Existential Displacement and Postmodernism in Rhys's After Leaving Mr. Mackenzie

<p>Abstract:<br>The present research paper examines themes of existential displacement and<br>postmodernism in Jean Rhys’s After Leaving Mr. Mackenzie, highlighting how the novel<br>navigates alienation, fragmented identity, and societal estrangement. Through the protagonist<br>Julia Martin’s experiences as an expatriate in Paris, Rhys portrays a woman grappling with<br>self-worth in an indifferent, rapidly changing world. Employing postmodern techniques such<br>as narrative fragmentation, unreliable narration, and an emphasis on subjective reality, Rhys<br>effectively destabilizes traditional constructs of identity, presenting Julia’s life as a fluid, evershifting<br>struggle for coherence. The paper also reveals how the protagonist’s personal crises<br>echo larger postmodern critiques of a society that both ostracizes and ignores the marginalized,<br>particularly women. By situating Julia’s story within these frameworks, Rhys exposes the<br>psychological toll of social alienation and challenges readers to reconsider the nature of<br>identity, dislocation, and the search for meaning in a world marked by emotional and existential<br>uncertainty.<br>Key Words: existential displacement, postmodernism, alienation, fragmented identity, societal<br>estrangement</p>