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NEGOTIATING MODERNITY IN THE NOVELS OF SHASHI DESHPANDE A Thesis Submitted to the University of North Bengal For the Award of Doctor of Philosophy in English BY AMITABH ROY GUIDE Professor (Dr) Soumyajit Samanta Department of English University of North Bengal June, 2016 Abstract The term ‘tradition’ is a comprehensive one and is inclusive of all social conventions, norms, cultural practices, faiths and beliefs, familial and familiar relationships. The ever imposing burden of traditional authority often succeeds in creating a sense of rebellion against the cumulative forces of oppression and injustice to women. Shashi Deshpande strives to upheld the idea that women must try to overcome their suppressed roles. Her novels depict strong women protagonists who refuse to get crushed and give in to the weight of their personal tragedies, and face life with great courage and strength. The objective of my study is to analyze Shashi Deshpande’s novels placing them in social and realistic perspective. The studies done so far mainly focus on Shashi Deshpande either from a postcolonial point of view or discuss them from a feminist standpoint. But I have tried to look into these novels from a different point altogether. The conflict between conventional social norms and modern thought is placed together to bring out the radical development of the worldview regarding age old customs and social norms. Deshpande seeks to find solutions for problems of women and children within the familial framework and does not preach any abolition of institutions. Yet her approach to social problems and long nurtured rituals force us to consider human relationship and the progressive journey to modernity in a new light. (iii) I have chosen mainly seven novels written by Shashi Deshpande for my in depth study of her views. The first three novels – That Long Silence, The Dark Holds No Terrors and Roots and Shadows represent Deshpande’s early novels. On the other hand the other four novels I have chosen for my research work, namely, A Matter of Time, The Binding Vine, Small Remedies and Moving On are taken as her representative novels of later writing. While the first three are written during the eighties and early nineties; the other four are written during two decades, late nineties and beginning of the new century. As a whole, these seven novels successfully present before us a journey from traditional mindset to modernity both in individual level and in social sphere. Two exceptions are Chapters III and IV which refer mainly to two other novels, Come Up and Be Dead and If I Die Today. These chapters provide an insight into the social problems and ways of negotiating tradition and reaching out to modernity from Shashi Deshpande’s point of view. I have tried to analyze Shashi Deshpande’s works in the light of negotiation with modernity. Understanding of Deshpande’s protagonists and their problems has been enriched by Max Weber’s ideas about modernity and his particular reference to the Indian perspective. Weber’s view about modernity is coupled with rationality, scientific thinking, disenchantment, tiredness with many options etc. All these pros and cons of modernity are well traced in the works of Shashi Deshpande. (iv) It also has to be remembered that Deshpande’s stand as part of historical situation and her effort to highlight the particular reality has enabled us to understand her works in terms of Fredric Jameson’s views on modernity. Jameson considers an author as a part of historical reality and the works of an author always reveal some repressed truth of history. In Deshpande’s novels, references to the 1984 riots and China – India war are instances to that point. The ground reality comes alive through her beautiful character portrayal. An effort has also been made to look into the horizon of critical study done till date on Shashi Deshpande. Anthologies that have essays on Deshpande, books that are solely written on Deshpande and scholarly articles published in periodicals and journals are discussed. A critical analysis of the social problems still persistent in Indian society as revealed in the novels of Shashi Deshpande has been attempted. Deshpande’s characters highlight the problems generally neglected so far and try to address those problems in their own way. While taking the road towards modernity, social mindset and traditional barriers come in between. Deshpande does not believe in avoiding such problems, rather she confronts them and opens new dimensions through her novels. Religion, caste system, superstitions and such other social phenomenon try to strangle the development of the society. But education of women and their active participation in social and political movements act as a catalyst in (v) overcoming the social impediments which hinder the advance towards modernity. Therefore, it is considered important to introspect the question of negotiating modernity in three early novels of Shashi Deshpande, namely, That Long Silence, The Dark Holds No Terrors and Roots and Shadows. The heroines in these novels try to establish their own identity by their unending struggle with forces, hostile to modernity. The portrayal of gender specific problems, fight for one’s own space continues with special reference to Shashi Deshpande’s four later novels – A Matter of Time, The Binding Vine, Small Remedies and Moving On. The protagonists in these novels go beyond the society drawn boundary and establish their strong footmark. The effort to understand the world of children and to protect or guide them properly is a prerequisite of a modernist society. But in India generally, it is either overlooked or neglected. Deshpande’s novels shed light upon this darkened area and discuss the issues quite freely. An analysis has been done to understand the typical problems of urban middle class families in respect of this generation gap. Through this thesis an attempt has been made to answer all research questions or issues raised through the study. The journey towards a modern society demands abolition of all types of inequality and oppression. Harmonious life in society and discarding traditional barriers can herald a new social set up. (vi) Preface Modernity marks a paradigm shift in human thinking and human relations that brought in the emergence of modern science, technology, nation – states, capitalism, and industrialism across the societies thus producing unprecedented socio – economic – political conditions that have drastically restructured human lives. Fundamentally, modernity is the post – traditional way of being. The modern women in Shashi Deshpande’s novels are left confused between the conflicting forces of tradition and modernity. Reconciliation between personal aspirations and duties towards family and society becomes a challenge for them. Her novels deal with women’s sensibility, their sufferings, their aspirations and their struggle to rise above all the oppressive forces in a male dominated society. This thesis is an attempt to briefly characterize the complex phenomenon of modernity through the novels of Shashi Deshpande, namely If I Die Today, Come Up and Be Dead, That Long Silence, The Dark Holds No Terrors, Roots and Shadows, A Matter of Time, The Binding Vine, Small Remedies and Moving On. I would like to acknowledge Professor (Dr) Soumyajit Samanta for his help and supervision. Without his advice and suggestions it would not have been possible for me to complete my work. His guidance helped me overcome my doubts and confusion. (vii) I would also like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the faculty members, Professor Asish Sengupta, Professor Chandanasis Laha, Dr. Ranjan Ghosh and Prof. Bisnupada Roy (Head of the Department) of the Department of English of University of North Bengal for their cooperation whenever it was required. I am grateful to Dr. Debkumar Mukherjee for his constant and active support for which I got the opportunity to finish my doctoral thesis. His ‘small’ support has rendered a great help for me in numberless ways. I am thankful to respected Vice–Chancellor of University of North Bengal for accepting and accommodating me in the Ph. D Programme of the University. I acknowledge the co – operation of Library staff of the University of North Bengal and Prometheus Research Library, New York for support of books and periodicals. I am indebted to my father, Mr. Upendranath Roy for his immense support, scholarly advice, fatherly guidance and constant encouragement. I would also remain thankful to my family and friends for helping me in completing my research work. Amitabh Roy (viii) Table of Contents List of Abbreviations x List of Appendices xii Chapter I Introduction – Exploring Modernity: Contesting Ideas 1 Chapter II The Critical Scene 24 Chapter III Interrogating Social Problems in Modern India 38 Chapter IV Challenging Tradition and Reaching Out to Modernity 79 Chapter V Negotiating Modernity in the Early Novels of Shashi Deshpande 109 Chapter VI Negotiating Modernity in the Later Novels of Shashi Deshpande 173 Chapter VII Mapping the Generation Gap in Modern Indian Society 226 Chapter VIII Conclusion: Crossing Barriers – From Tradition to Modernity 279 Select Bibliography 294 Index 304 Appendix 309 (ix) List of Abbreviations Abbreviations BCL Bachelor of Civil Law B.Sc. Bachelor of Science BV The Binding Vine CP Communist Party CUBD Come Up and Be Dead DHNT The Dark Holds No Terror ETC Et cetra FRCS Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons IAS Indian Administrative Service IIT Indian Institute of Technology INA Indian National Army MBBS Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery MD Doctor of Medicine MO Moving On MT A Matter of Time NGO Non Government Organisation OBC Other Backward Classes (x) PT Physical Training RS Roots and Shadows SACK Students against Competition and Kickbacks SC Scheduled Caste ST Scheduled Tribe SR Small Remedies SSC Staff Selection Commission TB Tuberculosis TLS That Long Silence LLB Bachelor of Laws YE Youth for Equality UK United Kingdom UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization USA United States of America (xi) List of Appendices APPENDIX A: Roy, Amitabh.

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