The Realm of Girlhood: Depictions of Young Girls in Select Novels by Shashi Deshpande
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In Indian English literature, stories about young people, specifically girls, are often overshadowed by those centering on adults and men. Simone de Beauvoir and Usha Bande have emphasized that childhood is a crucial period for the formation of identity and emotional frameworks, especially in societies where gender roles are rigidly imposed (de Beauvoir 331; Bande 127). Indian culture often has patriarchal systems that favor boys, leading to girls facing neglect, unfair treatment, and emotional suppression early on (Atre and Kirpal, 78). With this in mind, this article looks at how Shashi Deshpande’s books show the emotional and mental problems that young girls face in these situations. By reading books like A Matter of Time, The Dark Holds No Terrors and Roots and Shadows, this study shows how early experiences with gender bias affect a character’s self-esteem, relationships, and sense of self when they grow up. By doing this, it puts Deshpande’s writings into bigger conversations about feminism and psychology, showing how patriarchal norms can have long-lasting effects on women’s lives.
Abstract
In Indian English literature, stories about young people, specifically girls, are often overshadowed by those centering on adults and men. Simone de Beauvoir and Usha Bande have emphasized that childhood is a crucial period for the formation of identity and emotional frameworks, especially in societies where gender roles are rigidly imposed (de Beauvoir 331; Bande 127). Indian culture often has patriarchal systems that favor boys, leading to girls facing neglect, unfair treatment, and emotional suppression early on (Atre and Kirpal, 78). With this in mind, this article looks at how Shashi Deshpande’s books show the emotional and mental problems that young girls face in these situations. By reading books like A Matter of Time, The Dark Holds No Terrors and Roots and Shadows, this study shows how early experiences with gender bias affect a character’s self-esteem, relationships, and sense of self when they grow up. By doing this, it puts Deshpande’s writings into bigger conversations about feminism and psychology, showing how patriarchal norms can have long-lasting effects on women’s lives.