The Embodied Sari as Political, Personal and Transformative in Monica Ali’s Brick Lane

Abstract

There is a vast landscape for diasporic perspectives within contemporary South Asian literary discourse. Amidst such dialogue, it is imperative that we revisit the pioneering work of diasporic authors such as Monica Ali. Her novel, Brick Lane (2004), marks a compelling, nuanced portrayal of Bengali diasporic identity that shifts beyond the tendency to assign fixed labels, embracing instead the dynamic tensions and dissonance that diasporic identities bring. In presenting the subjectivities of various Bengali immigrant women, she highlights further the space for contrast even within this diasporic identity ‘group’. I argue that the sari becomes an affective, embodied symbol of dynamism, geography, and feeling for Bengali immigrant women in the novel, representing simultaneous personal and political attachments that shift between characters and across time. I trace certain pivotal scenes within the narrative where the sari carries the subjectivities of its wearers, showcasing an affective capacity in South Asian garments to hold complex stories of place.