Bridging The Gap Between East And West: Patriarchal Ascendancy On The South Asian Women Presented In Anita Desai' Diamond Dust

Abstract

This research seeks to explore female's voices in Anita Desai's collection of stories, Diamond Dust. The plot of the various stories moves from rustic places in India to cosmopolitan cities of the West. It depicts the status of females in both rustic India and cosmopolitan life in western societies. The plight of women in eastern societies is dominated by male chauvinism where women are submissive. The present research deals with the variations in women living in the oriental life and occidental life representing Indian as well as western norms especially in America and Canada. The research concentrates on the status of females in Indian culture and western culture focusing on how they are treated differently although the common biological characteristics are almost the same. To find variation in the treatment of women 'feminism' is used as a tool in the research. It is clear that females have been secondary citizens in the West, and continue to be so even today. Similarly, in Oriental culture, the condition of females is not different from that of the Occidental. This research is qualitative in nature. Theories presented by Kate Millet, Elaine Showalter, and Simone de Beauvoir help to find the answers of the research questions for this research.