Growing up with Two Cultures. A Psychoanalytical Reading of "Anita and Me" by Meera Syal

My term paper is aimed at finding out, how Meena’s identity changes throughout the book and how growing up with two cultures affects this process. The analysis mainly sections into four parts: The first step will be to explain Freud’s fundamental theory, including his significant technical terms. After that, I will explain how the English and Indian culture are presented in the novel. Then I will transfer Freud’s hypotheses to Meena’s behaviour by finding appropriate examples in the novel. In the end I will complete my work by summing up my findings as well as reflecting them.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Human Identity in Theory
• Identity in Anita and Me
  • British and Indian Identity in Anita and Me
  • Meena's Identity
• Conclusion
• Bibliography

Objectives and Key Themes

This term paper aims to analyze the development of Meena's identity in Meena Syal's novel Anita and Me, particularly focusing on how growing up with two cultures influences this process. The analysis utilizes Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory, specifically his concept of the "Provinces of the Mind" - the id, ego, and superego.

• The impact of biculturalism on identity formation
• The role of Freud's psychoanalytic theory in understanding Meena's character
• The interplay of British and Indian cultural influences on Meena's identity
• The development of Meena's identity throughout the narrative
• The concept of "balancing act" between cultural identities

Chapter Summaries

The introductory chapter establishes the context of Meena's identity as a bicultural individual, referencing her awareness of being neither fully British nor Indian. It also introduces the main question of the thesis: how does Meena's identity evolve within the context of her bicultural upbringing?

The second chapter provides an overview of Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory, focusing on his concept of the "Provinces of the Mind." This includes explanations of the id, ego, and superego, their respective roles in personality development, and examples to illustrate their functions.

Keywords

This term paper focuses on the intersection of several key concepts: biculturalism, identity development, psychoanalysis, Freud's Provinces of the Mind (id, ego, superego), British and Indian cultures, and the novel Anita and Me by Meena Syal. Through exploring these concepts, the paper aims to understand how Meena's identity is shaped by her bicultural experiences.

Details

• College: University of Paderborn (Anglistik/Amerikanistik)
• Course: Meera Syal
• Grade: 1,3
• Author: Anonym (Author)
• Publication Year: 2017
• Pages: 16
• Catalog Number: V1321815
• ISBN (eBook): 9783346821164
• ISBN (Book): 9783346821171
• Language: English
• Tags: cultural intercultural bicultural culture psychoanalysis psychoanalytical reading anita and me meera syal meera syal close reading identity identification human identity british indian britain india british identity indian identity theory immigration immigrants immigrant personality personal development two cultures growing up with two cultures freud sigmund freud book novel analysis interpretation it id i ego above I above-I superego moral concept moral concepts ethical concept ethical concepts intermediator intermediators instinct instincts norm norms standard standards value values system value system norm system stereotype stereotypes prejudice prejudices english england gb great britain feist jess feist oyserman daphne oyserman elmore kristen elmore smith george smith concept self-concept self-perception self concept self perception self-image self image society societal childhood youth teenage teenagers teenie teenies socialisation socialization behavior behaviour verma gajendra verma gajendra k verma gajendra k. verma disadvantage disadvantages multiculture multicultural growing up growing growing up with cultures