Ethnic identity and food culture in Asian American fiction

The present paper is devoted to the investigation of problems pertaining to the development of the national and ethnic identity in first- and second-generation immigrants through the analysis of literary works by Asian American writers: John Okada, Bharati Mukherjee, JhumpaLahiri, Maxine Hong Kingston, Frank Chin, and Mei Ng. During migration and the course of adaptation to new cultural environments, individuals are exposed to significant stresses linked to cultural bereavement and loss of a sense of belonging, which one enjoyed living in the origin country. Assimilation can be especially challenged in case the host culture embeds substantially disparate values and norms. In this situation, the conflict between one's ethnicity and nationality may arise and consequently interfere with a person's functioning and well-being. In this research, the focus is made on the study of various cultural practices and their roles in immigrants'acculturation and identity development. Cultural practices connected to food preparation and consumption are chosen as the central point of analysis because of the multitude of meanings associated with food and its representation in literature. The semantic analysis framework is used as the major tool for the interpretation of primary sources as it allows finding links between signs (culinary practices),signified (ethnic identity), meanings (in-group membership, and so forth), and contexts (conflicts between majority and minority cultures). The main findings reveal that first- and second-generation immigrants face a different set of problems in immigration. Cultural practices play an essential role in their efforts to cope with acculturative stress and to develop sound self-identification, yet strict adherence to culturally defined activities and lifestyles, as well as their avoidance, may have negative implications for individuals' welfare. Key Words: Ethnic identity, Asian American fiction, cultural practices, assimilation, "hybrid" identity, gender roles, stereotypes, food, traditions.