Diversity of Maternal Image in Arundhati Roy’s The Ministry of Utmost Happiness

Abstract

Despite the rise of scholarly interest in maternal theory and observation, motherhood studies is a relatively new concern in India which has started over the last decade. Usually, the concept of “Motherhood” has the societal obsession with biological affinity associated with dominant social mores around “sacrosanct” marriage. Scholars of motherhood studies have tried to show the difference of mother, mothering and motherhood. They have included ‘non-biological mother’ in it, which has received less concern and, to some extent, no critical consideration. The theorization of “Motherhood,” mostly under feminist consideration, was dealt by renowned scholars like Adrienne Rich, Sarah Ruddick and, Barbara Katz Rothman, who have tried to show motherhood in a different light, unlike the traditional representation of it. Collecting information from motherhood studies and queer theory, this article will focus on the diverse images of motherhood sketches by Man Booker-winning Indian writer Arundhati Roy in her second novel, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness.