UZBEKISTAN STATE UNIVERSITY OF WORLD LANGUAGES

Master’s degree
Linguistics and English Literature

Course paper

Theme: Traditional values in “Torn Between Two Cultures” by

Maryam Qudrat Aseel

Scientific advisor: Group: 22-18-ing-adab

PhD, Assoc. Prof. Ruzmatova
Dilnoza Ramatjanovna Student: Yusupova Mohira

Tashkent 2023

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Илмий раҳбар томонидан берилган
ТАҚРИЗ
Исми, шарифи ________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________ фанидан ёзган курс иши
_____________________________________________________________________________
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Мазкур курс иши якунланган деб ҳисоблайман ва уни ҳимояга тавсия этаман.
Тақризчи _________________________ ____________
(исми, шарифи) (имзо)

“____”____________ 2023 йил

“Тасдиқлайман”
_______Кафедра мудири
“____”_________2023 йил

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 КУРС (иши) ЛОЙИҲАСИ
Гуруҳ ______ талаба ____________________________ Раҳбар_________________________
ТОПШИРИҚ
1. Ишлайдиган лойиҳа (мавзу) _______________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
2. Бошланғич маълумотлар__________________________________________________
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3. Қўлланмалар __________________________________________________
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4. Чизма қисмининг тузилиши ______________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
5. Ёзма қисмининг тузилиши ________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
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6. Қўшимча вазифа ва кўрсатмалар ___________________________________________
7. Курс (иши) лойиҳасини бажариш режаси

1 2 3 4 Ҳимоя

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: Traditional values in “Torn Between Two Cultures” by Maryam
Qudrat Aseel

CONTENTS:

Page

INTRODUCTION 5

MAIN PART

1. Afghan- American diaspora literature: evaluation and 7

prespectives

2. Maryam Qudrat Aseel’s contribution to Afghan –American 13

literature

3. Searching for traditional values of the culture in identity crisis 15

4. Importance of culture, history, religion and family values in 17

“Torn between Two Cultures”

CONCLUSION 22

REFERENCES 23

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 INTRODUCTION

This course paper makes a serious effort to provide a succinct account of

Afghanistan's historical cultural context as well as to illustrate the reasons why
foreign invasions and various regimes' rule have led to migration. Many Afghans
left their country as a result of these invasions, especially the Soviet invasion. Due
to political unrest, Afghans who are currently residing outside of their country of
origin are known as the Afghan Diaspora. Despite having a lot of adjustment issues
and being isolated, the Afghan community still adheres to its culture, customs,
traditions, and many other things. They have established their own communities
and are impatiently awaiting the improvement of living conditions and the
reconstruction of their nation, both of which will require their services. After
September 11, the phrase "Afghan American" was coined. Given this historical
context, it is evident that Afghan American cultural production is a relatively
recent idea that is still trying to find its place in both the discourse of multicultural
America and the context of Afghanistan. Afghan American writers discuss current
politics in their fiction and prose and address the internal community issues of
ethnic and linguistic unity. Maryam Qudrat Aseel is a representative of diaspora
literature as she is Afghan American writer. In this research paper we will throw a
closer look at diaspora literature, in particular Afghan American diaspora
literature. For this purpose, our intended literature is “Torn Between two cultures”
written by Maryam Qudrat Aseel. Wide range of themes are raised in the novel
Maryam’s book also offers an as yet undisclosed glimpse into the lives, struggles,
and social norms of the Afghan diaspora. This paper focuses on understanding the

5
relationship between religious belief systems, identity, and migration through
lived-experiences in new social worlds.
This study aims at investigating the “Torn Between Twoo Cultures “ by
Maryam Qudrat Aseel from the perspective of Afghan –American Diaspora
Literature.
To reach the aim I put forward the following tasks:
 to study diaspora as a literary genre
 to investigate Maryam Qudrat Aseel contribution to Afghan American
diaspora literature
 to analyse the main concept in “Torn Between Two Cultures” to find out
that how Maryam Qudrat Aseel has portrayed the identity crisis in the first
and second generation of immigrants in America
The subject of my course paper is Afghan American Diaspora literature in 21 th
century
The object of my course paper is to find out the impact of Soviet invasion in
defining crisis faced by immigrants after migration to America.
The course paper includes introduction, 2 chapters, conclusion and list of
references.
The main part consists of four paragraphs: “Afghan- American diaspora
literature: evaluation and prespectives”, Maryam Qudrat Aseel’s contribution to
Afghan –American literature, Searching for traditional values of the culture in
identity crisis, Importance of culture, history, religion and family values in “Torn
between Two Cultures”.

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 MAIN PART

1.Afghan- American diaspora literature: evaluation and prespectives

Diaspora literature

Diaspora is a term that has been around for a while to describe people who have
left their homeland and remain connected to it. To put it another way, the term
"diaspora" refers to a long-standing social formation made up of individuals who
have left their native countries but who continue to show loyalty to their fellow
ethnic groups and the countries they were exiled to. According to Oxford
dictionary ” 'Diaspora' now also refers to 'anybody of people living outside their
traditional homeland.”1 As an example in the tradition of indo-Christian the fall of
Satan from the heaven and humankind's separation from the Garden of Eden,
metaphorically the separation from God constitute diasporic situations.
Etymologically, 'Diaspora' with its connotative political weight is drawn from
Greek meaning to disperse and signifies a voluntary or forcible movement of the
people from the homeland into new regions. Diaspora refers to a population that
shares a common heritage who is scattered in different parts of the world. A special
feature here is that these people try to keep in touch with their homeland. This can
specifically be noticed in the 21st century where diasporas maintain political ties
with their homeland.

According to William Safran “a diaspora can be easily identified based on some

characteristics. One of the main characteristics is that the people have a collective
memory of their home. In this sense, such a population considers the homeland as
the true home. Also, the influence of the homeland is such that the individual’s

1
Oxford Dictionary. Cambridge.dictionary.org

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identity is very much affected by the homeland. Those who belong to a diaspora
can leave the country based on various political, economical and social factors.”2

Now, we can't discuss only the historic diasporas, such as the Jewish and African
populations. But in recent years, there have been numerous diasporic communities
from different parts of the world, primarily from China, the Ukraine, India,
Mexico, Bangladesh, Russia, Sri Lanka, Turks, and now Afghanistan. The terms
deal with many connotations like diaspora, emigration, nationality, ethnicity,
marginality, hybridity etc. Diaspora literature divided into 3 subdivisions;
Refugee literature, Immigrant literature, Expatriate literature. An expatriate
focuses on the native country that has been left behind. The expatriate dwells
on the “Ex status of the past, while the immigrant celebrates his presents in the
new country, Expatriate sensibility is a widespread phenomenon in this
century and George Steiner describes the expatriate writer as “the
3
uncontemporary everyman” Refugees, according to the Office of the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), are people who are “fleeing
armed conflict or persecution” and “for whom denial of asylum has potentially
deadly consequences.”4 Refugees leave their home countries because it is
dangerous for them to stay. Turning refugees away could mean sentencing them to
death. They often arrive without their personal belongings, sometimes without
preplanning. In recent times, there is a rise of diasporic writer who is also
enriching the American literature by sharing their immigrant experiences. Though
there are many such writers I am focusing on Mohja Kafh, Khaled Hosseini, Asra
Nomani and Samima Ali. Now many people, for expressing their feelings,
experiences and problems have taken the help of Literature. Since literature is the
only medium of the expression of a person's experiences, diasporic literature has
2
William Safran. Diaspora in Modern Societies: Myths of Homeland and Return:1991. –P23.

3
(1) Steiner, William. “Extra Territorial: Papers on Language and literature, London:
Faber and Faber, 1968. (pp-10-11).

4
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
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been abundant in the past few years, who want to share their views and experiences
with other people of the world. As Paul Brians speak: “The diasporic authors
engage in the cultural transmission that is equitably exchanged in the manner of
translating a map of reality for multiple readerships. Moreover, they are equipped
with bundles of memories and articulate an amalgam of global and national
strands that embody the real and imagined experience." 5 In this way diasporic
literature is a major part of contemporary literature because of the global
understanding it imparts to the readers. Sometimes it also helps in depicting the
genuine problems of any country. It is 'imagined experience' but the fundamental
of this image is rooted in reality.

Studying diaspora literature entails focusing on the ways in which the original
country, land, or nation continues to exert influence over people who have
migrated to other locations. Afghanistan has become a hotbed for wars between
superpowers or colonizers as a result of ongoing foreign invasions and internal
conflicts between warlords. The infrastructure, economy, and culture of
Afghanistan were severely damaged by these wars, which also resulted in the mass
murder of innocent Afghans and the rape and destruction of their rich cultural
heritage. Afghans began migrating in order to escape the ongoing war as a result of
these intolerable conditions. The Afghan society collapsed and became unstable
over the ensuing decades due to war. The number of refugees registered
worldwide, including in Pakistan, Iran, Germany, India, and America, in search of
safety and economic opportunities, has increased as a result of the invasion of
foreign troops and armed militias. Diasporic communities were founded by
Afghans who struggled greatly to find safety outside of their native country.
Afghans in exile use their writing to describe what it's like to be an outsider. In
their writings, they express their yearning for their native land, life in exile, and
their quest for better opportunities. Afghans have produced diaspora literature or
5
Paul Brians Diaspora knowledge Vanishing doubts increasing evidence London 2011 p 41
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expatriate writing emerged as a result of Afghans being uprooted. Being displaced
is not a recent condition. Despite the fact that human migration has a long history,
the issue only started to become politicized and global in the twentieth century.
The migration could be due to political turmoil, civil strife, ethnic conflict,
cultural clash, domestic violence, environmental degradation, draught, and
economic crisis. By chance and by choice man moves away from home and is
displaced. There are two types of displacements voluntary and involuntary or
forced migration. Voluntary migration means movement according to personal
desires. Involuntary migration means in which a person or community is forced to
leave one’s home, irrespective of their choice.

Before discussing the term "Afghan American," it is important to understand the

terminology of Afghan. After uniting the region that would become modern-day
Afghanistan in 1747, Ahmad Shah Durrani coined the name Afghan. Ariana,
Bakhtar, and Khorasan are some of the earliest names for Afghanistan. Afghans,
also known as Pashtuns, who live in the country's southern and northeastern
regions, were largely responsible for building Afghanistan. The name Afghan,
which translates to "people who cause suffering," became the name of the country
where the Afghan people live; this is what the istan means “land. Afghan was used
to denote Pashtun in Afghanistan up until the 1970s. Other ethnic groups included
the Farsiwan, or Persian-speaking, Tajiks (from the northeast), Uzbeks (from the
north), Turkmen (from the north), Kazaks (from the north), and Hazara (from the
center). King Amanullah (1909–1921), who was known for "modernizing," started
the effort to use the term "Afghan" to refer to all ethnic groups. He even went so
far as to print the four different languages on the four corners of his currency. King
Mohammad Zahir continued this later and attempted to unite the nation under the
Afghan flag. The term "Afghan" to mean all Afghans did not fully permeate into
the cultural society until after the 1979 Soviet invasion and later in the exile
community. This was before the era of television or a national railroad system that
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could unite the ethnically diverse people living in the extreme high and low
terrains of Afghanistan, which easily allowed for isolation. The phrase "Afghan"
was first used to refer to all ethnic groups, their shared culture, and their shared
trauma as war survivors. The phrase "Afghan American" was coined after
September 11, 2001. Afghans, an American ethnic group, did not start referring to
themselves as Afghan Americans until the aftermath of 9/11 made it necessary for
this community to express its views and provide support and knowledge regarding
the situation in Afghanistan. Given this historical context, it is evident that Afghan
American cultural production is a relatively recent idea that is still trying to find its
place in the discourse of multicultural America as well as within the context of
Afghanistan. In their fiction and prose, Afghan American writers address issues of
ethnic and linguistic unity within their own community as well as current politics.
Khaled is one of the Afghan Americans worth mentioning. Farooka Gauhari, Mir
Tamim Ansary, and Hosseini.

Afghan American Diaspora Literature

shifted to the Iraq War, and as a result, Afghan Americans were ignored, just like
Afghans themselves. The majority of the memoirs by these authors—Come Back
to Afghanistan: A California Teenager's Story (2006) by Said Hyder Akbar with
Susan Burton; Torn Between Two Cultures: An Afghan-American Woman Speaks
Out (2004); A Bed of Red Flowers: In Search of My Afghanistan by Nilofar Pazira
(Afghan Canadian); and My War at Home (2006) by Masuda Sultan—are about
their return to Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban. The first Afghan American
woman writer is Farooka Gauhari, a biologist at the University of Nebraska. Her
memoir, Searching for Saleem: An Afghan Woman’sOdyssey (1986), did not
feature her American life. The memoir documented her escape from Afghanistan
after the Soviet invasion. Saleem is her husband, a general under King Mohammad
Zahir (reigned 1933–1973) and later President Mohammad Daoud (1973–1978),
who disappears the first night of the April Coup (Saur Revolution) in 1978.
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Currently, she is working on a book documenting the history of Pashtuns in
Afghanistan. Afghan-centered literary works from this period were mainly a
preoccupation with the mujahideen, the nationalist counter-Soviet guerrilla
groups. This is the only work that is written by an Afghan woman. Mir Tamim
Ansary is the son of an Afghan father and an American mother who was raised in
Lashkargah, Afghanistan, and returned to the United States as a teenager. His rise
to fame on the topic of Afghanistan began with an e-mail that stated his outrage
about the War on Terrorism in Afghanistan with an in-depth explanation of the
contemporary issue in Afghanistan. This e-mail reached as far as the Oprah
Winfrey Show and was read on air. Afterward, the children’s book author and
journalist wrote his memoir West of Kabul, East of New York (2002). Currently,
Ansary has completed a historical novel set in Afghanistan, The Malang of Kabul,
set in the nineteenth-century Anglo-Afghan Wars. He is based in California. No
other Afghan writer has achieved the fame and acclaim of the California-based
doctor Khaled Hosseini. Born in Kabul, Afghanistan, to a diplomat and high
school teacher, Hosseini was an internist from 1994–2006. Hosseini’s first novel,
The Kite Runner (2002), was on the bestseller list of the New York Times for two
years. He says, “I have very fond memories of my childhood in Afghanistan6.”
Hosseini memories of peaceful Pre-Soviet era Afghanistan as well as his personal
experiences with Afghanistan’s Hazara people led to the writing of his first
novel, The Kite Runner. This novel has made such an impact on readers that it has
been translated into plays and also released as a Hollywood film. In June 2007, the
publication of his most recent book, A Thousand Splendid Suns. His latest book
explores the world of Afghan women, in contrast to his first novel, which
concentrated on stories of brotherhood and men. Both novels, which are vividly
written in an embittered prose style, have re-positioned Afghanistan on the global
cultural map. Like many authors whose books have found a wide audience,
Hosseini is an avid humanitarian who has worked with the UN to aid Afghanistan's
6
Khaled Hosseini (September–December 2004). "The Kite Runner". World Literature Today. 78
12
war-traumatized citizens.
Khaled Hosseini Foundation was established by Khaled Hosseini, a humanitarian
activist. This foundation's mission is to help Afghanistan's most vulnerable citizens
through humanitarian aid. He is also involved with the UNHCR, but this is a
different project. The Afghan diaspora in the U.S. S, for example, has significantly
impacted Afghanistan's educational community. In 2006, like Khaled Hosseni
was honored by the UN Refugee Agency and named as U.S envoy to UNHCR. In
this role, he travelled to war torn villages in the northern region to his native
Afghanistan in 2007.

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 2. Maryam Qudrat Aseel’s contribution to Afghan –American literature

Brief biography of Maryam Qudrat Aseel

Maryam Qudrat Aseel is a living dichotomy. Afghan in heritage, American in
birth, the USC Ph.D. candidate has spent almost 30 years working to reconcile her
disparate identities.
She details that struggle in “Torn Between Two Cultures,” an autobiography
focusing on East-West conflicts that Booklist called “a fascinating multicultural
coming-of-age story.” .As Qudrat pointed out "I am an Afghan-America woman,
born in Los Angeles in 1974 to Afghan who immigrated before all hell broke loose
in their homeland".7 Aseel got in touch with her heritage in the 1980s when
relatives poured out of Soviet-occupied Afghanistan to begin new lives in the U.S.
Reflecting on stories from her extended family, Aseel writes, “These tales of a
distant land began to touch a familiar place in my mind.”8
Aseel’s quest for her identity led to an embracement of the Islamic faith, and in
high school she wore a hijab (the traditional Muslim scarf that covers the head,
neck and throat), despite a tremendous backlash from classmates and some
members of the Afghan community. Persevering, she went on to found the first
high school chapter of the Muslim Students Association.
Aseel is now an Afghan activist, working to convey historically accurate
understandings of Afghanistan and of Islam to people of both Eastern and Western
heritage.
She hosts “Bridge to the Future,” a radio talk show on an Afghan radio station and
recently founded the Afghan Institute for Development, which aims to reach out to
Afghans while promoting tolerance and understanding among Afghan youths. In
September, she spoke about her book and its themes as part of the “Life Stories”
forum sponsored by the USC Office of Religious Life.
7
Maryam Qudrat Aseel Torn Between Two Cultures: An Afghan-American Woman Speaks Out Capital Books; First
Edition (May 1, 2003) p 4
8
Maryam Qudrat Aseel Torn Between Two Cultures: An Afghan-American Woman Speaks Out Capital Books; First
Edition (May 1, 2003) p 18
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 Such efforts, she believes, are vital to the future of East-West relations.
According to Connie Martinson he described "Maryam Qudrat Aseel's book
stands out from all of the other books on Afghanistan and the ideological war we
are seemingly faced with. She simultaneously explores her experiences of being a
Muslim, an Afghan, and an Afghan-American woman against the backdrop of
current world affairs. Maryam offers intriguing observations that we haven't heard
before. She doesn't flinch from complexity and she makes her points concrete with
compelling examples from her unique experiences and the Muslim world." 9
From the Amy Zalman’s point of view, "Aseel, a first-generation Afghan American
woman, is an activist in the Muslim community in general and the Afghani
community in parti, Through her book, Maryam Qudrat Aseel hopes to open a
dialogue and provide some glimpses into an often misunderstood and enigmatic
culture and religion. What her book offers is one woman’s perspective on those
events, how they shaped Afghans both in Afghanistan and in exile, and how
hearing their plight might shed some understanding on that obscure land and its
people. Maryam’s book also offers an as yet undisclosed glimpse into the lives,
struggles, and social norms of the Afghan diaspora. But Maryam is a woman, of
course, and in many ways this is a book about the peculiar challenges of being an
Afghan Muslim woman living in a western society. Immersed in a culture with
vastly different sensibilities than her own culture, she must nevertheless find ways
to straddle the two sides of her identity. For anyone with even a casual interest in
Afghans, east vs. west issues, and Islam, Maryam Qudrat Aseel, hyphenated
woman, offers some valuable lessons.10

3. Searching for traditional values of the culture in identity crisis

9
Connie Martinson Talks Books" column, December 12, 2003 p 45
10
Amy Zalman The Women's Review of Books
15
Identity crisis is a term used to describe a period of confusion and uncertainty
about one's sense of self or identity. It can occur during adolescence or at any point
in life when an individual experiences significant changes or challenges to their
beliefs, values, or sense of purpose. Identity crisis is defined by Cambridge
Dictionary as “a feeling of being uncertain about who or what you are”11 Similar
definitions are provided by Merriam Webster “personal psychological conflict
especially in adolescence that involves confusion about one’s social role and often
a scene of loss of continuity to one’s personality”12

The term was coined by German psychologist Erik Erikson. According to Miller in
literature “ An identity crisis is a state of confusion that creates in an organization
or institution regarding the direction or the nature of those organizations. In
English literature, the crisis of identity is a severe issue for novelists or any other
person related to the area of literature”13 (Miller et al. 2019). This is a theme
which has been explored by various novelists at different points of time in world
literature. For example in “Torn between two culture” the main theme is identity
crisis. Most postcolonial writers try to depict this term in their works.

(p. 43) This means that the issue of identity is not a clear and fixed concept as it
may be imagined, which led to the crisis and became a phenomenon.

Identity crisis is a term used to describe a period of confusion and uncertainty

about one's sense of self or identity. It can occur during adolescence or at any point
in life when an individual experiences significant changes or challenges to their
beliefs, values, or sense of purpose. An identity crisis may involve questioning
one's identity in terms of gender, sexuality, culture, religion, or other aspects of
one's identity. It can be a difficult and challenging experience, but it can also be an

11
Cambridge dictionary. Cambridge.dictionary.org
12
Merriam Webster Dictionar. Merriam-webster.com
13
Miller, R.L. and Collette, T., 2019. Multicultural identity development: Theory and research.Cross‐Cultural
Psychology: ContemporaryThemes and Perspectives, pp.614-631.
16
opportunity for growth and self-discovery. Counseling, therapy, and support from
friends and family can be helpful in navigating an identity crisis.

Identity crisis is a common phenomenon in today's world, where people are

constantly searching for their true selves. A 2011 research report from Government
and Social Development Resource Centre indicates that; “Identity and connections
between people and place can neither be seen as primordial and unchanging nor
as infinitely flexible. Claims of roots play an important role among Afghans in
diaspora,” 14 According to Mercer (1995), "identity
only becomes an issue when it is in crisis, when something assumed to be fixed,
coherent, and stable is displaced by the experience of doubt and uncertainty." In
this search, people often turn to their cultural roots to find traditional values that
can help them define their identity. Traditional values are the beliefs, customs, and
practices that have been passed down from generation to generation within a
culture. These values are an essential part of a culture's identity and can provide a
sense of belonging and purpose to individuals who are struggling with their own
identity crisis. In many cultures, traditional values are deeply rooted in religion.
Religion provides a set of moral guidelines that dictate how people should behave
and interact with others. For example, in Hinduism, the concept of dharma, or
duty, is a central tenet of the religion. It is believed that by fulfilling one's duty, a
person can achieve spiritual enlightenment and ultimately break free from the cycle
of birth and death. For individuals who are struggling with their identity, turning to
their religion and its traditional values can provide a sense of purpose and
direction. Another way that traditional values can help individuals in an identity
crisis is by providing a sense of community. Many traditional values are centered
around the family and the community. For example, in many African cultures, the
extended family is an essential part of daily life. Family members are expected to
support each other and work together to achieve common goals. By embracing

14
Mercer (1995), "identity crisis” (p. 43)
17
these traditional values, individuals can find a sense of belonging and support that
can help them navigate their identity crisis. Traditional values can be a valuable
resource for individuals who are struggling with their identity. By turning to their
cultural roots, individuals can find a sense of purpose, direction, and community.

4. Importance of culture, history, religion and family values in “Torn between

Two Cultures”

“Sometimes the house of the future is better built, lighter and larger than all the
houses of the past, so that the image of the dream house is opposed to that of the
childhood home .Maybe it is a good thing for us to keep a few dreams of a house
that we shall live in later, always later, so much later, in fact, that we shall not have
time to achieve it. For a house that was final, one that stood in symmetrical relation
to the house we were born in, would lead to thoughts—serious, sad thoughts—and
not to dreams. It is better to live in a state of impermanence than in one of
finality.”15

Bachelard's description of the "house" and its transience has to do with how
individuals are always simultaneously residing in a variety of social contexts.
These diverse social worlds can occur in a number of ways and are generally not
an issue. However, when it comes to migration, the liminality between these social
worlds can become a more serious problem.
Maryam Qudrat Asel an Afghan-American woman born in the U.S. to first
generation Afghan immigrants . In Torn Between Two Cultures she weaves her
family’s and her own personal stories into recent American and Afghan politics
and history. "Through her book, Maryam Qudrat Aseel hopes to open a dialogue
and provide some glimpses into an often misunderstood and enigmatic culture and
religion. What her book offers is one woman’s perspective on those events
15
Gaston Bachelard, The Poetics of Space. 1958, p. 61.
18
[Afghanistan’s history], how they shaped Afghans both in Afghanistan and in
exile, and how hearing their plight might shed some understanding on that obscure
land and its people. Maryam’s book also offers an as yet undisclosed glimpse into
the lives, struggles, and social norms of the Afghan diaspora. But Maryam is a
woman, of course, and in many ways this is a book about the peculiar challenges
of being an Afghan Muslim woman living in a western society. Immersed in a
culture with vastly different sensibilities than her own culture, she must
nevertheless find ways to straddle the two sides of her identity. For anyone with
even a casual interest in Afghans, east vs. west issues, and Islam, Maryam Qudrat
Aseel, hyphenated woman, offers some valuable lessons." This paper focuses on
understanding the relationship between religious belief systems, identity, and
migration through lived-experiences in new social worlds. Applying a sociological
ethnographic method of inquiry, this paper analyses the experiences of a cohort of
individuals in order to offer some generalisations about religion, politics, and
society.
Torn between two cultures by Maryam Qudrat tell the story of her cultural
background in Afghanistan including the aspirations, dynamic life, ideologies, and
professional development of her and her family. Aseel herself is main character
and story teller in this book. Its fully autobiographical novel, Qudrat also described
not only a history of violence, assassination, coup, international and civil wars in
Afghanistan, but also a growing uncertainty among Afghans and American-Afghan
living in the United States since September 11, 2000. As Qudrat pointed out

"I am an Afghan-America woman, born in Los Angeles in 1974 to Afghan who

immigrated before all hell broke loose in their homeland". 16

The whole idea to immigrate to America, as every other ethnic group could
experience, is to look forward for a better future in one of the most powerful
country in the word. However, after Quadrats' parents immigrated to pursued a
16
Maryam Qudrat Aseel “Torn between Two Cultures” (p. 28)
19
professional career and a better future, the civil war in Afghanistan stroke. Qudrat
describes the insecurity and the civil war accounts in detail when she was visiting
her extended family member in Afghanistan at her only 4 years old. Coincidently,
Qudrat's parent, along with her, went to Afghanistan, days before the civil was
stroke.

"In 1978, Afghan communist backed by the Soviet Union assassinated Daoud.
Noor Taraki become president. Five months later, Taraki is assassinated and
Hafizllah Amin assumes power".17

Qudrat recalled those days by saying,

"The nights were even scarier, as the sounds of attacks and the showering of
bombs shook the entire house".18

Those days, intended for a trip of leisure, turned out to be days of frustrations.
Another important aspect to be recognized in her story is Qudrat's cultural
traditions. As an Afghan-America woman, she was raised with less restricted
Muslim customs. Qudrat could decide how to manage her life, whom to marry to,
etc. However her father expected Qudrat to wear loose clothing that disguises her
female body shape.

"He expected me to in a very conservative fashion, wearing dark, formal colors,

and clothing that was very boyish with no-style what so ever". 19

Her first successfully experience reading the Quran at her short age was the
reflection of an intensive effort of Qudrat's grandmother. Another interesting fact
about Qudrat experience is the conversation taken place with in her university with
Hashimi, an invited Afghan speaker guest. Hashimi explained Qudrat about
Taliban ideologies. Identity anything that promotes greater understanding of what

17
Maryam Qudrat Aseel “Torn between Two Cultures” Timeline history of Afghanistan (p, 1)
18
Maryam Qudrat Aseel “Torn between Two Cultures” (p. 5)
19
Maryam Qudrat Aseel “Torn between Two Cultures” (p. 70)
20
it is to be Muslim, what it is to be Afghan, what it is to be both of these things--and
American--can do wonders to begin to bridge the huge cultural divide and close the
gap that prevents progress toward peace. Maryam Qudrat Aseel gives us her
personal experience and strong opinions--and by extension--greater perspective on
issues we find ourselves caring about now--and will need to care about well into
the future. The writer and the novel itself belongs to the diaspora literature. More
specificely its clear example of diasporic literature, she gave in describing the
circumstances of both the Afghans in Afghanistan and the Afghan-American
community in the United States. She was able to emphasize in a way that was easy
for me to understand the conditions, lifestyle and the difficulties that are facing the
Afghan-American community. Qudrat rich history was introduced at childhood
modeled her integrity. Afghan Islamic traditions, Quran's studies, wedding
traditional practices, and ceremonies, have enriched Qudrat intellectually and
morally. On the other hand, the constant stereotyping of the Islamic cultural
tradition has given her a difficult life, not only in Afghanistan, but also in America.
Family values are another important factor in navigating the experience of being
torn between two cultures. Family traditions and values can shape an individual's
identity and provide a sense of belonging and connection. Aseel highlights the
importance of finding ways to honor family traditions while also adapting to the
values of the dominant culture. By doing so, individuals can maintain a sense of
connection to their family and cultural roots while also adapting to the values of
the dominant culture. Maryam Qudrat Aseel's book "Torn between Two Cultures"
highlights the challenges faced by individuals who come from multicultural
backgrounds and the importance of culture, history, religion, and family values in
navigating this complex experience. By understanding and appreciating the unique
aspects of both cultures, acknowledging and processing emotions related to
historical events, finding ways to integrate religious beliefs into one's identity, and
honoring family traditions while also adapting to the values of the dominant

21
culture, individuals can reconcile conflicting values and beliefs and find a sense of
balance and harmony between their cultural identities. Ultimately, the experience
of being torn between two cultures can be a journey of self-discovery and growth,
leading to a richer and more nuanced understanding of one's identity.

22
 CONCLUSION

“Torn between two cultures” by author Maryam Qudrat Aseel have been analyzed
The theoretical and practical part provides an insight into the world of Afghan
American community especially diasporic literature evolving around the impact of
tradition, family values, religious to identity crisis.

The theoretical part offers a brief description of the development of Afghan

American Diaspora literature and its current trends. The features of diaspora has
appeared in the beginning of the 21th century as a reaction to the 11 september in
America and it has since become an indispensable part of Afghan American
society. It seems to be especially popular for its apt analysis of migrants problems
and the genre continuously expands to cover various emerging and pressing issues
such as traditional values, self -identity religious issues and sense of belonging to
own culture. The theoretical and practical part provides an insight into the world of
Afghan American diaspora literature evolving around the impact identity crisis on
second generation migrants.

Maryam Qudrat Aseel shows a great deal of interest in the topic of identatity crisis
and they use their works to illustrate the importantce of family values and
belonging to their roots and a prevention of the misunderstanding of Afghan
culture by Western cultures.

It can also be noted that even though novels deal with a serious and pressing issue,
it gives a relatively hopeful note which indicates that the danger of identity crisis
may be prevented by reasonable actions taken by the uniting and adapting to two
cultures. Throughout “Torn between two Cultures” , readers might feel conflicted
between various nations as it was diffiult to choose one side

23
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