Cultural Clash and Diasporic Identity in Bapsi Sidhwa’s An American Bra

This paper explores the themes of cultural conflict, diasporic identity, and
gender politics in An American Brat by Bapsi Sidhwa. The novel presents the
transformative journey of Feroza Ginwalla, a young Parsi woman sent from Pakistan
to the United States, where she undergoes a profound cultural and psychological
evolution. Through humour and social realism, Sidhwa examines the complexities of
expatriation, identity crisis, and inter-community relationships within the Parsi
diaspora. The study highlights how Westernization and patriarchal norms influence
identity formation, particularly for women, and interrogates the rigid cultural
structures that govern marriage and community belonging. The paper argues that the
novel reflects the broader diasporic condition of negotiating between tradition and
modernity, ultimately portraying identity as fluid and evolving.