GENDER, RACE AND IDENTITY: AN INTERSECTIONAL ANALYSIS OF ELHILLO’S HOME IS NOT A COUNTRY

Abstract

This research critically explores the composite features of race, identity, class and gender that are netted through Crenshaw’s (1989) perspective in Elhillo’s ‘Home is not a country’. Based on the emphasis placed on the main character’s path towards finding their self, the study concerns itself with how the main character fully engages in the process of both personal development and identity formation. Furthermore, the analysis provides deeper insight into the experiences of oppression faced by the protagonist in ‘Home is not a Country’ focuses on how race, gender, and other forms of immigration and financial barriers construct the hero’s subjectivity. Two predominantly narrative themes stand out in the novel; the issue of belonging and Islamophobia. The researcher examines these themes, as well as how they are portrayed and how they influence the process of identity construction of the protagonist. Thus, the researchers uncover the nuances of intersectionality in Elhillo’s ‘Home is not a Country’ and provide readers with better understanding of the diverse problems of cultural representation and identity both in the text and in the contemporary society. Lastly, the conclusion of this scholarly work elucidates the importance of intersectionality based on Elhillo’s selected novel. It does not only propel academic literature but also raises awareness and understanding among the general public about the significance of intersectionality in the construction of cultural selves and coping with the complexities of varied racial and identity crises.