Entangled family histories of the South Asian diaspora: The Partition of India as generational memory in Anjali Enjeti’s The Parted Earth (2021)

Abstract

This article examines the Partition of India as generational memory in the novel The Parted Earth (2021) by Anjali Enjeti, focusing in particular on entangled family histories of the postcolonial South Asian diaspora. I argue that the current generation of South Asian writers, especially women writers settled abroad, engage with the Partition from a new angle, as their novels cross temporal and spatial borders and span decades and generations. To this end, I concentrate on the lives of three generations, their intertwined histories and memories, and their perception of home/land, which is one of the most prominent characteristics of the diasporic condition. The article stresses that the novel deals with generational memory not only to recall the sufferings and sacrifices of the Partition generation and provide new perspectives on the Partition phenomenon, but also to appeal for unity and reconciliation to heal wounds, so that peace can be restored in the subcontinent.