by a comparison to which Ali repeatedly returns – Hasina’s experience in her homeland of Bangladesh. ![]()
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