ILN Journal: Indian Literary Narratives

Articles

Vol. 3 No. 3 (2026): ILN Journal: Indian Literary Narratives

Maternal Authority, Cultural Memory, and Identity Formation in Rani Manicka’s The Rice Mother

Submitted
10 July 2026
Published
2026-09-30

Abstract

In Rani Manicka’s The Rice Mother, motherhood appears to be a powerful instrument of cultural continuation, personal wholeness and self construction for the family in the diaspora. Whilst some have analyzed the novel in relation to Diaspora, Postcolonial Identity and Gender, very few have taken account of maternal authority and the construction of the next generations’ identity. I intend in this essay to outline Lakshmi’s role, which surpasses solely domestics to carry forward cultural knowledge and make reconciliation between culture and belonging as her society evolves. We apply the notion of Cultural Memory Theory, along with some feminist thoughts on the subject of motherhood, and postcolonial diaspora as the main foundations to present my arguments. The article will also highlight that motherly power both upholds and causes disputes in the family. Lakshmi as the ‘memory holder of family traditions’ continues to hold her children and grandchildren’s identity while confronting some opposition or disagreements caused by generational differences. The effect of migration, eviction and transmitted traumas make an endless struggle of the collective and personal memories. Therefore, motherliness does not emerge in the study as an institution per se but rather as a culturally performed act by means of which memory and identification of individuals are continuously reformed from one generation to another.

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