Translating the Self: Language and Faith in Leila Aboulela's the translator

Abstract

This study examines the expression of the self through the concept of

translation in Leila Aboulela's novel . The research examines

how language and faith shape the process of self-translation. Facing

cultural dislocation and alienation, Sammar uses her faith as a weapon to

protect her identity and as a tool for finding empowerment and rebuilding

agency. The research also analyses the influential relationship between

language, faith and identity. The aim of this study is to investigate the

intersection between language, faith, and the self in expressing Sammar's

identity. The research depends on qualitative textual analysis to

investigate the role of language not only as a means of communication but

also as a tool for translating the self in the Western area. It adopts a

postcolonial theoretical framework focusing on the concept of hybridity,

diaspora and third space, drawing on the existence of the self between two

cultures. The findings show the notion of translation as both a literal and

metaphorical process, reflecting religion as a powerful base of identity that

explores the idea of translation beyond language. Finally, the research

concludes that language and faith have a great role in constructing the self

in postcolonial literature, and it provides an extensive exploration of

diasporic identity.