ABSTRACT
Childhood in Anita and Me Introduction This chapter seeks to explore the concept of childhood in relation to the protagonist within Meena Syal’s novel, Anita and Me (1996). The semi-autobiographical novel presents a witty but poignant view of a young South Asian girl, Meena, growing up in an English Midlands mining village during the 1970s. Meena is the daughter of the only Indian family in the village of Tollington and the issues of difference, gender inequalities and culture are drawn out within the text. The novel is significant due to its autobiographical quality, the experiences of the main characters echoing the real experiences of the author.
