Queer Identities in The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Karunatilaka (2022) and The Song of Achilles by Miller (2011): A Comparative Analysis from a South Asian Perspective

This research study attempts to present a comparative analysis of the queer identities portrayed in The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka (2022) and The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (2011) from a South Asian perspective to examine how cultural, historical, and socio-political aspects of their geographical settings influence such identities in both novels and to identify the narrative techniques and characterizations used in them to portray their queer relationships. Moreover, the central questions that guide this study are: 1) how queer do the identities depicted through their main characters appear to be; and 2) and what similarities and differences emerge in the portrayal of their queer relationships. In order to achieve these objectives a qualitative research approach is adopted where the data is collected by subjecting the respective novels to a thorough critical reading and extracting the relevant evidence from their narrative using critical discourse analysis. The data is analyzed using techniques developed from queer theory, semiotics, and critical discourse analysis. Finally, this research attempts to reveal from a South Asian perspective the author’s expectation for the queer identities portrayed in the two relevant while illuminating on the fact they appeal for inclusive society. Keywords: Queer identities; South Asian Perspective; Comparative analysis; Inclusivity; Representation