Summary Of The Novel 'Softly' By Chandani Lockuge

In the world of globalisation, transnationalisation, and migration, individuals belong to different cultural contexts, and they are inevitably brought into contact. At initial stage of migration people suffers from the cultural conflict aroused from the cultural diversity and later they try to negotiate with the situation. Chandani Lockuge is Australian writer migrated from Sri Lanka. Like other literary works her Softly, as I Leave You too expresses the experiences and treatment in Australia given to the Asian people and their culture. Australia is one of the biggest multicultural countries in the world. It is quite natural that Australian society is full of cultural diversity and to deal with such heterogeneous society, multiculturalism is best way to tackle with the problems related diversity.
The present study is an attempt to explore the cultural diversity in the novel Softly, as I Leave You by Chandani Lockuge. Uma is a round character of the novel who is a Sri Lankan girl migrated to Australia. At
They remain rigid, resentful and acrimonious and he ends up resenting their “loud and censorious opinions” (68) and never returns to visit them again. The rancorous conversations between Uma, her father and Chris during this visit to Sri Lanka, is used by the writer to widen the scope of discordant race relations from the level of family. Uma’s critical views of the opportunistic Kandyan elites and their complacency in the face of the ensuing racial conflict in the country is countered by her father’s open contempt for the white Australians he sees as alien invaders who usurped the rights of the Aborigines. Uma’s father’s indictment of her betrayal of her homeland and her squatter status in Australia that would result in her children belonging nowhere leave an indelible effect on Uma’s