Shashi Deshpande’s The Dark Holds No Terrors as a bildungsroman
Author(s):
Dr. Darshita Dave
Keywords:
Gender Discrimination, Sibling Jealousy, Patriarchal Society, Hatred for Female Identity, A Rebel, Marriage as Rescue, Urge for Power
Abstract
In the formation of one’s character and value, structure childhood plays an important role. Childhood as a significant area of human experience is not given ample emphasis as far as literature is concerned. In Indian English literature also women characters are widely depicted and critics have evaluated them. The girlhood of a woman is a critical part of her identity formation. In literature, this period of identity formation of a woman is by and large unexamined and unexplored. Childhood experiences and atmosphere form one’s personality. The innocent child is like a little plant which is shaped and moulded the way it is nurtured. If it is well nurtured then it turns into a confident, fearless, healthy grown-up human being, but if it is not nurtured well it turns into an immature, fearful character that cannot face the challenges in life.
Shashi Deshpande is perhaps one of the few Indian English writers who have portrayed the girl child with deliberation. There is a detailed examination of the girlhood of the protagonist who attempts to define her adult self-identity by analysing her growing years. This process helps her realize her family upbringing and socialization in childhood. The Dark holds No Terrors reveals the protagonist Saru’s life, showing how her disturbed childhood has contributed largely to her inability to establish and maintain a personal relationship in later life. This paper focuses on how Saru’s girlhood proves to be the identity formation period of her womanhood and after becoming a woman how Sarita reacts to her childhood experiences.
Article Details
Unique Paper ID: 157203
Publication Volume & Issue: Volume 9, Issue 6
Page(s): 288 - 296
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