EXAMINING THE DECOLONIAL CULTURAL ETHOS IN KAMILA SHAMSIE'S HOME FIRE (2017)

Abstract

This study examines the depiction of the decolonial cultural ethos in Kamila Shamsie's "Home Fire" (2017), focusing on its narrative structure and character development to understand how the novel navigates postcolonial identities and power dynamics. The research problem centers on exploring the nuanced ways in which Shamsie's narrative challenges or reinforces the constructs of postcolonial identity within the context of contemporary global tensions. The objective is to elucidate the strategies employed by the characters to negotiate their identities in a world marked by colonial legacies, employing Walter Mignolo's decolonial theory as the analytical framework. Mignolo's concepts of the coloniality of power, border thinking, and the decolonial option provide the methodological lens through which the narrative and characters' actions are interpreted. The study concludes that "Home Fire" intricately weaves a decolonial cultural ethos through its portrayal of characters that embody and challenge postcolonial identities and dynamics, thereby contributing to the discourse on decoloniality and offering insights into the complexities of living in a postcolonial world.