Criticism of Identity in The Context of Migration, Culture, Religion: The Case of The Bamboo Stalk Novel

Identity has gained much more importance with the post-modern period. The individual who is part of the institutions of traditional life did not pursue a unique identity quest. Therefore, there is no possibility to assess individual identity. Hence, there is no identity crisis for the individual, and the question of whether they are satisfied with their identity or the possibility of changing it does not arise. It is necessary to mention institutions such as family, community, and religion that guide the individual in adopting a ready-made identity and conforming to it. Although the concept of the individual began to emerge in post-traditional life, the national identity concept did not offer the individual many choices. The difficulty arises from the effort to direct the individual towards national identity without encouraging individuality. On one hand, there is the free individual with decision-making freedom, and on the other hand, there is the effort to fit this free individual into a general framework. It is a challenging and exhausting process of acquiring an identity and an almost impossible identity to abandon. While the idea that this seemingly incompatible situation can be overcome with the post-modern understanding of identity seems logically consistent, this process has not been without problems. Being recognized as an individual, having the freedom to choose and change one's identity can be perceived as an advantage. However, there are many problems such as the individual having numerous identities that appear intertwined and inconsistent, being unable to experience the identity they have lived for a long time to be satisfied, and thus, there are issues of belonging. Kuwaiti writer Saud Alsanousi drew attention to the problems of identity in the post-modern era in his novel titled Bamboo Stalk. The protagonist of the novel, Isa, is struggling with an identity conflict. One of his most intense problems is related to religion because Isa's mother is a Filipino Christian, while his father is a Kuwaiti Muslim. Due to economic reasons, Isa's mother had to leave her education unfinished and migrate to Kuwait to work. While working as a maid for a wealthy family, she marries Rasit, the intellectual son of the family, which is opposed by their families' wishes. The Kuwaiti family's opposition to the Filipino bride is not a special case but is related to the society's view of non-Kuwaitis. Isa was born as a child of such an understanding and has been ostracized by his father's family from the moment he was born. Despite having been to return to the Philippines immediately after birth, Isa's mother did not raise him according to Christian traditions, hoping that one day he would return to Kuwait. However, due to the influence of his surroundings, Isa has a Christian culture. The act of his father reciting the call to prayer into his ear after birth and registering his name as Isa in the pronunciation of Muslims have triggered an identity crisis. His mother's inadaquate of information about Islam has deepened the problem. Perhaps due to the hesitation and insufficient interest from between the two religions, Isa has also become open to the religious guidance of his Buddhist friend Chang. Isa's return to Kuwait, despite carrying the Kuwaiti identity and his father being a recognized Kuwaiti figure, becomes problematic due to the traces of his Filipino roots on his face. This article focuses on discourse analysis, one of the qualitative data analysis methods, conducted on a specific novel. The identity crisis in the context of migration regarding religion-identity and culture-identity crises in the context of migration are discussed. The impasses imagined and experienced by the novel's protagonist, the efforts he makes to overcome these problems, are compared considering the developmental stages of identity. The problems of the study are as follows: How does the protagonist Isa perceive belonging in the context of migration and culture? How does Isa perceive belonging in the context of migration and religion? Do they have an impact on identity formation, and if so, how? In conclusion, identity crisis and lack of identity lead individuals into turmoil. Behavioral anomalies are observed in individuals who experience identity problems or struggle to choose an identity due to different factors.