Abstract

My thesis consists of a series of short stories that explore the intersectional cultural identity of the second-generation immigrant protagonist, 20-something Lauren. Mixing episodes from Lauren’s childhood and young-adulthood, the collection delves into ways that cultural heritage and family history can complicate the fashioning of one’s identity. The stories are set primarily in Montreal and the surrounding area.
The predominant use of first person point of view is intended to establish a strong voice for the main character, emphasizing the tension between Lauren’s tendency to over-think and her tendency for inaction. The reader is meant to feel immersed in her thoughts and her obsessive probing of the past.
Linked by common central characters, the stories deal with themes of home, belonging, inherited shame, and the complicated influence that ethnicity has on one’s identity and self-image.