The Oppression Of Women In Chacko's Novel

Feminists identify the deep-rooted causes leading to oppression of women and an endeavor to remove them. They try to bring about a change in the social milieu in which women are accepted as equals, in all respects to men in the equal sharing of rights, opportunities and responsibilities in the process of evolution of human society. Some restrict their demands to equality in matters relating to education and work with emphasis on financial independence. There are others, among the feminists, who call for a metamorphosis of the entire society with a view to completely removing the tradition-bound, deep-rooted beliefs in the moral superiority of man over woman. Their purpose is to eradicate the persisting gender discrimination in all its manifestations in the society.

There is, however, some change in the attitude of the woman herself as an individual in her own right. It is in this context that Indian women writers like Anita Desai, Shashi

We belong nowhere. We sail unanchored on troubled seas. We may never be allowed ashore. Our sorrows will never be said enough. Our joys never happy enough. Our dream never big enough. Our lives never important enough. To matter.”3

The above lines said by Chacko is well matched and symbolically fit for the women characters of the novel –Baby Kochamma, Mammachi, Ammu and Rahel. Roy concept of feminism can be seen by the way the women characters who faced crisis and how they reacted with dilemma and obstacles in the novel.

In my present paper, I will try to establish the fact that Roy has introduced some revolutionary and new approach while writing this novel and her treatment of women characters. The novel is the tale of three generation of women. It revolves around women and presents the true position of womenfolk in India. It displays the struggle of the women against their incessant exploitation, torture and struggle which they face in the male dominated conservative