This paper explores Existentialism in terms of freedom and responsibility in Anita Nair’s novel Ladies Coupe. Alpna Rastogi in her article says that “The novel has also been called a novel in parts, perhaps because the life and experiences of six women have been welded together by the author into a consummate whole, with Akhila or Akhilendeswari, as a magnet in the centre”(2). The novel is about six culturally diversified women viz. Akhila, Sheela Vasudevan, Prabha Devi, Janaki Prabhakar, Margaret Paulraj and Marikolanthu and revolves around their lives, existential struggle to discover their identity, individuality, strength and independence with the succor of freedom and responsibility. The novel is the voice of those who break the image …show more content…
If we analyze this definition we find that basically Existentialism gives human beings strength by explaining that all human beings are not victims of circumstances but they are what they have chosen to be. It’s a fact that individuals are free and are responsible for their own choices and actions. On the whole, an individual is a self determining agent responsible for the authenticity of his/her choice.
Existentialism in Anita Nair’s Ladies Coupe is reflected through the strength and self-determination of the characters. When we make in-depth analysis of different characters in Ladies Coupe, we find that each and every character flourishes as the promoter of existentialism in their own way. Some major issues related to women like ‘oppression, suppression and stereotyping of women as a second sex under patriarchal social organization’ and ‘oppression of women of low caste and sexuality’ are well projected in the
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The question raised by her is that ‘Can a woman stay single and be happy, or does a woman need a man to feel complete’? This question is about woman’s existence whether she is complete by herself or with presence of men in her life. She starts eating eggs to fight against injustices related to gender, class and religion; and also indulge in emotional and physical relationship with Hari, a younger man to rediscover the pleasure of being a woman; and starts journey to discover her own identity and finally she emerges as a skilled victor of life. When she starts her journey she says, “I will board a train and allow it to lead me into a horizon I will not recognize”(8). Finally in the end of her journey she regains herself when she thinks that “She will have the courage to pick up from where she left off and begin again”(275). During her journey, Akhila was accompanied by five other women who have their own confessions of life’s struggle and comeback to rediscover their existence. S. Suganya in her article “Enslavement to Autonomy in Anita Nair’s Ladies Coupe” writes “The story of her co-passengers engenders in Akhila an aspiration for life, a life she required to lice on her own” (4). One of them is Marikolandu. Her name means ‘a plant’ that looks like lavender but it’s not lavender. Just
Existentialism is a philosophical theory that was developed by Nietzsche and many other philosophers in the 19th century. In the first four chapters of the novel Grendel by John Gardner, the protagonist and the narrator, Grendel tells a story of his adolescence. Like any teenager, Grendel encounters multitude of events which molds him into what he is; an existentialist. Through the use of diction, personification, and simile in the narration of Grendel, John Gardner illustrates the cause of Grendel’s existential outlook.
Throughout the course of history, women's role in society has changed immensely. The certain expectations set on them by the standards of society became widely accepted. They are controlled and are made to adapt to society's norms. Their actions are amplified by the men in society. The thought of superiority in favor of one gender leads to these societal norms that need to be broken.
From that day on, she learns to adapt to her life. Another physical and mental transformation she experiences is pregnancy due to a rape. “Only women have babies, not girls” (Kamara 67). Her mindset is forced to shift from taking care of
The author Anzaldúa highlights that the lifestyle of women depends on the expectation of culture; she states, “The culture expects women to show greater acceptance of, and commitment to, … men. The culture and the church insist that women are subservient to males” (17). Women before 21st century were seen as a person who must commit and obey to their husband during the marriage with maintaining silence. Such act of rebel was condemned in society and women had to live under the gender role given by their culture without freedom of speech. Moreover, Anzaldúa emphasizes that women’s future was chosen by their culture; there are three directions that they could turn into: “to the church as a nun, to the streets as a prostitute, or to the home as a mother” (17).
“Existentialism is a philosophy concerned with finding self and the meaning of life through free will, choice, and personal responsibility. The belief is that people are searching to find out who and what they are throughout life as they make choices based on their experiences, beliefs, and outlook” (Clifton). Grendel’s
These texts along with the article “Veil of Ignorance” by Leila Ahmed share a common issue, which is misjudging women based on
In the end her push for equality’s of gender, causes her to be sent to death by the male figure she
In this book, women seem to be covered in a veil of gauze, and readers can't see clearly their faces, but not their lives. Can't see the woman's freedom, don't see a woman's work, it can only see their busy figure, see them stupid fool, see their flattery and infidelity. And they just tool for children, just the executor of action, talking tools, they are just in order to fool man intrigue, only fot a man to play with, they are the only fool to believe that is the fate. Female images in literature is often associated with love, no matter this love is a great love and great maternal love, those who was saturated with love women, often because of love, the world of men as their own world, they lost the self, but can't get equal in the society of the inequality of male and female in return. Her love eventually turned her into a "object" -- the object of a man's desire or a tool for
Women’s place and role in the society is something that has been discussed and changed over time. Should their rights be the same as men’s? Should they be superior? Inferior? The world faces a dilemma on weather they should be or not equal as men.
In a patriarchy society where males are the narrators and voices being heard, one is rarely educated on women struggles. In the Western world gender is a construct made to keep one group superior and the other inferior. Gender concerns what it means to be women or men in society. The traditional notion of gender is acknowledged to not be defined the same all over the world. The general concept of gender is challenged
Existentialism is a philosophy that invites us to find purpose and meaning in life by thinking independently and acting deliberately, without overt influence from social norms. This philosophy manifests in Albert Camus’s novel The Stranger in the strange character of Meursault, who defies many major social norms throughout the novel. He places no faith in justice or authority figures. He does not pretend to grieve for his dead mother.
Government Arts College for Women, Thanjavur. Abstract: Identity crisis or search of identity has received an impetus in the Post-Colonial literature. Man is known as a social animal which needs some home, love of parents and friends and relatives. But when he is unhoused, he loses the sense of belongingness and thus suffers from a sense of insecurity or identity crisis. In the field of Indian English Literature, feminist or woman centered approach is the major development that deals with the experience and situation of women from the feminist consciousness.
The social challenges women have been struggling with for centuries has been one aspect of reality that have plagued the advancement of women’s rights in society. These issues are very common today in many parts of the world where from the moment a woman gets married, she will become a domestic partner in her marriage while the husband is offer opportunities to acquire social and economic status. The woman is required to take care of the necessity of the home; she is to cook, clean, take care of her children, as well as her husband’s sexual need. In addition, a woman does not get involved in managing the affairs of the state, because of the social norms and beliefs that a woman does not have the necessary knowledge to make a meaningful contribution. This is how men as well as society have perceived women to be for over centuries.
Portrayed as the strong, dedicated, stereotypical, maternal type, Ama attempts to protect her little girl at all costs. Whenever Lakshmi wants go to the city to work, Ama refuses by saying, “‘Lakshmi, my child,’ she says. ‘You must stay in schools, no matter what your stepfather says.’” (McCormick, 1). She breaks the gender boundaries early on the first page of the book by defying the man of the households wishes and undermining his needs.
One example Mohanty provides in which “women” is used as a category of analysis is in the research of Perdita Huston, where she describes women in the Third World countries have "needs and problems, but few if any have choices or the freedom to act” (30). Mohanty argues that the usage of “women” in this context is problematic because the statement assumes that there is a universal unity for women, and ignores the differences among various ethnic groups and their history. The historical backgrounds become much more complex for women from different countries and it leads to varying views. For the conclusion, she revisited the first few chapters after sixteen years they were published and addresses responses from others on her essays. She further on instills the ideas of how feminism should be intersectional for all groups and not just for a select few.