Sir,

Sashi Deshpande’s novel ‘That Long Silence’ is an autobiographical narration.

This novel is a masterly work of purposeful fiction set in a middle-class Indian family. It is subtly concerned about a woman’s struggles, in context of contemporary Indian society and about her efforts to find her identity as a wife, mother, and of all as a human being. Here Sashi Deshpande charts woman’s emotions starting from the pangs of a growing up girl to the void created because of the non-fulfillment of a woman’s yearning.

Through the narrative, Jaya the protagonist, reveals an intriguing picture of  an ordinary middle-class educated woman. She lives with her husband Mohan and two children Rahul and Rati. The story entirely revolves around the protagonist, her married life and her role as a dutiful wife. Jaya plays the role of an affectionate mother. She is dutiful towards her in-laws and her relatives. Jaya reflects upon her lifestyle, her role clarity, is she living for her own or for someone else. Throughout the story we see that Jaya is engaged in finding her identity as an individual. She also portrays the trauma of a house-wife prolifically.

That Long Silence, which won Sashi Deshpande the Sahitya Akademi Award for 1990, tells the story of an Indian housewife, who maintains silence throughout her life. The novel ends with her resolve to speak, to break her long silence. In That Long Silence Sashi Deshpande defines woman as a subject in her own right. Jaya strives for and obtain a certain autonomy, she realizes her immense potentialities for action and self -actualization.

This novel is about the quest of a woman’s identity, her individuality. It is a novel which raises questions in one’s mind about the rights and place of a woman.

Yours Truly,

Kriti Kumari

Cems 2^nd year, Patna Women’s College

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