Postcolonial Readings of Identity and Resistance in Naemat Imam’s Novel “The Black Coat”

Abstract

This research aims to analyze the masterpiece novel “The Black Coat” by Neamat Imam through the lens of postcolonial theory. It focuses on the exploration of power, identity, and resistance in the postcolonial society in the novel. The novel follows the protagonist, Khaleeque Biswas, dealing with the effects of colonialism in a newly independent Bangladesh. This study will Employ key concepts from postcolonial theorists such as Homi Bhabha’s concept “hybridity”, “colonial trauma” by Frantz Fanon, “subaltern resistance” of Gayatri Spivak, and Edward Said’s idea of “cultural memory”, to critiques the persistent colonial legacies that shape both individual as well as national identities. The portrayal of a hybrid protagonist in the novel reveals the tensions between modernity and tradition and describes the psychological scars left by colonial rule on newly established states. The novel also addresses the individual alongside collective complexities of resistance against the prevalent postcolonial power structures. This study, broadly, emphasize the role of cultural memory in shaping national identity and focuses upon the fragmentation inherent in post-independence narratives. “The Black Coat” contributes to postcolonial discourse by offering a nuanced reflection on the intersections of identity, history, and resistance in the contemporary postcolonial landscape.