Fragmentation as freedom: A psychogeographical study of Anjum Hasan's Neti, Neti: Not This, Not This

Literature is a boon for the ever-evolving society and Indian writing in English often explores themes of identity, belonging, cultural conflict and emotional dislocation, which helps readers process their emotional catharsis and provides self-reflection. Anjum Hasan’sNeti, Neti: Not This, Not This (2016) portrays the “middle-class youth of the brave new India” (2009 Outlook News Desk), and examines the intersection of space, memory and identity in the quest for meaning. Set against the backdrop of two contrasting cities—Shillong, which symbolises cultural exclusion and family pressure and Bangalore, which embodies consumerism, emotional detachment, and urban loneliness—the novel chronicles the life of Sophie Das, a young Bengali woman from Shillong who struggles with feelings of alienation and disconnection. Her journey from escaping a confining hometown to negotiating the overwhelming chaos of a metropolis is a transformative one, reflecting her evolving sense of dissatisfaction with her surroundings, relationships and self. This article applies Guy Debord’s theory of psychogeography to analyse how Sophie’s physical and emotional movements illustrate the dériveor urban drift. As Sophie moves through different environments, this study explores how space impacts her psyche, behaviour and self-perception. Sophie returns to Shillong hoping to find peace, but instead encounters further disintegration. This article is an attempt to study how, at the end of the novel, Sophie accepts a fragmented identity shaped by loss and survival, and returns to Bangalore, which highlights how Neti, Neti: Not This, Not This is an influential tool, emphasising the importance of living in the present and moving forward. Hasan does not provide a solution, as she believes that fragmentation may be a sign of liberation, a rejection of rigid notions of belonging, home and self.