“Like many descendants of immigrants, I felt intense pressure to be two things, faithful to the old world and master of the new, endorsed on either side of the d “union” (Lahiri, My Two Lives). Pulitzer Prize winner Jhumpa Lahiri describes herself as Indian-American, where she feels neither Indian nor American. Lahiri feels alienated as he struggles to live two lives while maintaining two distinct cultures. Most of Lahiri's work is recognized in the United States rather than in India, where she is originally from (the Guardian.com). Lahiri's character, themes, and images in her short stories and novels depict the cultural differences among American Indians and how Indians maintain their identity when displaced to a new world. Lahiri's inability to feel accepted within her home, her inability to be fully American, being an Indian-American, and the difference between families of the same culture which are reflected in one of her short stories "Once in a life” through characterization and imagery. Nilanjana Sudeshna Lahiri, of Indian origin, was born in London in August 1967 to Indian Bengali immigrant parents. “Jhumpa” is the easiest nickname for teachers to remember. The Lahiri family moved from England to Rhode Island when Jhumpa was two years old. His father was a librarian at the University of Rhode Island and his mother was a schoolteacher. At the age of seven, Lahiri began writing about what she saw and felt. Growing up, Lahiri lived two lives: Indian at home and American outside. Although they lived most of their lives in the Western world, Lahiri's parents called "Calcutta" their home, unlike Lahiri who considered Rhode Island his hometown. Lahiri always thought her family had a different life...... middle of paper...... is American by virtue but Indian by virtue of her parents' education. This is why she is considered an Indian-American author, which she has embraced. Since Bengalis marry within their caste, Lahiri married Latin American journalist Alberto Vourvoulias and has two sons, Octivian and Noor. After her marriage, Lahiri did not feel the need to shy away from speaking in Bengali or any other language. Currently residing in Rome with his family to feel how immigrants adapt to change and discover what his characters and parents do in his short stories. Through writing, Lahiri discovered the fact that she belongs to both worlds and that generations of Indian-American immigrants will change and bring intense joy. “It has been liberating and brought me some peace to just face this truth, if not to be able to resolve or respond to it..”