Fragmented Nationhood and Enduring Colonial Legacies: Postcolonial Issues in the Fiction of Rohinton Mistry

Abstract

Rohinton Mistry, an Indian-born Canadian writer, has emerged as a prominent voice in postcolonial literature, portraying the nuanced and complex realities of post-independence India. His novels explore themes of displacement, identity, cultural hybridity, casteism, communalism, and the enduring scars of colonialism. Mistry’s fiction, set against the backdrop of historical and political turbulence, particularly the Emergency period and its aftermath, provides a scathing critique of neocolonial power structures and the legacy of imperialism. This paper examines the postcolonial issues embedded in Mistry’s major works, primarily Such a Long Journey (1991), A Fine Balance (1995), and Family Matters (2002). Through a critical analysis of these novels, the paper highlights how Mistry navigates the terrain of postcolonial identity and socio-political disillusionment while also exploring the role of narrative in preserving collective memory and resisting historical erasure.