Gender Inequality: Fasting Feasting

Anita Desai can be regarded as the master of representing the circumstances of women in Indian society. She is a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Her writings are really evocative; which brings the situation of women and the cultural heritage of India. Anita Desai’s Fasting Feasting is a renowned novel in which the concerned writer depicts a gender gap between male and female. The novel comprises of two parts and reveals the obstacles of female in surviving in the society as a whole. It is also universal truth that most of Desai’s writings are based on female issues and reveals the despairing happenings of women folks wherein they have to follow and obey the male folks whole heartedly. As the great twentieth century novelist, Virginia Wolf comments that “I have no country as women” whereby the writer tries to showcase the curse of females in male centered world. In Fasting Feasting, Anita Desai surpasses in portraying the mournful circumstances of women. The concerned novelist shows the subordination of women in India and in America as well. The first part basically revolves around Uma, the main protogonist of the novel. Uma is failed to live freely in which she is forced to stay under her parents. She is mentally and emotionally tortured by her parents. Mama and Papa behave very obdurately to her . Mama and Papa have three children- Uma, Aruna and Arun. But, Mama and Papa love Aruna and Arun more than Uma. They like Aruna instead of knowing that she is a girl because she is more beatiful than Uma. Mama and Papa become selfish and asume that Aruna will get efficient groom in future due to her beauty. When Arun comes to the world of Mama and Papa, they feel very happy and they tempt Uma to leave the school. She is behaved like a servant at her own home. Uma takes care of her brother by leaving her education. She even requests her principal Mother Agnes to convince her parents for pursuing her education. Mother Agnes also refuses to help her. Uma sacrifices her learning career because of her parents. Mama and Papa love profoundly to Aruna due to her physical outlook only. The main intention of Mama and Papa is to bestow her hands to an unknown one as fast as possible and they believe that she will get married easily. Actually, Mama and Papa are quite traditional and long to maintain the traditional knot of continuing the family. The two assume that girls are created for marriage only and boys are to be educated because boys will take care of parents in adulthood. Mama and Papa give more emphasis on Arun rather than their daughters. They forcefully give Uma’s hands to an old man. But, she does not like that man. It is already mentioned in the part one of the novel that Mama does not like Uma as a daughter due to her free minded behavior. Mama often pulls back to her and threatens her to behave like a ‘girl’. Aruna is liked by everyone. She obeys her parents a lot and does not want to surpass the so called tradition of ‘girls and boys’. When Aruna gets married to a wealthy boy of Bombay’ ; her parents are very happy and often bless her to be happy. On the other hand, Uma always represses her desire and can not even show her emotions to her parents. Uma fails in showing her entity in the society. She fails in every domain of life. Her parents struggle to find a husband for Uma makes them disappointed and bear hatred for Uma at the same time. Success is defined so narrowly for man in Uma’s society. Arun also fails for so many times. But, he is nurtured profoundly and that is why he gets a chance to pursue his education in Massachusetts. On the other hand, Uma fails in study for once. But, she is forced to stay away from school. If her parents nurture her greatly then she may get success in her upcoming years. Her parents always try to exploit her. As the climax of Uma’s journey is approaching it becomes crystal clear that what Desai tries to superimpose. The novel briefly encloses the patriarchs’ domination on women in which the women folk have to stay under the feet of patriarchs. Mama admits Papa’s domination over the family. He takes decision for his children. Mama only ensures that all his decisions will be acceptable. In Indian family, daughters always find lack of opportunity in education. Boys are compelled to pursue their careers.
In this country, daughters are prepared for marriage. On the other hand, sons are woken up to be educated. If they get more success in their lives, the more pride or benefits can be gained by their parents. Mama and Papa are unable to see the utmost importance of education for her daughters. The same thing happens with Anamika, the daughter of Lily aunty and Bakul uncle. She gets scholarship from Oxford University. But her parents do not permit her to visit Oxford University and pressurizes her to bond with a boy. She fails to please her husband by providing a child. She burns herself that is clearly portrayed in the novel. But it is hinted in the novel that her in laws have killed her brutally. Her parents do not focus more on death. Rather, they immerse her ashes in the sacred river sans any pathos or doubt. The novel basically describes the trauma of emerging self, liberating itself from the feminine role play to attain creative identity. But the females are failed to irradiate their thoughts in front of the male centered society. Mama particularly obeys or follows the patriarchal norms. So, she does not find any hesitation to live happily. Uma who tries to break the rule of patriarchs and that is why her feather to become a free bird is cut down. When she is unable to endure the command of the patriarchs , she tries to commit suicide by drowning. But , she is saved by someone; which reflects the patriarchs’ strict rule and regulation over the society . Women can embrace death if the males allow them to die. As the great feminist critic, Simmone de Beauvoir already mentions the predicaments of women. She replies – I am too intelligent, to demanding, and too resourceful for anyone to be able to take charge of me entirely. No one knows me , loves me completely. I have only myself. Uma also leaves her hope to unite with anyone and becomes self dependent. She goes to Ashrama with Mira Masi for getting spirituality and she enjoys her life a lot in the Ashrama. But, her parents backon her again to take care of them. She is apparently free from the obstacles but her psyche is still imprisoned by her parents or above all, the patriarchal norms . Desai superimposes the assimilation of Indian and Western culture wherein women are suppressed in the both countries. The two cultures are different but the rules and regulations are the same for women. Uma, Aruna and Anamika are the victims of Indian society. On the other hand, Melanie is the sufferer of American society. Like Papa, Mr. Patron’s command should be followed in a family of America. The second part of the novel galvanizes the surrogate family of Arun. Mr. Patran always dominates his wife and his daughter too. At the same time, Melanie is suffering from Bulimia. But, she can not be taken care of by her family. According to her brother, Rod, she does it because she wants to be fit. Rod further hypothesizes that all girls are like that. That’s all these girls are for, Y’ know. Not like guys. Too lazy to get off their butts and go jogging or play a good hard ball game. So they’ve got to stick it up. (Desai, 204). The above mentioned quote asserts the disease of Melanie. American men expect slim women; which is also a kind of gendered inequality. When a clerk in the supermarket assumes that Mrs. Patron is pregnant, she becomes upset and after reaching to her home, she anxiously asks herself to loss weight. Mrs. Patron is driving too fast. The car is veering in and out of the traffic dangerously. I mean, do I look pregnant? her voice rises in anxiety. I’m not fat, am I, Ahroon? (Desai 210). Rod, the son of Mr. Patron and Mrs. Patron, spends so much time in gym to be physically fit. Rod does not like her sister because of her excessive weight. Girl’s meaning in Western society is to be fit and their appearance should delight the others. Mr. Patron uses the supreme authority in the family to determine the careers of his children. He does not give more emphasis Melanie; who suffers from Bulimia. On the other hand, he convinces his son , Rod to become a good sport person of America. Women are in charge to do all household work. Above all, domestic life is controlled by women. In A Room of One’s Own, Virginia Woolf already illustrates that a woman can do anything if she gets a room and a little bit money to be freed from all obstacles. Anita Desai also elucidates the same happenings through this novel. Uma and Aruna may be educated if their parents support them to fulfill their dreams. Anamika is also the victim of male centered society; who fails to continue her education in Oxford University and embraces death without any hesitation . On the other hand, Mrs. Patron and Melanie have to lose weight for the so called patriarchs. Though Melanie suffers from Bulimia, no one cares about her in the family. The female characters in this novel represent women in general. Some women are responsible in keeping the domination of the patriarchs .Mama obeys her husband deeply. But, she does not protest against her husband . The same thing is seen with Mrs. Patron. Virtually, male chauvinism is the root of gender inequality. The focal point of this indiscrimination is the proposition that the task of woman to be at home. All women characters are forced to stay under the veil of male centered society.
(The author is a freelancer. Views are his own)
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