Monica Ali is a British author who was born in 1967 in East Pakistan (as Bangladesh was called then) to a Bangladeshi father and English mother. The family had to move to England due to the civil war in 1971. Monica Ali studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Wadham College, University of Oxford and later worked in design and publishing. Brick Lane, her debut novel, caused a sensation and controversy back in 2003 when the novel was first published, and again in 2007 when the novel was made into a film.
Brick Lane is about a Bangladeshi woman who came to England at the age of eighteen due to an arranged marriage knowing only two words in English: “sorry” and “thank you”. Nazneen struggles to adjust to her new life as a wife and an immigrant in a new country. On her journey of adjusting she learns new things (“ice e-skating”, making money by sewing, the English language) and makes new friends. One of them, a younger man, even becomes her lover. He opens a new world for her and contributes a lot to her personal growth. She finds strength to fight against a mean usurer and even Fate itself.
The novel brings up a lot of issues for discussion, such as feminism, racism, post-colonialism, fatalism, Islam in a modern multicultural society, and problems of cultural minorities. In this paper I would like to consider problems of integration of such cultural minorities in the modern British society as exemplified by three families described in Monica Ali’s novel Brick Lane.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Post-colonial immigration: Muslims, Bangladeshi in particular, in Britain
3. Notion of Acculturation
3.1 Integration and Assimilation as acculturation strategies
4. Integration and assimilation in the novel
5. Conclusion: successful integration
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the challenges of integration and acculturation faced by cultural minorities in modern British society, using the experiences of three specific families in Monica Ali’s novel "Brick Lane" as a analytical framework.
- Historical context of post-colonial immigration in Britain.
- Theoretical definitions of acculturation, integration, and assimilation.
- The role of language and employment as key factors for successful integration.
- Comparative analysis of acculturation strategies within the novel's characters.
- Distinction between the processes of integration and full cultural assimilation.
Excerpt from the Book
4. Integration and assimilation in the novel
Three families in the novel show very different degrees of acculturation. First of all this is Nazneen and Chanu’s family. At the beginning of the novel they separate themselves from the British society. Although Chanu has English colleagues, he does not seem to be fond of them or to want to become friends with any of them. He refers to them as “the white underclass” (Ali 2004, p. 38). However it was not always like this. When Chanu first came to England at the age of twenty four, he had a degree in English Literature from Dhaka University, was full of hopes and dreams, he wanted to integrate in the English society: “When I was a young man [...] I wanted to be a British civil servant. I was going to sit all the exams and be a High Flyer, Top Earner, Head of Department, Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Secretary, Right-hand Bloody Man of the Bloody Prime Minister.” (ibid., pp. 373f). After years of struggling for respect, waiting for a promotion and being underestimated he ends up working as a “driver number one six-one-nine” (ibid., p. 209). His views have changed, now he is “just taking the money” (ibid., p. 214) and wishes to go home, back to Bangladesh.
Nazneen follows her fate and obeys the rules of being a good Muslim wife. She does not leave the estate alone: “Why should you go out? [...] I get everything for you that you need from the shops” (ibid., p. 45). She does not learn English: “Where’s the need anyway?” (ibid., p. 37). It is later when she becomes curious about “ice e-skating” that she expresses her wish to learn it. The first “real” contact with this so alien for her British culture happens when she gets a letter from her younger sister. Hasina, who eloped in a "love marriage”, wrote that she left her husband, who was beating her, and ran away to Dhaka. Having reacted highly emotionally to this letter, Nazneen leaves not only the estate but also Brick Lane, where she is familiar with everything.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction outlines the author's background and introduces the narrative of Monica Ali's "Brick Lane," establishing the focus on the integration problems of cultural minorities in Britain.
2. Post-colonial immigration: Muslims, Bangladeshi in particular, in Britain: This chapter traces the historical roots of Muslim and Bangladeshi immigration to Britain, highlighting the socio-economic conditions that led to the formation of communities in areas like East London.
3. Notion of Acculturation: This section provides the theoretical foundation for the study, explaining core sociological concepts such as acculturation, integration, and assimilation based on existing academic models.
3.1 Integration and Assimilation as acculturation strategies: This sub-chapter details Berry's model of acculturation, emphasizing language and employment as critical factors for minority groups to participate in the host culture.
4. Integration and assimilation in the novel: The chapter applies the previously established theories to analyze the varying acculturation strategies of the Chanu/Nazneen, Razia, and Dr. Azad families within the fictional context of the novel.
5. Conclusion: successful integration: The paper summarizes the findings, concluding that integration is a long-term, bidirectional process that must be clearly distinguished from full cultural assimilation.
Keywords
Monica Ali, Brick Lane, Integration, Assimilation, Acculturation, Migration, British society, Bangladeshi community, Cultural identity, Post-colonialism, Social integration, Multiculturalism, Identity, Diaspora, Labor market.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper explores the challenges and varying strategies of integration and assimilation for Bangladeshi immigrants in Britain, as depicted in the novel "Brick Lane."
What are the central themes discussed?
The work focuses on feminism, post-colonialism, cultural identity, religious heritage, and the socio-economic struggles of immigrant families.
What is the primary research goal?
The aim is to analyze how different characters in "Brick Lane" navigate the transition into a modern Western society and to define what constitutes "successful" integration.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The author uses a literary analysis approach, combined with sociological theories of acculturation (specifically Berry’s model) to interpret the fictional narratives.
What content is covered in the main body?
The main body moves from a historical overview of immigration to a theoretical definition of acculturation, followed by a comparative analysis of three specific families in the novel.
Which keywords best describe this research?
Keywords include Integration, Assimilation, Acculturation, Monica Ali, Brick Lane, Bangladeshi community, and cultural identity.
How does the author define the difference between integration and assimilation?
The paper posits that integration involves maintaining cultural identity while participating in host society, whereas assimilation implies a loss of native cultural values in favor of the host culture.
What is the significance of the character Mrs. Azad?
Mrs. Azad serves as a contrast to the other characters, representing a state of full cultural assimilation rather than integration, and challenging traditional perceptions of identity.
Why are language and employment considered crucial?
The research emphasizes that without language skills and financial independence, immigrants are marginalized and unable to fully participate in the host society.
- Citation du texte
- Anastasia Sherstneva (Auteur), 2012, Integration and Assimilation in Monica Ali's Novel "Brick Lane", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/294101
