2022 IB Diploma Extended Essays

12

a Vietnamese boy. Linh reflects that Toan approved of her relationship, juxtaposing the opinion of “the olds” (36). Caswell employs this slang to highlight her opinion that Minh and Hoa’s judgement of a multi-racial relationship is outdated and unfit for the Australian world. Thus, as with Toan’s perspective on Tuyet’s beliefs, Caswell indicates that a significant socio generational paradigm shift is occurring as the family “[undergoes] the pressures and tensions of contemporary Australian suburban life” (Cole, 2007). While adults throughout the novel are restrained by traditional familial beliefs, Linh and Toan are eager to renounce these expectations, creating distance between themselves and elders. Caswell emphasises the impact of a generational ideology shift on Linh and Toan, suggesting that their novel ideas distance them from tradition. Thus, they lose connection to heritage due to hybridisation, impacting sense of self. While the texts vary in focus, each emphasises impacts of expectations on identity. Adiga suggests that Danny’s perception of taboo and his cultural guilt hinder his sense of self as his actions are largely dictated by social laws. Caswell discusses the identity contrast between older and younger characters to highlight the impact of cultural distance resulting from immigration. Both Adiga and Caswell emphasise the impact of social and cultural expectations, and consequential limitations on identity, suggesting that immigrants face self-uncertainty as a result of cultural hybridisation. Idolisation of Asian-Australian Immigrants Adiga’s use of religious imagery surrounding Prakash coupled with Danny’s veneration of fictitious author Kiran Rao initially suggest Danny’s eagerness to conform to Australian culture, and his idolisation of Asian-Australians. When connected with Danny’s encounters with immigrant Abe, readers are able to understand the identity impact of this glorification. In