Unavoidable Silence of Indian Women in Shashi Deshpande’s “that Long Silence”

Abstract

That Long Silence, the title of the novel depicts the intention of the novelist in order to reveal the female psyche during the quest of Jaya, the protagonist, for self. That Long Silence who is an intelligent woman with graduation in English, Writer and a Columnist had a bright career. None of these attributes would provide her a respectable position in the eyes of her husband Mohan, who had socialization in a typical traditional environment. Mohan’s mother and sister Vimala were submissive to father for taking decisions in both financial and familial matters. So he wanted his wife to be submissive like them as a homemaker. In a male dominated society, a woman has no space to be independent and Dependent to her husband and father or son for everything. Thus the novel “That long Silence” proved that raised to be an eternal question whether lives for them or for someone their husband or children. There is sufficient proof that the silence will be broken at any time and articulation and assertion are only hinted at as the novel ends. Mohan leaves home due to his failure in his career and to avoid the situation of “two bullocks yoked together” which is indicative of a loveless couple. By the end of the novel, Jaya gets back to her destined role of being present to the happiness of the family and ready to subdue her emotions