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

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.