A parallel study of the treatment of women and family in chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's “clothes” and Anjana appachana's “Bahu”

Abstract

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni was an eminent Indian American author, poet, activist and teacher known for her Indian diasporic writings. She explored the female psyche and feminine experience in her unique style. She tries to present the problems of Asian immigrant women along with identity crisis, immigration, homesickness, divorce and love marriages etc. in the society. Divakaruni realistically displays cultural conflict between tradition and modernity in her writings. She has written two well-known short story collections as- Arranged Marriage (1995) and The Unknown Errors of Our Lives (2001). The story “Clothes” is from her well-known short story collection Arranged Marriage which reflects alienation, migration, self journey and treatment of the woman character in the family as well as society. Anjana Appachana is a famous Indian English Diasporic writer who has a lot of feelings for India which is visible in her writings. She got popularity after writing her first volume of short fiction Incantations and Other Stories (1991) and her well known novel Listening Now (1998). She has chosen the medium of short story for writing about the Indian woman's experiences, passions and education. The story “Bahu” is from her first story collection Incantation and Other Stories (1991) which portrays self-recognition of the female protagonist in the relationship of marriage, a rudimentary foundation of the society. The present paper is an attempt to show to the supremacy, suppression and dominance of the male over the female in a dominated patriarchal society. It will also offer a new approach of the female protagonist's life in the ruling ambiance of her family as well as the society.