Analyzing Diasporic Ambivalence in Elif Shafak’s The Island of Missing Trees

Abstract

The present research is an attempt to explore diasporic ambivalence in Elif Shafak’s novel The Island of Missing Trees. The entire novel is about lives of Kostas family, who migrate from Cyprus to England to protect themselves from violence and bloodshed. It is a serious work, depicting issues faced by the diaspora community with love-hate relationships simultaneously. Diaspora studies consist of literary writings which revolve around lives of immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers in a foreign land. The novel under the present research depicts diasporic ambivalence of Cypriot characters who express a love-hate relationship for Cyprus as well as England. They flee Cyprus because it is unworthy of residence and prefer England to their homeland, Cyprus. After facing untoward circumstances therein, they recall Cyprus and idealize her in their daily life. In all, their lives are caught between two lands, causing psychological problems for Kostas, Defne and their daughter, Ada. They become asocial, superstitious, introverted, and alienated. Memories of their ancestral land bring about psychic wounds, making them the threshold of an identity crisis. This motivates Kostas family to return to their homeland, Cyprus, in search of normalcy. The study of diasporic ambivalence is very important as it suggests that readers should help stabilize their homeland lest they should flee their country.