Maps and the Burdens of Belonging: Identity and Resistance in Gurnah’s <em>By the Sea</em> and Owuor’s <em>The Dragonfly Sea</em>

This article examines the relationship between maps, identity, and belonging in two post-colonial novels set in the Western Indian Ocean region: Abdulrazak Gurnah’s By the Sea (2001) and Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor’s The Dragonfly Sea (2019). Through close textual analysis, I argue that these novels portray maps not merely as static remnants of colonialism but as dynamic artefacts that both reflect and shape post-colonial identities in nuanced ways. I highlight how these novels depict maps as having a degree of agency, capable of both oppressing and offering pathways to self-discovery for post-colonial subjects. By highlighting the themes of naming, representation, and identity concerning maps across both texts, I argue for a coherent cross-reading of the plurality and contestation inherent in the post-colonial reading of maps.