Post-modernism features in The Map of Love Anonymous College

In a post-modernist and clearly post-colonial novel such as Ahdaf Soueif’s The Map of Love (1999), a focus on politics and cultural history of both contributing countries, England and Egypt, is not taken lightly. The imperial British rule over the resourceful and culturally rich country of Egypt stands at the centre of the conflict and prevalently existing tension in the novel, dividing the world between the East and the West. Post-modernist characteristics and features appearing in this text include but are not limited to: (1.) Fragmentation: non-linear sequence of storytelling with concurrent timelines in both past and present time; (2.) Temporal distortion: the plot being puzzled as a result of the fragmented approach – expressed stylistically through use of italics and normal fonts; (3.) Memorabilia: letters, journal, dialogue and thoughts; (4.) Loss, (5.) Multiple narratives: Anna, Amal, Isabel, Sharif and Layla all narrating their lives; (6) Post-colonial: as it is a cultural and political history narrative historiographic metafiction and (7.) Intertextuality: using epigraphs at the beginning of each chapter, sourced from various texts – songs, poems, book, scripture and these foreshadow the theme of the chapter. In this...