Struggle For Identity: A Study of Shashi Deshpande's That Long Silence

Indian Women have the background of Struggle for against deep rooted Patriarchy fighting for Basic Rights, Equality and Safety facing pervasive issues like Gender based Violence Discrimination in Education Child Marriage and many more issues. Identity crisis is a Significant Theme in Indian English Literature it means conflict individuals experience when their sense as Caste Hierarchies, Gender Expectations, Economic Inequalities, Cultural Hybridity create Self-identity in Society is not cakewalk for Indian Middle class Educated Women She faced many problems for identity. In India, every classes of Women are required to uphold Family and Social norms. The primary function in Society is played by Men and dominant Males in the Home and Society mistreated and abused Women. Theme of this Novel is Women’s struggle and entrance in the face of Societal and Familial situations. Shashi Deshpande has attempted to convey the Women’s efforts to break the Silence and familial situation. Shashi Deshpande has attempted to convey the Women’s efforts to break the Silence and express their inner conflict through Jaya’s character from That Long Silence overall this Research Paper seeks to present a complete Feminist Study of That Long Silence focusing on the Topics such Social status of Women in the patriarchal Society struggle for self-identity, Jaya’s transition from silence to speech, empowerment through self-awareness and her path to self-discovery. Her struggle starts from Her own House to Society. Jaya is the protagonist of That Long Silence represents the 90’s Women in our Society. The title of the Novel itself refers to the condition of Women in a Patriarchal setup. This Novel directly deals with the dilemmas of many Indian Housewives. This is one of the An Autobiographical Novel by Shashi Deshpande. Jaya’s struggle with her Husband create impact on her mind deeply. Mohan takes every decision of Married Life. He not just asks to her opinions. These things make her Silence and Long Silence nature in her Married life this thing said by Grandmother. How She handles everything and faces the problems in her personal Life and create her own identity as a Writer. Become a Writer this is Jaya’s Childhood Dream. But her Husband Mohan is not understanding to Her well.