Durham E-Theses Women's voices: the presentation of women in the contemporary ction of south Asian women Lau, Lisa How to cite: Lau, Lisa (2002) Women's voices: the presentation of women in the contemporary ction of south Asian women, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/2021/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. Women's Voices: The Presentation of Women in the Contemporary Fiction of South Asian Women. Lisa Lau- Ee Jia A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Department of Geography University of Durham September 2002 2 1 MAY 2003 Ph.D. Thesis - Lisa Lau Ee Jia Abstract This thesis contains a detailed study of the geme of contemporary South Asian women's writings in English. It is still a relatively young literary subculture, and thus the majority of the works here discussed are those produced from the 1980s onwards. The study takes into account the postcolonial legacy of a culturally, racially and religiously diverse South Asia as well as the current social changes and upheavals in the region. The study encompasses the works of those writing both from within and without South Asia, noting the different social patterns emerging as a result of the geographical locations of the authors. The research primarily investigates issues pertinent to these writers; as women writers, as South Asian writers, as South Asian women writers, and as South Asian women writers writing in English. One key issue is the negotiation by these writers between the English language and the South Asian reality. Because it is literature written by the women of a traditionally proudly patriarchal society where the position of women has mostly been one of subservience, another form of negotiation in the literature is that between the centre and the periphery, the Self and the Other. In the course of this study, it will be seen that South Asian women writers have carved out a space for themselves on the literary scene, and staked an intellectual, literary and emotional territory oftheir own. The thesis focuses in particular on the representation of women, within the geme as well as in other contexts. Their literature creates images and identities of and for South Asia, South Asians, and South Asian women. The diasporic writers in particular play a vital role in the promotion and distribution of these images. The research also considers how readers respond to this literature and how publishers market the same. Ph .D. Thesis - Li sa Lau Ee Ji a Declaration I declare that this thesis, which I submit for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Durham, UK, is my own work and is not substantially the same as any which has previously been submitted for a degree at this or at any other university. Lisa Lau Ee Jia University of Durham September 2002 Copyright © 2002 by Lisa Lau Ee Jia The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation of it should be published without their prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. 11 Ph .D. Thesis - Lisa Lau Ee Jia Acknowledgements This Ph.D. constitutes a three-year journey, a journey at once arduous and rewarding, a journey which I could not have made alone. A huge debt of gratitude and heartfelt thanks are therefore owed to the following people: • Dr Mike Crang and Dr Emma Mawdsley who have been exemplary supervisors and who have steered and guided me through this degree with gentle wisdom and great patience; • The Lau Family, who have helped me weather the storms, been steadfast in their love, and ever ready with myriad forms of support; • The Department of Geography and Collingwood College, University ofDurham, not only for providing excellent conditions for this degree and financial support, but for their faith in me; • The Gilchrist Educational Trust Fund and The Lord Mountbatten Commonwealth Fund, for financial support and their vote of confidence in my research; • Prof. Gerald Blake, my mentor and principal, whose office I have so often invaded with my problems, and whose wisdom and support have been unfailing; • Prof. Ash Amin, for his constant kindness, good counsel and concern; • Eileen Lau, for unreservedly allowing me to draw on her intelligence, strength and generosity; • Dr. Pedro Rocha, for the strength of his friendship, his sagacity and his understanding; • Ioanna Bel/a, Margaret Pasquini, Shahed Rashid, Marloes van Amerom, my esteemed colleagues, for pacing and encouraging me, for all the happy hours of discussion and exchange, and for making these years in the department very enjoyable; • Dr. Gillian Foulger, for taking such a warm interest in both my work and my wellbeing, and for her strong encouragement; • Fiona Stewart, for willingly giving of her time and expertise; • Chatto & Windus, Flamingo, Picador, Rutgers UP, Women's Press, for sharing their knowledge and experience; • And a very special thank you to Dr. Rashmin C. Gunasekera, whose contribution to all aspects of this Ph.D. no words could do justice to, for walking this journey with me, holding my hand, lifting my spirits, and lighting the way; To all above mentioned and to the others whose contributions to my work, both tangible and intangible, have been invaluable; I thank you all deeply. Ill Ph.D. Thes is - Lisa Lau Ee Jia I see what was, and is, and will abide Still glides the stream, and shall forever glide; The form remains, the function never dies; While we, the brave, the mighty, and the wise, We men, who in our morn ofyouth defied The elements, must vanish; - be it so! Enough if something from our hands have the power To live, and act, and serve the future hour; And if, as tow'rd the silent tomb we go, Through love, through hope, and faith's transcendent dower, We feel that we are greater than we know. W. Wordsworth, "Afterthought" ( 1820) lines 4-14 IV Ph .D. Thesis- Lisa Lau Ee Jia TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Page Signpost.................................................. ...... .. ......... ................... 1 Post -eo 1onialism ...... ... ....... .. ............ ....................... ........ ....... ....... The Effect of Post-colonialism on South Asian Literature... .................... .. .. 6 The Inheritance of Contemporary South Asian Women Writers...... .............. 15 Problems with the Inheritance............ .............................. .................. 23 Positioning Oneself............................ .... .. ....... ... ....... .. .................... 35 Routes.............. ...... ................................................................ .... 37 CHAPTER ONE: LANGUAGE AND REALITY Signpost.......... .............................. ....... .. .. ..... .. .... ........ .. ........ ...... 41 The Rise of the Novel in South Asia.... ............................................... 32 Stylistic Problems............... ... ..................... .. .................... .. ... ........ 48 Experiments and Expressions.. ........................... .. ............ ... ... .. .... .... 52 Experimenting with Diction. ..... .. ....... ..... .... .... .... .. .. ........... ..... 52 Experimenting with Syntax......................... ............................ 57 Experimenting with Imagery....................... ...................... ...... 59 Other Experiments... ........ .. ................ ...... ..... ... .................... 59 Forms and Frames................. .... ... ... ... ... .. ..... ................................ 62 The Myth of the Myth...... .................. ... ......................................... 69 Conclusion..... ............................. ........ ......................................... 76 CHAPTER TWO: SOUTH ASIAN WOMEN Signpost.................. ... .... .. .................. ............................... .......... 79 Women in South Asia. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 80 V Ph.D. Thesis - Lisa Lau Ee Ji a No Place for Won1en........................... .......... .. ......... ... .............. ...... 87 Submission and Defiance. .. ....... ... ...... ..................................... .. ....... 95 A Study ofShashi Deshpande's Fictional Women. ........... ...... ............. ..... 108 Background.............. .... .. .. .... .. ........ .. ...... ............................ 108 Deshpande 's Protagonists. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 112 Deshpande's Protagonists as Wives .. .... ... ....... ............ ......... ...... 114 Deshpande's Mothers and Daughters........ ... ........................... .. .. 119 Progression in Deshpande's Novels... ... ... ... .. ....... ... .... ...... ...... ... 123 Other Contemporary