FEMINIST CONCERNS IN THE NOVELS OF ANITA DESAI AND VARSHA ADALJA

264 Pages·2007·0.88 MB·English

Saurashtra University
Re – Accredited Grade ‘B’ by NAAC
(CGPA 2.93)

Jadeja, Jaylaxmi M., 2007, “Feminist Concern in the Novels of Anita Desai and
Varsha Adalja : A Study in Comparison”, thesis PhD, Saurashtra University

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© The Author
FEMINIST CONCERNS IN THE
NOVELS OF
ANITA DESAI AND VARSHA ADALJA:
A STUDY IN COMPARISON

DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO
SAURASHTRA UNIVERSITY
RAJKOT
FOR THE AWARD OF

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

IN
ENGLISH

Supervised by: Submitted by:
Dr. K. H. Mehta Jaylaxmi M. Jadeja
Professor and Head, Lecturer,
Smt. S. H. Gardi Institute of Matushri Virbaima
English and Comparative Mahila Arts College,
Literary Studies, Rajkot (Gujarat)
Saurashtra University,
Rajkot (Gujarat)

2007
CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that this dissertation on FEMINIST CONCERNS IN THE
NOVELS OF ANITA DESAI AND VARSHA ADALJA: A STUDY IN
COMPARISON is submitted by Ms. Jaylaxmi Jadeja for the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy, in the faculty of Arts of Saurashtra University, Rajkot. No part of this
dissertation has been submitted for any other Degree or Diploma.

Rajkot.

Date: / 05 / 2007

Supervisor

(Kamal Mehta)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Words cannot express enough the heartfelt gratitude. A research work of
this kind cannot be completed without the help and support of family members,
friends, teachers, relatives and well wishers. I take this opportunity to express my
sincerest gratitude to one and all.

I express my profound sense of gratitude to my supervisor, Kamal Mehta,
Professor and Head, Department of English and Comparative Literary Studies,
Rajkot. I am extremely thankful to him for his great patience, insightful guidance
and ever encouraging attitude that made my research work a pleasant
experience rather than a stressful toil.

I thank Professor Avadhesh Kumar Singh for his useful critical
observations. I also thank Dr. Jaydipsinh Dodiya, Dr. Sanjay Mukherjee, Mr.
Ravisinh Zala and Mr. Anoop Nair, faculties of the Department of English and
Comparative Literary Studies for their academic support.

I thank my teacher Mr. M. R. Dave for his ever readiness to help and
encourage me throughout my work.

I owe thanks to Shri H. M. Mansatta, former Principal, M. V. Mahila Arts
College, for his continuous encouragement to apply for minor research project.
My sincere thanks go to Professor K. K. Khakhkhar, the Secretary, Board of
Trustees, Shri Jalaram Uchcha Kelavani Mandal, who takes keen interest in the
academic progress of teachers at M.V.M. College. I thank the present Principal
Dr. H. S. Sedani and all my colleagues for their co-operation and motivation.

I thank Shri Vinodiniben Jani, Dr. Rashmiben Vyas, Dr. Pragna Zaveri, Dr.
Kalyaniben Bhatt, Dr. Kusumben Bhojani and Shri Annapurna Shah, Mr. I. B.
Vaja, who have extended their help in different capacities.
I am not less indebted to the different libraries that have provided
necessary material pertaining to the dissertation. I thank the central Library of the
Saurashtra University, Rajkot, Library of the Department of English and CLS,
Gujarat University Library, Ahmedabad, Lang Library, Rajkot, M.V.M. College
Library and Library of the Gujarati Department.

I would like to thank Mr. Rajesh Mehta for his immense help in
documentation and library work. I thank Miss Neeta Choksi for her prompt help in
proof reading.

I am ever grateful to my parents for instilling in me such academic
interest. I cannot but too warmly express my heartfelt gratitude to my family,
without whose constant care and timely help, this study would not have been
possible. I thank my husband Mr. Harvijaysinh Vadher for his great tolerance and
help. My sister–in–law Jayshriben, my parents– in–law, mummy and papa bore
patiently the many inconveniences in order to facilitate the completion of this
work. I thank my both the families and friends for their wishes and moral support.
This doctoral dissertation would have never been completed but for my mother–
in–law’s immense aid and assistance in looking after my children and the
household so as to enable me to fully concentrate on my work. I accept her love
and care and ever remain indebted to her, for thanks would not suffice.

I cannot forget to mention abundance of thanks to my sons Arjun and
Vishvajit who showed more understanding and patience than was expected at
their age.

I thank Mr. Nirav Ajmera Mr. Kiran K. Jaroli and Miss Hemanti Vora for
computer job work and assistance.
Lastly, but quite significantly, I thank Varsha Adalja for answering my
queries. I thank UGC WRO, Pune for the economic assistance at this juncture.

Ms. Jaylaxmi Jadeja
Lecturer in English
M.V. M. ARTS COLLEGE
RAJKOT.
CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Chapter I INTRODUCTION

Chapter II THEIR NOVELS AT A GLANCE

Chapter III THEMATIC CONCERNS

Chapter IV CHARACTER DELINEATION

Chapter V CRAFTSMANSHIP

Chapter VI CONCLUSION

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY
Chapter I

Introduction
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
I
Narrative in India is as old as literature. India is the cradle of narratives.
Narratives in prose particularly fiction too is very old. Narrative fiction has been a
part of Indian literature for more than ten centuries, but the upsurge of the novel
form occurred during India’s confrontation with the west through colonization. It
would not be out of place to mention that Kapil Kapoor asserts that novel form
has evolved from Sanskrit narratives. All over the world the novel has become
the dominant literary form. Wherever literacy has spread, the novel-realistic,
precise, this - worldly, has swiftly followed. "The Art of fiction,” as Henry James
reverently called it, is not reserved for a few initiates. The modern world demands
novels, just as it demands films and television program. Indeed, it is only through
the novel that literature, the unglamorous written world without colour or
illustration, is able to compete with its brash competitors of the screen.

No other form of literature would suit better to reflect and represent the
present chaotic situation of the universe in general and nation in particular. It
should be evident that the novel is adapted to any culture which shares some of
the rational, scientific, inquisitive tendencies and also almost world-wide, curiosity
about society. In the modern world, all these interests develop with education
and literacy. So the novel has become international.

India had many cultural conditions favorable to the novel before she came
into contact with Europe. But now she has social forces actively favorable to the
production of fiction: a large audience, an educated class, a new questioning of
age-old socio-religious dogma, and a consuming urge for knowledge and
interpretation of society. Novel has proved to be the best instrument of reflecting
the prevalent social circumstances and recording the changes. Apart from
changes perceived in political, religious, economic, social and cultural structures
of India, a change was also eminent in the position of women. As a result of Raja
Rammohan Roy's efforts and under the great motivation of Gandhiji, women
came out of the four walls and zealously participated in the struggle for Nation's
freedom. This in turn led them towards their own emancipation. The socio-politico
environment of the nation and status of women are mutually correlated. This
correlation is genuinely perceived by the novelist and presented through novels.
The interconnectivity of locus of women and rise of novel and nation is best
explained by Namwar Singh. In his keynote lecture at a seminar on "Early novels
in India" held in Tiruvanthapuram in March 2000, he says:

The novel and the country were born together. Which are
our novels that give us the sense of this birth of a
country? I find most such novels have women at the
centre. Sometimes she is a "fallen" woman (as in Umarao
Jan), sometimes she is a slave (not just hidden behind
purdah, but locked up in castles as well), or subservient
in love. The oppressed woman frequently appears as a
heroine in what appears to be a national allegory to
borrow Frederick Jameson's term. When the novel and
the country were born together, in India, the focus
became the woman's freedom. (Singh in Mukherjee,
2002:5)

Women has ever since 1857 been the centre of focus for writers and
researchers. Whether in the form of silent sufferer, sacrificial mother or a
domestic angel she occupied attention of one and all. Novels of many regional
novelists provide us with an example of the above statements. Most of the early
novels by men, though sometimes their perspective may be quite different from
that of women writers deal with child marriage, suppressed life of widows, widow
remarriage, women's attempts to break the patriarchal clutches and norms etc.