Portrayal of Women in Vikas Swarup’s ‘Q and A’

LT. Sujit S. Chavhan Dr. Ambedkar College, Deekshabhomi, Nagpur-10 E-Mail: [email protected]

Abstract:-

Being a man of international mark due to the best novel of ‘Q and A’, Vikas Swarup is a novelist of great responsibilities. Swarup always deals with the presentation and multiple struggles of female in his writings. The researcher has tried to review the female struggle and their representation in modern . In order to critically assess the matter at hand, the researcher analyzes the struggle of women for existence and their empowerment in the modern age. After feminism, literature has presented female life in multiple perspectives and explored the critical life of women, their anxiety, pain and sufferings. Similarly, Vikas Swarup’s novel evaluates the life of women in a collective perspective. Present paper is focused on the status and life of female characters depicted in Q and A. The study also investigates an end number of problems of women and their place in modern India due to the democracy. The paper dealt how the female characters are showing the reality of life in which women are living in struggle full life due to the manmade social evils.

Keywords: - Portrayal of Women, Empowerment, Harassment, and Social evils.

Introduction:-

Vikas Swarup is one of the most prolific writers cum diplomat of India. He was born in , in 1963 in lawyer family. He was brought up in Allahabad and got his education from the same city. He is a career diplomat and joined the in 1986. During his diplomatic career, he worked in different countries such as , The , , The (2000-2003), and . He also worked as the official spokesperson of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. At present, he has been appointed as the secretary in the External Affairs Ministry with effect from 1st August, 2019. Vikas Swarup is also a social activist known for his care and concern for women in India. He shows the struggle of women to find out her identity in modern society which is always against her will in present scenario. Vikas Swarup is an incontestable

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outstanding figure in Indo- Anglian literature. He has contributed very much to the Indian literature and also uplifted his works at globe. His novel undoubtedly projects a lively image of India and amply reflects his passionate concerned with the surrounding of social reality of women.

The Works of Vikas Swarup:

The works of Vikas Swarup includes novels, short stories, articles, columns and he also participated in different literary festivals, film festivals and in various conferences across the world. Vikas Swarup wrote three full length novels with equal contentment and eagerness towards life of the women. His debut novel, „Q and A‟ published in 2005 which became world famous and translated in 42 languages. His Q and A is the best of his interpretation of the times, he lived in because the world famous movie „‟ achieved him great publicity, name, fame and his recognition was felt in the heart and mind of the readers. Swarup‟s second novel „Six Suspect‟ published in 2008 and also translated into more than 30 languages. His third novel is „The Accidental Apprentice‟ appeared in 2013, published by Simon and Schuster (UK). Besides, novels, Vikas Swarup have also authored a collection of short stories, A Great Event‟ was published in The Children‟s Hour: Stories of Childhood, an anthology of stories about childhood to support the children for their protection against the violence.

Harassment of Women:

Q and A is a novel of five women- Gudiya (Smita Shah), Nita, Swapna Devi, Neelima Kumari, and Meenakshi who struggled for their survival due to corrupt Indian social system and criminal activity. They all represent multiple generations and problems o women in India who still have no better life in men centred society. Vikas Swarup in his novel, Q and A thus focused on the issues as rape, kidnapping, murder, wife- battering, sexual abuse, eve teasing which are all examples of violence against women. There are some violence‟s as criminal violence‟s includes rape, abduction, murder, domestic violence‟s includes dowry deaths, wife bettering, sexual abuse, maltreatment of widow women and social violence‟s includes female feticide, refusing to give a share to women in property, sati tradition, harassing the daughter in law to bring more money as dowry.

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Vikas Swarup has expressed various women centred issues at length in his writing. He is not, unlike other novelists who are completely lost in the colourful world but is aware of the present situations of the women. His first novel, Q and A is the most thought provoking in which predicament of the woman has described. The incident of train is sensitive in which Ram is travelling. He saw the brother and sister, Akshay and Meenakshi with their family entered into the compartment of the train for . Abruptly, a dacoit entered into the train. He declares that every passenger should climb down from their berth otherwise, he will shoot everyone. Further, he pushes the blouse of the lady who is giving milk to her baby. He demanded all valuable items as wallets, watches, purses, bangles, gold chains and any cash in their pockets. Swarup says that the dacoit physically tortured to Meenkashi. It is equivalent to sexual violence. A similar emotion has been expressed by Deb and Walsh as, “Sexual violence specifically includes touching of private body parts, fondling, penetration and rape". The dacoit also says- „You are much more “beautiful than a bangle, my darling‟ Meenakshi is facing physical torture in the train but no other passenger including Ram did not come forward to save her from the clutches of gangster, only her father came forward but dacoit hits him with the butt of his pistol. Lastly, when the train begins to slow down, all dacoit jumps down from the train except one dacoit. He came back to the compartment where Meenakshi was present. He demanded goodbye kiss from Meenakshi waving the gun at her in front of her parents. He also orders to show her breasts and some skin of the body. This is a nation where lady has to open her inner body part in front of the own parents, this is a big tragedy for all Indians.

Even though, there are a more complications in the life of actress in real life, it is important to discuss about the love of Neelima Kumari and its consequences. Her lover visited to her at her house to torture physically. The description also through light on the problem of sexual violence with the words of Ram Ahuja, “Sexual violence is any situation in which force or threat is used to obtain participation in unwanted sexual activity.” He used cigarette to burn which marks all over her chest. Her check and left eyebrow has swollen. She has not capable to speak. When Ram asked her about the man. Notice what Neelima Kumari says:

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“It is the destiny of a woman to suffer in silence and what he has done to my face is nothing compared to what he has done to the rest of my body”. (p. 264)

A woman is considered as the same as men in modern era, but the challenges in her daily life has not ended. At present, a large number of groups of women are involved in the prostitution. It is an illegal business in our cultured society but to live life and to provide meal to their own family they have to involve in it. Nita, a beloved of Ram is also involved in prostitution due to her brothers, (Shyam) pressure. Nita becomes the victims of sexual harassment done by unknown man at the palace hotel. He has paid five thousand rupees to Nita‟s brother. Nita physically tortured, has livid bruises all over her face and her lips, her left eye is blackened and blood is gushing from mouth. Actually, forceful sexual harassment is strictly prohibited in our polished society but when our own blood related family member forced to women for involvement in such an illegal business, suffering women cannot raise the voice. The novelist presents the miserable condition of women in urban Indian society. Even in digital era, women are sold and forcefully involved into prostitution. Swarup‟s appeal for women‟s position in the era of globalisation can be directly confirmed with as quoted by Usha Kundu, “Woman is considered a cheap commodity which can be used, misused, degraded and even destroyed when the society want so.” As Nita is involved in prostitution due to her brother Shyam. Furthermore, her brother demanded four lakh rupees from Ram to handover Nita to him. It shows how own brother is ready to sell own sister for the lust of money.

By focusing on the life history of Gudiya, Nita, Swapna Devi, Neelima Kumari, and Meenakshi in his novel Q and A, it is undeniable that not only women but also men novelists attempt to seize factual condition of women in their writings. Although, Swarup as a men novelist, he focused on female predicament and women empowerment through his novels. He expresses himself not only a men but human being. It is a picture of India as Pankaj Sachdeva comments on the Q and A of Vikas Swarup. Sachdeva views: „„Swarup‟s Q and A shows us the dark side of India which is not „Shining‟ by highlighting on adultery, friendship, betting cricket, train dacoit, prostitution, sexual abuse, poverty, love, and even black magic‟‟

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Representation of Empowered Young Women:

The entry of Smita Shah as a lawyer in the novel makes the book an interesting reading and thought- provoking. In this novel, Swarup has presented the world of middle class women and their struggle in the form of life history of all women characters such as of Gudiya, Nita, Swapna Devi, Neelima Kumari, and Meenakshi. Swarup lays stress on the women empowerment in India as women are playing equivalent role as men in the every sphere of life in our society. As Rosemary Crompton points it out, “Women‟s qualification levels have improved rapidly, and well- qualified women get better higher paying jobs. Such women tend to enter into partnership with similar men and are more likely to remain in employment.”

Our nation is creating young empowered women day by day. But, the status of women in urban area is higher than rural area women. Urban women are comparatively educated and liberal while rural women don‟t have a freedom to talk in any house related matter. They are having power only in making cleanliness and cooking. They don‟t get higher education due to the poverty. The gap between rural and urban literacy of women is highlighted in census report, „„as 25 percent literate women in rural areas, while there are 54 percent literate women in urban areas, according to the census of 1991. Urban women are not only aware of their economic, social and political rights but they even use these rights to save himself from being humiliated and exploited but rural women are not aware of these democratic provisions, they suffered in whole life without any complaint. The average age of girls at marriage in cities is also higher than the corresponding age in villages.

In this respect, Swarup opinions that women should be encouraged to work and become financially independent at par with men. Number of studies establishes that working women having an independent source of income have more say in the decisions taken in the family and they are psychologically healthier. The working women are required to carry the double burden of homemaking and earning. Although, we are bringing equality within the household between women and man to represent social equality.

In order to emphasize the importance of representation of empowered young women, the novelist describes the life history of Julia. She was poor by family background and she

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was an illegal immigrant from Haiti, a tiny country in the Caribbean. Though, she was poor cleaning women, her desire to become a part of high society makes her different from other. In „Q and A‟ Neelima Kumari is the famous actress who is called the tragedy queen because she has been facing struggle in her life from her birth to death. Her life has surrounded with the core of melancholy. Her smile was detected with a hint of sadness. She never married. Above all the circumstances, she became famous in her life only her craze for excessive drinking made her depressed and lastly, she committed suicide due to the depression.

In „Q and A‟ the novelist describes the representation of young women such as Gudiya (Smita Shah), Nita, a beloved of Ram and Swapna Devi. Nita, a good hearted girl has been forced into the prostitution against her will. She thought that it is better to die of disease tomorrow than hunger today. Nita knows very well about the consequences of the prostitution and AIDS, but she knowingly was in the profession because it gives her enough to feed her and her entire family. The most important lady character who impressed to the reader is Smita Shah. Her nickname was Gudiya who was suffering in her life due to her father‟s habit of drinking and depression. They have forced to live a chawl from big house. Gudiya further became the lawyer, by becoming the lawyer; she fought for Ram as a mother fights for her own children. She has dealt with the police to make free Ram from the jail and their brutality. Then, she dealt with the quiz company to issue all amount to Ram without allegations of cheating and fraud. Gudiya‟s pro bona work with the homeless and orphan Ram gave him a sense of humanity and personal satisfaction. The study shows the power of education and importance of helpful nature. As Ram helped Gudiya when she was in family problem due to her drunken father, after becoming the lawyer, Smita Shah (Gudiya) helped to Ram by her lawyer power. It shows that women are equal in power of knowledge with men in every field. Now a day‟s, Women are handling household responsibility cum professional duties very expertly.

Conclusion:

The present paper discussion is showing the brief analysis of the portrayal of female, their struggle for survival, conflicts in the life and their representation in the age of globalization. It is observed that women characters in Q and A portray a picture of

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predicament and economical anxiety; they are in dilemma, frustration and play a role of empowered young women of India. Vikas Swarup- diplomat cum writer throws new light on life history of women in contemporary Indian society. Vikas Swarup demonstrates two types of female in his novel- poor middle class women and rich women. Gudiya, Nita, and Meenakshi are poor middle class women who are struggling to survive and Swapna Devi and Neelima Kumari are aristocratic but they are also facing struggle in their life due to social evils.

Looking into above findings I would like to assert that Vikas Swarup writes the story of middle class poor women and the rich also by adopting the structure and unity of modern novel. His sensitive use of language draws him closer to the theme of the story of modern and sophisticated Indian women and their sufferings. Swarup presents a true picture of the Indian social environment along with its cultural past.

Works Cited:

 Ahuja, Ram. Social Problems in India. Jaipur: Rawat Publications, Third Edition, 2014, p. 410.  Crompton, Rosemary. Class of Stratification. Malden: Polity, 2008. p. 146.  Deb, Sibnath. And Walsh, Kerryannm. Impact of Physical, Psychological and Sexual Violence on Social Adjustment of School Children in India. Australia: School Psychology International, 33(4), 2012, p.8.  Government of India. Census Report 1991.  Kundu, Usha. Atrocities against Women: An Economic Perspective. Atrocities against Women ed. Neshla. : Harman, 1997, p. 87.  Sachdeva, Pankaj. Book Review: Q and A. Thursday, December 18, 2008. www.blogger.com.  Swarup, Vikas. Q and A. London: Doubleday Publishers, 2003.

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