This paper focuses on the subaltern studies.Though ‘Subaltern other’ is theoretical specific, it is also a social, cultural and political construct. It derives its force from the colonial, post-colonial and from the post-modern studies. The study dives deep into The God of Small Things, a modern Indian classic, by Arundhati Roy who examines the nature of the sub-alternization and its impact on the individual and on the society as well. Roy’s fiction is primarily a portrayal of political malpractices, personal relationship, caste and the class conflicts. The traumatic experiences of the family feuds, shattered faith, love, marriage, conjugal discord and sex are also analysed. Further it is also a story of alienation, loss of identity, marginalization …show more content…
Subalternization and silencing of women go on at different forms and colour in Indian society and are perpetuated by different forces in the society. As a representative of dominant patriarchal culture Reverend Ipe always tries to control the female members of his family. Pappachi also always thinks about his family reputation and preserves the discriminatory values. Mammachi becomes a prey to patriarchy. Mammachi’s entomologist husband, Pappachi, tortures her mentally and physically (47-48). Mammachi’s pickle making job earns Pappachi’s jealous frowns instead of favour. He greatly resents the attention she gets in society for her skill in it. Pappachi’s egoism puts Mammachi’s talent for music to an end. A few words of praise from the music teacher provoke him to put an end of her lessons abruptly. Pappachi used to beat Mammachi and finally gave up speaking to her until his death. Therefore, Mammachi’s position in her own house is no better than a ‘subaltern other’. She becomes a ‘subaltern other’ in her own …show more content…
He sexually exploits women workers in his pickle factory. He calls pretty women who work in the factory to his room, and on the pretext of lecturing them on labour and trade union law, flirt with them outrageously (55). Roy’s The God of small Things raises objection against the misinterpretation and misuse of power, politics, social systems, traditions, norms, culture, custom, religion and knowledge. Roy’s voice of protest carries significant weight in decrying religious and social institutions like the church, family traditions, civil administration and so
Trauma in Dawn and Men in the Sun. The theme of trauma is addressed differently b y the authors of Men In The Sun and Dawn , though there have a few similarities , Gahssan Kanafani in Men In The Sun gives the readers a detailed description of not only the social realities , but the political and human ones as well that characterize the basic lives of the Palestinian people during a critical point in their history when the structure of their existence, as well as the traditional order have been significantly altered by the regional as well as international events .The author describes trauma by showing the struggles and hardships that are undergone by Abu Qais , Marwan and Assa who are all in the quest for a better life . Similarly, in Dawn, Elsie describes the wait of two men for a murder that is scheduled to take place in Dawn.
Sleep is symbolic for peace and harmony. However sometimes the war you face while awake can haunt your sleep. The protagonist Antonio (Toni) in Bless Me Ultima by Rudolpho Anaya is forced to face the differentiating cultures and influences projected by his elders. His parents attempt to live their dreams through Toni but only cause the development of the opposite within Antonio. The conflict Toni faces has such a tremendous impact on him that it besets his dreams.
The book Wonder by R.J. Palacio was filled with eye opening precepts. As I read the book I felt that one precept stood out most of all. This was the September precept “When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind.”- Dr. Wayne Dyer. I fell this means that you should choose kindness over the ability to be right.
When Sachi first reaches to Yamaguchi, a place of isolation, she has a difficult time accepting her new life. Michiko an old leper tells Sachi a heart warming story. Once the story is over, Sachi feels like “‘[she’d] been awakened from a dream. All night long, [she] lay in bed thinking of Sumiko the pearl diver, and how she managed to give her daughter life, knowing she couldn’t stay and watch her grow. ’”(147).
She deliberately fails her mother’s expectations by defying the belief that her mother fostered, as “unlike [her] mother, [she] did not
The symbols present in “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, depict the economic and social injustices faced by specific members of society, specifically the children in the story. The characters in the story are being mentored by Miss Moore, a woman from their block who has taken up the role of taking them out on weekly outings. The story touches on the situation of the children that are stuck in living in almost poverty. “The Lesson” focuses on the socioeconomic disparities between the different racial groups and how. Bambara uses several techniques such as irony, othering, and second person point of view to make the story meaningful and demonstrate the characteristics of the characters.
The play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell is largely based on stereotypes. The most prevalent one explores the difference between gender roles. Glaspell exerts the repression of women in the 1900s. During that time, women were highly looked down upon by men, and were only seen as the housekeepers and child bearers. This example is displayed throughout the play with the men, however, the women in this play prove that the stereotypes of gender roles held against them are completely wrong, which is shown through the characters, set design, and symbolism.
In “Longing to Belong”, Saira Shah gives you a look into the life of a 17 year old girl longing to understand her parents heritage and trying to fit into a culture that is so much different from what she knows. Having a father who originates from Afghanistan and a mother who originates from India. Saira wants to learn the culture of her father’s afghan routes. The author feels the only way in to learning is by being betrothed into an arranged marriage. The author states that her uncle in seeing “two unmarried” daughters in the company of a chaperone visiting his home, concludes that they were sent to be married.
The poem “Facing It,” by Yusef Komunyakaa is a heart wrenching story of a man who was in the Vietnam War. He is recounting the lost and maimed of the war. The author himself served in the Vietnam War. This poem has many accurate depictions of the struggles felt by the veterans coming home from this highly controversial war. The personification seen in the story catches the attention of the reader in a way that almost makes the reader feel as though they themselves are in D.C. staring into the wall.
In the story, the women are oppressed by the society. This is narrated through the delivery of the main antagonist’s id, the gender inequality in enforcing laws and the marginalization of women. As a result of Rasheed’s id, Mariam and Laila are consistently physically and emotionally
“Dadi 's Family” demonstrates how women in Dadi 's household fight to secure their status around the idea of the dominant patriarchal mentality which insists that females are the inferior caste. The dedication to the production of the film consists of following the life of Dadi and her daughters-in-law showing the viewers the struggles they encounter trying to maintain the traditional ways of living the gender roles that have been developed for generations. In Dadi 's Family, it is clear to see that there is a different role play that women and men play which demonstrates inequality between the different dynamics of gender and power. There are many ways in this film where we see women dependent and subordinate to male authority. To begin with, in the beginning of the film Dadi explains the process of how women are traded off as braids.
For example, in her analysis of Isak Dinesen’s “The Blank Page” Susan Gubar adopts the metaphor of “the blank page” to stress how women’s history silenced by the patriarchy can be subversive. “The Blank Page” is narrated on a wedding night where the stained sheets of princesses are displayed with their names to prove their virginity. Among these stained sheets is a plain white sheet with a nameless plate. “Dinesen’s blank page,” writes Gubar, “becomes radically subversive, the result of one woman’s deficiency which must have cost either her life or her honor [is] Not a sign of innocence or purity or passivity, this blank page is a mysterious but potent act of resistance” (89). The blank page shows the silence of women but it proves female resistance
Her personal experience is socially and theoretically constructed and emotions play an essential role in the process of identity formation. Her identity is not fixed, which is portrayed by inquisitiveness that her own mother and Aunt thought she was possessed, enhanced and made this story an enriching experience. The family is the first agent of socialization, as the story illustrates, even the most basic of human activities are learned and through socialization people
According to the famous sociologists Sylvia Walby, patriarchy is “a system of social structure and practices in which men dominate, oppress and exploit women”. Women’s exploitation is an age old cultural phenomenon of Indian society. The system of patriarchy finds its validity and sanction in our religious beliefs, whether it is Hindu, Muslim or any other religion. For instance, as per ancient Hindu law giver Manu, “Women are supposed to be in the custody of their father when they are children, they must be under the custody of their husband when married and under the custody of her son in old age or as widows.
Domestic violence is one such important issue which has been taken as the main theme in many movies. Films are considered as cultural artefacts and therefore the directors find it the best medium of representing the social and cultural reality of the domestic life of women in most of the Indian households. Advait Chandan’s directorial debut, Hindi movie Secret Superstar is a realistic film which deals with the issues of domestic violence and oppressive patriarchy. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the movie Secret Superstar from a feminist angle and explore the subtle nuances of a woman’s life which is best represented in the film by the two major characters Insia and Najma. The former is forced always to abide by the rules and regulations of the patriarchal society and the latter who even performs her womanly duties faithfully is the victim of