Liminal Margins and the Appropriation of the Inherited Codes and Imposed Patterns in Abdulrazak Gurnah’s The Last Gift

Abstract

The study explores the immigrant’s identity crisis in Abdulrazak Gurnah’s The Last Gift from the lens of hybridity and liminality. It analyses how the host society determines identity formation and the tension they experience between their cultural heritage and the prevailing norms of the host culture. As described by Turner, liminality accounts for the transitions that Gurnah’s characters experience while shaping their identities. Their adaptation to Western traditions impacts their cultural identities, making Bhabha’s ideas of hybridity and mimicry particularly relevant. The characters’ struggles to assimilate illustrate their liminality as they struggle with preserving their authentic culture. Second-generation immigrants also confront the challenges of balancing assimilation with a desire to reconnect with their roots. The characters embody hybrid identities, navigating their differences while keeping inherited codes and imposed acts that indicate the elements of liminality and hybridity at a time. By the end of the novel, both characters exhibit enriched hybrid identities, demonstrating the crucial role of liminality and hybridity in their identity formation throughout the novel.