Resisting and Empowering as a Result of Hybridized Identity Formation in Imbolo Mbue’s How Beautiful We Were

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Associate Professor of English Language and Literature, Department of English Language, Faculty of Humanities, Khatam University, Tehran, Iran.

2 MA in English Language and Literature, Department of English Language, Faculty of Humanities, Khatam University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

This article employs Homi Bhabha’s postcolonial theories in order to analyze resistance and hybridized identity formation in Imbolo Mbue’s How Beautiful We Were (2021). It examines the characters’ rejection of colonial mimicry and forced assimilation within the third space, exploring how Bhabha’s concepts of ambivalence and unhomeliness manifest as consequences of colonization. The article highlights how the pursuit of cultural hybridity can paradoxically lead to displacement, while Mbue’s novel critiques environmental injustices and the cultural marginalization of the colonized, underscoring the appropriation of ancestral landscapes vital to African identity. Through theoretical and textual analysis, this article identifies diverse forms of cultural and identity-based resistance. The female protagonist, developing a hybridized identity through migration, leads a movement against colonial exploitation. Indigenous characters also resist, reclaiming their homeland. The novel powerfully depicts characters shaped by colonial dynamics, offering insights into postcolonial identity and resistance. This paper contributes to a better understanding of how individuals navigate and resist oppressive colonial structures, fostering new forms of cultural expression and belonging within their ancestral lands. The article also emphasizes the critical role of reclaiming cultural heritage and identity in challenging external domination and asserting self-determination in the face of historical exploitation.

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References

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History

  • Receive Date: 18 September 2025
  • Revise Date: 22 March 2026
  • Accept Date: 06 April 2026

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