Exploring British Identity in Post-Brexit Literature
From the UK's departure from the EU since 2016, no one has been able to overlook the change in the manner that British identity is constructed, debated, and contested. Politics and economics are no longer the only concerns—neither is culture and literature to be ignored. The referendum was not a simple decision; it was one of national importance that upset long-held conceptions of who we are as a nation. Of course, authors throughout the UK have responded to these developments in the way literature can only—by publishing stories that address this new Post-Brexit Britishness.
This article examines how British writers have incorporated Brexit into their fiction and poetry, how notions of national identity and belonging have evolved, and what that is telling us about the UK identity in books today. This is not reading for bookworms alone—it's must-read material for anyone attempting to understand how cultural identity is being rewoven before our very eyes.
British Post-Brexit Literature: The Rise of Political Themes
Literature as a Mirror of Political Protest
Writing throughout the ages has never failed to be part of some form of society and politics rising up. Orwell's dystopian critique is in the tradition, as are Zadie Smith's multicultural speculations, both part of Britain's contemporary scene in its moment of uncertainty after Brexit. The unexpected shock for today, however, is precisely how multicultural is the rich tapestry of rural and city voices, of right- and left-wing positions, of foreign-born and immigrant contributions entering the dialogue around recasting Britishness.
In post-Brexit fiction, characters tend to grapple with exclusion, beloneness, or uncertainty in terms of national identity. This reflects the fact that the typical Brit—young or old, and whatever the background—is required to reassess their position within society.
Examples:
- Ali Smith's Seasonal Quartet (2016–2020) is the most obvious and closest literary reaction to Brexit. Her novel is poetic, political, and extremely reactionary to the zeitgeist, employing surrealist storytelling to question the applicability of British identity in the age of national bewilderment.
- Jonathan Coe's Middle England (2018) concerns middle-class existence and political fragmentation following Brexit. It documents how voting is shaped by nostalgia and nationalism and national identity.
These pieces show the Brexit effect on literature as a personal, societal, and psychological issue.
UK Culture Changes Post-Brexit in Literature
Dynamic Settings and Symbols
Post-Brexit narratives have shifted geographies as well. adieu to the majority of London-based sites of the past. The focus, in turn, has now rested with the town, industrial wastelands, and countryside whose voices, possibly, can be felt overlooked by politicians. Locational re-biasing places UK's Post-Brexit reforms in the light of diverse communities—the Leave and Remain-purported constituencies.
Most writers today employ landscapes—vacant factories, seaside villages, or distant frontiers—to exist as metaphors for disillusionment, hope, or division. Such symbolic selection makes cultural examination available even to those who aren't attentive observers of the political discourse.
Identity, Belonging and Alienation
For UK characters today, identity is a confusing and uncertain thing. Authors are probing what it means to be "British" in a nation that appears to be divided down the middle. Some examine national identity through the eyes of immigrants or second-generation citizens, now being in-between cultures more intricately than ever before.
Teenagers and university students (yes, individuals like you) are the protagonists who pop up most frequently in these narratives, grappling with peer pressure, cultural stereotypes, and social media bubbles. Books capture the reality that youngsters are posing difficult questions concerning inclusion, heritage, and the validity of nationalist ideologies.
British Writers and Brexit in Defining Identity
Writing as Resilience or Reconciliation
Not all writers employ Brexit as a venting tool. Some view it as a chance to rebuild, rethink, and reimagine what Britishness will look like in the future. The literary reaction has varied from anger to nostalgia, from satire to hope.
British writers and Brexit appear to have a convoluted relationship. Some, such as Ian McEwan (The Cockroach, 2019), adopt satire and absurdity, describing Brexit as a comedic collapse of reason. Others, such as Bernadine Evaristo, address complex identity politics through characters who live in post-Brexit Britain, especially those belonging to marginalised communities.
The common thread? Identity is no longer an inheritance—it's something that needs to be won, asserted, or fought for.
National Identity in UK Literature: Then and Now
A Brief Historical Lens
Before jumping into contemporary British fiction, it's useful to grasp how national identity has ever been a component of British fiction. Whether Austen's explorations of class, Dickens' tale of poverty, or Forster's colonial themes—questions about being "British" have been in the discussion for centuries. The novelty is how fractured and divided this identity has since become after Brexit.
Modern writers now grapple with identity less fixed. more debated. National identity in British fiction is no longer consensus but contest, questioning, and debate.
Brexit in Contemporary Fiction: Not Just a Backdrop
Storylines That Reflect Political Realities
It's interesting to note that all fiction covering Brexit does not necessarily make it the focus. Brexit in recent fiction is often in the background—such as background noise on the radio, making its presence known without explicitly stating it. It might be a recent graduate's career, a family split up by politics, or a town fighting against xenophobia, but Brexit looms in the background even if not mentioned outright.
For example:
- In Amanda Craig's The Lie of the Land (2017), a family moves out of London to rural Devon after Brexit, and discovers economic inequality and local hostility.
- In Elif Shafak's 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World, although not set in Britain, she writes about nationalism and identity that will resonate with readers after Brexit.
These stories identify how Brexit has entered the cultural psyche—even though it's not necessarily the dominant theme, it's always in there.
UK Literature Political Themes: Beyond Brexit
Exploring Deeper Questions of Power and Representation
Though Brexit is a key point of reference, it has also led to a broader focus on political issues in UK literature. Authors are challenging political institutions, media culture, and structural inequality more candidly. Immigration, racism, class segregation, and ecological disintegration are now at the center of literary preoccupation.
UK literature political themes are more than traditional Westminster politics—they are about the everyday experiences of people navigating an ever-changing society.
You might find this particularly relevant if you’re studying sociology, media, or politics alongside literature. It’s all connected—literature becomes a lens to understand policy impacts, cultural clashes, and individual identity.
Reading List: Books That Capture Post-Brexit British Identity
Here’s a short reading list if you’re interested in diving deeper into these themes, whether for a class project or just personal curiosity:
- Autumn by Ali Smith (2016)
- Middle England by Jonathan Coe (2018)
- The Lie of the Land by Amanda Craig (2017)
- The Cockroach by Ian McEwan (2019)
- Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo (2019)
The Wall by John Lanchester (2019) – a dystopian reading of isolation and politics of the borders
Why This Matters: The Relevance for Students Today
If you're aged between 16 and 30, you've probably lived through Brexit as a young person. It's impacted your education, right to travel, career aspirations, and possibly even your identity. Reading how literature reacts to this shift makes you more aware of your own world.
Plus, if you’re writing essays or assignments in English Literature, Media Studies, or even Politics, this topic offers a ton of fresh material. It’s not about memorising dates or policies—it’s about reading stories that reflect your world and learning how authors interpret the changes happening around us.
Conclusion
To sum it all up—Post-Brexit British identity is chaotic, in disarray, and forever changing. And that's precisely why it makes such a wonderful topic for literature. Through British post-Brexit literature, we can see how individuals sense, respond, and learn to accommodate change. The fiction doesn't provide us with all the answers, but it does provide us with something even better: a means by which to ask more nuanced questions.
From Brexit to British writers to changing UK political themes in literature, we can observe that post-Brexit literature isn't just recording history—it's dictating how we remember it. For students today, it's not just an exercise in reading these books. It's a method of knowing what it is to be a citizen of a nation still finding out who it is.
References
- Smith, A. (2016–2020). Seasonal Quartet. Hamish Hamilton.
- Coe, J. (2018). Middle England. Penguin.
- Evaristo, B. (2019). Girl, Woman, Other. Hamish Hamilton
- McEwan, I. (2019). The Cockroach. Jonathan Cape.
- Craig, A. (2017). The Lie of the Land. Little, Brown.
- Lanchester, J. (2019). The Wall. Faber & Faber.
- BBC Culture (2021). "How Brexit is reshaping British literature." Retrieved from: https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20210119-how-brexit-is-reshaping-british-literature
- The Guardian (2020). "How Brexit changed the literary world." https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/nov/01/how-brexit-changed-the-literary-world