CONFORMITY AND CONFLICT: READING IDENTITY IN SHYAM SELVADURAI’S FUNNY BOY AND CINNAMON GARDENS

The pressure to conform to the needs of the majority has a profound impact on the identity of an individual. Individuals are often forced to conform to behavioral codes that are deemed ‘right’ or ‘acceptable’ by the majority. This often results in conflict. Failure to conform, on the other hand, would result in the victimization and the ostracization of an individual by the group. This article focuses on Shyam Selvadurai’s Funny Boy and Cinnamon Gardens and his projection of identity. Selvadurai’s books project the effects of forced conformity on the identity of an individual and the damage that can result from it.