Author(s): Tarif Sardar

Abstract: Globalization has intensified cultural exchanges, migrations, and transnational interactions, leading to the emergence of hybrid cultural identities. Literature provides a powerful medium through which the complexities of globalization can be examined. This article explores the process of cultural hybridization in Gun Island by Amitav Ghosh. The novel brings together folklore, migration narratives, ecological crises, and global capitalism, revealing how local traditions intersect with global forces. The study argues that cultural hybridization in the narrative emerges through the reinterpretation of myth, the movement of people across borders, and the interaction between indigenous knowledge and global modernity. The legend of the merchant Bonduki Sadagar functions as a cultural bridge linking the Sundarbans to global migration networks extending to Europe. By analyzing narrative structure, mythic symbolism, and character experiences, the article demonstrates how globalization transforms cultural identities while simultaneously preserving traditional cultural memory. The novel ultimately suggests that hybrid cultural formations are not merely consequences of globalization but also creative responses to ecological and social transformations in the contemporary world.

Keywords: Cultural hybridization, environmental humanities, globalization, migration, myth

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.112.40