Marginalization and the Search for Belonging: Gay Characters in the Fiction of R. Raj Rao and Shyam Selvadurai

This paper examines the experiences of marginalization and the search for belonging as depicted through gay characters in selected novels by these authors. The study explores how social expectations, family structures, cultural traditions, and institutional norms contribute to the alienation of queer individuals. It further analyses how the protagonists attempt to construct meaningful identities and establish spaces of acceptance despite the constraints imposed upon them. Through a comparative reading of the selected texts, the paper argues that belonging functions not only as an emotional aspiration but also as a form of resistance against social exclusion. The novels reveal that the struggle for recognition and acceptance remains central to queer existence and reflects broader concerns related to human dignity, freedom, and selfhood. By presenting nuanced portrayals of marginalized lives, Rao and Selvadurai challenge heteronormative assumptions and contribute to the ongoing reconfiguration of queer representation in South Asian literature.

Keywords: Queer Identity, Marginalization, Belonging, Homosexuality, Identity Formation, Social Exclusion, Consciousness

Queer Identity Marginalization Belonging Homosexuality Identity Formation Social Exclusion Consciousness