Borders and Boundaries in the Novels of Bapsi Sidhwa

Transcription

1 Borders and Boundaries in the Novels of Bapsi Sidhwa Thesis Submitted to the Bharathiar University for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in English By R. Amudha Under the Guidance of Dr. Sheba Frederic, M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D. Department of English Nirmala College for Women Autonomous Affiliated to Bharathiar University Re-accredited with A Grade by NAAC Coimbatore January 2013

2 Certificate This is to certify that the thesis, entitled Borders and Boundaries in the Novels of Bapsi Sidhwa submitted to the Bharathiar University, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in English is a record of original research work done by R. Amudha during the period of her research in the Department of English, at Nirmala College for Women (Autonomous), Coimbatore, under my supervision and guidance and the thesis has not formed the basis for the award of any Degree / Diploma / Associateship / Fellowship or any other similar title of any candidate of any University. Research Supervisor Countersigned Head of the Department Principal

3 Declaration I, R. Amudha, hereby declare that the thesis, entitled Borders and Boundaries in the Novels of Bapsi Sidhwa, submitted to the Bharathiar University, in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in English is a record of original and independent research work done by me during the period of under the supervision and guidance of Dr. Sheba Frederic, Associate Professor, Department of English, Nirmala College for Women (Autonomous), Coimbatore, and it has not formed the basis for the award of any Degree / Diploma / Associateship / Fellowship or any other similar title to any candidate in any University. Signature of the Candidate Countersigned Research Supervisor

4 Acknowledgements Words are inadequate to express the glory of the Almighty, for it is the Grace of the Infinite, Guidance of Invincible Reality, and the Blessing of the Omnipresent God, which has enabled me to cross all obstacles in completing my thesis. Without His constant grace, this labour would not have been possible. This thesis has been kept on track and seen through to completion with the support and encouragement of numerous people, and I would like to express my gratitude to each one of them. I am highly indebted to my guide and supervisor, Dr. Sheba Frederic, M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of English, Nirmala College for Women, Coimbatore, whose encouragement and sincerity I will never forget. Her inspiration and support never went dry, they boosted my spirit and helped me to overcome all hurdles in the completion of this research. Her continuous guidance, invaluable suggestions, affectionate care, hospitality, patience, generous help and immense knowledge are greatly to be applauded and acknowledged. Her keen interest in the topic and enthusiastic involvement was a source of stimulation to carry out the study. She has spent much of her valuable time and I sincerely thank the painstaking effort throughout. I consider myself fortunate to have worked under her supervision. I extend my sincere gratitude to Sr. Savariammal, Principal, Nirmala College for Women, Coimbatore, for graciously providing me with all the facilities to complete this project. I express my gratitude to Mrs. Anuradha, Head of the

5 Department of English, Nirmala College for Women, for her encouragement. My sincere thanks to all the faculty members of the English Department, Nirmala College for Women, for their wishes. I wish to record my profound gratitude to Rev. Sr. Dr. V. J. Sheela, Principal, Providence College for Women, for her constant motivation at every step of my research, and for her goodwill towards me. I am extremely grateful to Mrs. Shobana Rajkumari, Head of the Department of English, Providence College for Women, for having introduced me to my guide and for her kind support. My sincere thanks to my friends, Mrs. N. Bhuvana, Assistant Professor in English and Mrs. R. Anitha, Assistant Professor in English, Providence College for Women, for their valuable encouragement which boosted up my spirit. My thanks are due to my colleagues at Providence College for Women, for their concern. I specially express my heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Beryl Darling Violet, Assistant Professor in English, Government Arts College, Coimbatore, for the meticulous proofreading of my thesis and for her valuable suggestions. Libraries provide abundant information for a scholar more than any other source. I gratefully acknowledge the assistance I received from the librarians of SCILET, Madurai, Nirmala College for Women, Coimbatore, American Center Library, Chennai, Dhwanyaloka, Mysore, Bharathiar University Library, Coimbatore, University of Madras Library, Chennai, Good Shepherd Seminary Library, Myleripalayam, Coimbatore and Providence College for Women, Coonoor for providing me with adequate source of information.

6 Family performs a vital role in the growth of an individual. I acknowledge the support and cooperation rendered by my husband J.Subramani and my family members. A special thanks to my children, Dhanush and Sonal for their patience and understanding. My heartfelt thanks to all, who have kept me in their prayers and wished my successful completion.

7 Abstract In the vortex of movements that make up the literature of a particular era, creative artists hold a mirror to the chaos and confusions of the age. A transitional figure in the pantheon of Parsi Literature, Bapsi Sidhwa, the Pakistani writer can be acclaimed as an internationally recognized novelist with an artistic credo and uniqueness. Her rich literary output within a short span of time, demands appreciation. As a versatile writer, she has mesmerized a diverse variety of readers, critics and reviewers. Sidhwa approaches the raw material of her age, with immediacy and contemporaneity, and as a social writer and propagandist she records the existing social conditions with penetrating insights. Literary creation is not merely an outcome of determined thoughts but a distillation of personal experience. Her works are concerned with the relation between literature and society, and in particular with a society in transition. Focusing on social issues, her novels project the lives of people both men and women, plight of women and children struggling to free themselves from the bonds of tradition, custom and the patriarchal society. The study, Borders and Boundaries in the Novels of Bapsi Sidhwa, attempts to analyze the various borders and boundaries traversed by people, elucidating struggle and the strategies adopted for survival amidst odds and discriminations. The object of the thesis is to explore the characteristics of borders and analyse how

8 ii boundaries are strong in affecting the individuals. The study establishes the hypothesis that, in crossing the borders, the protagonists struggle to navigate through the tempestuous waves of survival, but in transcending boundaries of limits, they overcome threats and insecurities of life with fortitude and dignity. Though the characters pass through pain, agony and trauma, the individual s response to these difficulties manifests in courage and strength for survival. Borders disturb the conventional patterns of thought and crossing boundaries provides new insights for the future. Sidhwa explicates these borders and boundaries in a unique style using the raw materials from personal experience and her characters are moulded carefully to fit the themes. The five novels taken for study explore the issues of dislocation, insecurity and struggle for survival. Displacement is the common motif in all the novels. The thesis is divided into five chapters. The first chapter introduces the author and her milieu. The next three chapters undertake a sociological analysis and scrutiny of the novels. The introductory chapter, Foregrounding the Background, provides a glimpse of the meaning of borders and boundaries, the significance of borders and boundaries from postcolonial perspective, life of Sidhwa in Pakistan, and the U.S. Besides taking a comprehensive view, this chapter foregrounds Sidhwa as a writer emphasizing her literary creative output, her diasporic sensibilities and her nostalgia for the past. A survey of the Parsi descendants and Parsi writers details the beginning

9 iii of the recently established Parsi literature. A brief survey of the Pakistani writers and their related themes are also highlighted. Tracing the significance of struggle, the treatment of the theme of survival is also discussed in this chapter. The second chapter, Crossing Thresholds, analyzes the novels The Pakistani Bride and Water examining the frames of the social structures or boundaries that women operated within, and their constraints from a feministic perspective. Victimization of women is the predominant and powerful theme in both the novels and centres around oppression and exploitation. The study depicts Sidhwa s concern over the hideous practices of age-old traditions and customs which assert the inferior status of women. The chapter also explores how the protagonists react to their fences and predicaments, probing their mindset to the metaphor of threshold. The struggle of women and the saga of how they grapple to survive in the patriarchal society are analyzed in detail. The individual s response to the challenges that confront them is resistance or rebellion. The various bitter experiences that the women undergo are brought to the forefront in this chapter. The novels taken for study dissect the various external forces which victimize the innocent women. The third chapter, Relocating National Boundaries, examines the trauma of Partition from the sociological and psychological perspective. The novel Ice-Candy-Man is scrutinized to assess the inhuman treatment undergone by people during Partition crisis. A glimpse of the Partition massacre in The Pakistani Bride, and

10 iv the apprehension of the Parsis during pre-partition days in The Crow Eaters are traced. The analysis presents the collective and individual response to the patterns of communal upheavel, violence inflicted on men and women, mass migration and dislocation, and the new identity of multitudes. The study zooms on the consequences of the Partition which includes the dilemma of the Parsi community, destruction, looting, kidnapping, ravishing of women, humiliation, and the homelessness of the refugees underscoring the necessity of love based on humanitarian grounds. Sidhwa advocates peace and harmony as the panacea for religious intolerance. In the fourth chapter, Mapping Cultural Contours, an attempt has been made to show that when geographical borders are crossed, the inflow of different cultures form a new conglomeration to excite and intimidate. The chapter analyses the problems encountered by the immigrants from a cultural perspective. Sidhwa strongly believes that every individual s social behavior is conditioned by culture. The cultural conflicts and the sense of alienation stem from deep-rooted culture consciousness. The protagonist s quest for self-identity, transition and transformation in an alien land and their return to their cultural roots are discussed in the novels An American Brat and The Crow Eaters. The protagonists though confronted with threats, face the problems with challenge and endurance. The study traces the struggle for survival of the ethnic Parsi community through adaptation and assimilation. The chapter records Sidhwa s concern for the dwindling Parsi community and the need for a change in the established norms.

11 v The concluding chapter, Pointing New Frontiers, sums up the arguments of the preceding chapters. Tracing the facets of struggle in crossing borders and transcending boundaries, the study decodes Sidhwa s hope for the future and a positive outlook of life. The question whether the novelist is an activist or a passive observer is also discussed. Sidhwa s opinion on the role of an author to inculcate moral values in society is highlighted. The techniques adopted as a medium project her themes. In her vision for a larger rhythm of life unfettered by borders and boundaries, Sidhwa displays timeless values. Her novels are manifestations of her vision for a new awakening in the society.