Developing A Multiple Identity Literary Framework For Analyzing Constructions Of Identities In Malaysian Literature In English

Studies show that contemporary Malaysian literature provides not only an avenue for creative expression, but functions as a site for identity creation, where writers create diverse identities for their characters. However, most of these studies have focussed on examining specific identity(ies) using specific theory(ies) and tended to sideline the dilemma that most Malaysian writers experience in writing about identities in their works. This is a gap in research and important to be addressed given that (1) researchers have yet to directly examine diverse literary identities in Malaysian literature and (2) currently, there is no existing framework that allows us to integrate elements from different theories to accomplish the task. This paper offers a glimpse into an ongoing research project that seeks to develop the said framework vis-à-vis a multiple identity analysis framework for analysing constructions of literary identities in contemporary Malaysian literature (Malaysian literature in English in particular). It begins with an overview of the current state of research on literary identities in Malaysian literature, followed by the project’s aims, objectives, methods, and processes. It then presents some preliminary findings pertaining to the research participants’ views on literary identities in selected texts and discusses their impact on the development of the said framework. The results of this research project will help us to understand what is known and previously unknown about literary constructions of identities in Malaysian literature and fill this lacuna in current research on the topic