Major Issues
Author Links
Essay Questions

Major Issues

Bharati Mukherjee is a fictional chronicler of the 20th century immigrant experience in North America. Her writing has attracted the critical attention of postcolonial and immigrant literature scholars. Mukherjee’s characters struggle against racism, Old World versus New World conflicts, and psychological and cultural disorientation. Critics have examined Mukherjee’s position in the assimilation versus multiculturalism debates. Her characters are often torn between ethnic traditions and cosmopolitan modernity. Reviewers have noted the frequent occurrence of violence in Mukherjee’s fiction, and her focus on characters who must deal with its aftermaths. Individual, familial, and community identity is major theme in Mukherjee’s stories.

Author Links

Bharati Mukherjee
This page contains a short biography of Mukherjee, plus links to essays and interviews.

Bharati Mukherjee
A discussion of Mukherjee’s major themes, list of works, and links to related sites.

American Dreamer
In this article Mukherjee talks about racism in North America, multiculturalism, and her sense of identity as an American citizen.

Holders of the Word
Extensive interview in which Mukherjee talks about post-colonialism, language, critical reception, literary influences, and many other topics.

Savage Boulevards, Easy Streets
Review of 1998 short story collection in which "The Management of Grief" was published.