Traversing Shattered Identities: A Postcolonial Analysis of Cultural Outlook in Chaker Khazaal’s Ouch!" - Shahnaz Parvin

Traversing Shattered Identities: A Postcolonial Analysis of Cultural Outlook in Chaker Khazaal’s Ouch!" Shahnaz Parvin Associate Professor Department of English Language and Literature Premier University Chattogram E-mail: sp_ctg@yahoo.com Cell No: 01819611782 Abstract: This study analyses the multicultural identity of Palestinian-Canadian author Chaker Khazaal, focusing on his memoir, Ouch!, and its portrayal of displacement and identity reconstruction. Khazaal’s narrative is rooted in his Palestinian heritage, experiences growing up in a Lebanese refugee camp, and his accepted identity to the world as a Canadian citizen. The research identifies a gap in the existing literature on the intersection of Palestinian refugee experiences in Lebanon and the first-ever paper identity of Canada, particularly in the context of storytelling as a means of reclaiming identity. Using postcolonial theory and refugee studies as their foundation, the study examines how Khazaal’s experiences in the camp influence his portrayal of survival, community bonds, and cultural memory. This research involves a close textual analysis of Ouch!, focusing on exile, assimilation, and the duality of belonging and discord. The findings highlight the unique narrative approach Khazaal employs to express cross-cultural experiences and the tension between longing for a homeland and adapting to a new cultural reality. The study offers insights into how fragmented identities in refugee literature serve as a platform for navigating cultural dislocation and reclaiming narratives of home and belonging. This investigation thus contributes to a deeper understanding of multiculturalism, identity, and the dynamics of diaspora within postcolonial frameworks, providing a bridge between refugee experiences in Lebanon and Canadian multicultural contexts. Keywords: Multicultural identity, Palestinian diaspora, Postcolonial Theory, Refugee studies, Chaker Khazaal