Appraising Belonging and Displacement: An Analysis of Evaluative Language and Identity Construction in Naqvi's Home Boy

Abstract

Home Boy by H.M. Naqvi tells the story of Pakistani immigrants in New York City after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, looking at difficulties with identity and a sense of belonging. Although existing studies focus on these themes socially and culturally, this study evaluates how characters’ word choices build and manage their identities in such a turbulent social and political climate. Using Appraisal Theory, which is part of Systemic Functional Linguistics (Martin & White, 2005), I analyzed samples from the book to see how characters experience Affect, Judgement, and Appreciation. The research found that the language describing identity changed from confidently being a mix of various cultures before 9/11 to feeling doubtful, insecure, and distant afterward. It can be seen how socially rejected characters develop an identity crisis, dealing with both being looked at with suspicion and with feelings of displacement. Characters in novels use different linguistic strategies to participate in or argue against the main ideas, and their experiences become more dramatic and vivid as the story advances. It is concluded in the study that the characters’ language in Home Boy shapes the readers' understanding of their struggle to feel a part of things, demonstrating  the power of language to express experiences such as trauma and marginalization. This research helps examine how diasporic literary styles are made and confirms the use of Appraisal Theory in highlighting different aspects of identity in stories.