PERFORMING FOOD AND COMMUNICATING CULTURE IN DIASPORA IN SELECTED WORKS OF CHITRA BANERJEE DIVAKARUNI

Abstract

Food may be a simple construct, sufficing physical hunger, but it contains complex meanings, which can help further cultural conversations within literature. Current scholars argue for food as an effective lens to study texts. This study explores the relevance of food, as a cultural signifier, within the texts of Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, a contemporary Asian American author. The central argument delves into the different meanings constituted within food, that perform the migrant-homeland relationship in Before We Visit the Goddess and The Unknown Errors of Our Lives. Food is at the heart of Divakaruni’s imaginative writing, and establishes several aspects of community through its influence on characters, plots, narrative structure and settings. The use of these two texts help establish the food metaphor, as a key trope in Divakaruni’s works, its instrumental role in sustaining a connection with her readers, and her success within the field of Asian American literature.