The dynamic interplay between first- and second-generation immigrants remains a central theme in contemporary diasporic literature. Jhumpa Lahiri, with her acclaimed works The Namesake (2003) and Interpreter of Maladies (1999), delves deeply into the evolving relationships within immigrant families, focusing on themes of identity, belonging, cultural conflict, and generational divide. This paper examines how Lahiri’s nuanced portrayal of the Ganguli family in The Namesake and various characters in Interpreter of Maladies reflects the shifting boundaries between the immigrant experience of parents and their American-born or Americanized children. By closely analysing primary texts and integrating scholarly discourse, this research explores the ways Lahiri presents intergenerational tensions, negotiation of cultural values, and the quest for selfhood. The study further highlights the emotional and psychological complexities that define the immigrant journey, such as the tension between tradition and assimilation, nostalgia for the homeland, and the desire for acceptance in a foreign land. Ultimately, the analysis underscores Lahiri’s literary contribution to understanding the hybrid identities and interpersonal dynamics that shape the diasporic subject in transnational contexts.
P G Dept of English Magadh University, Bodh-Gaya
