Beyond Words: Translingual Nomadism in the Novels of Eva Hoffman and Aleksandar Hemon

Abstract

The article discusses two contemporary novels by Eva Hoffman and Alexandar Hemon – writers of Slavic descent who settle in America and write in English. By tracing the role of translingualism, the analysis reveals how transcending the boundaries of language relates to transcending the limits and limitations of thought, imagination, and identity construction. It is argued that the two writers develop a critical nomadic consciousness that resists fixity and unity, enabling them to imagine and think otherwise.