Arranged Marriage Critical Analysis

Ms. Vera Nazarian, a two-time Nebula Award Finalist once said that, “A woman is human. She is not better, wiser, stronger, more intelligent, more creative, or more responsible than a man. Likewise, she is never less. Equality is a given. A woman is human.” The author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni understands the equality both men and women should have, however she also understands the struggles that women who believe in patriarchal societies that live in eastern societies have. Therefore through the feminist criticism lens, the author’s purpose in Arranged Marriage is to show that living in a patriarchal society brings negativity into differents aspects of a woman’s life, due to stereotypical, and even cultural restrictions that they are put under. This can be shown

Sumita has the mindset of a not so western person, and believes in stereotypes of women being less powerful than a man. She is unaware of the western world, where both men and women are considered, and are treated as equals. When she sees change in herself and her character, she denies it by telling herself that she is becoming too westernized, and too modern. She depends heavily on Somesh as she has the belief that a man has more power than a woman. Negativity is brought into her life because of all of the opportunities she has lost. She compares herself to a, “[dove] with cut-off wings,” (Divakaruni 33), which represents the opportunities that she has lost, because of her patriarchal, and stereotypical beliefs. It is also symbolic because a dove is unable to take flight without its wings, and not being able to fly This makes a her feel weak, and useless to others around them. When Somesh dies after getting shot while being robbed, she realizes that it is time for change, and is a new beginning for her. It is at this moment where she realises and understands her responsibilities, and how she is able to do what a