The Strategic Survival of Contemporary Women in the Novel Afterwards By Jaishree Misra

Abstract

Feminism has brought about asympathetic in women. It has made women understand that sexual characteristics are a social concept that requirements to be analysed. As a result, women protested against their misuse and relegation. Avoiding the standards of womanhood, set by men for men, they required to redefine themselves by their own values. The last two eras have seen a fight by western women to depose the legend of femininity and reorder society. This social change was reproduced in the changed appearance of women in literature. Women began to do characters other than the stereotyped ones of give up mother, inactive sister, acquiescent wife, obedient daughter and submissive lover. This research paper focuses on the strategic survival of women characters in the novel Afterwards written by JaishreeMisra in the year 2004. It is a very contemporary fictional writing and hence depicts the instances that happen in this modern day scenario.In the book Feminism and Postfeminism, the author explores the term ‘postfeminism’ as such, the ‘post’ in ‘postfeminism’ implies ‘a process of ongoing transformation and change, rather than assuming that patriarchal discourses and frames of reference have been replaced or superceded.To put it in a nutshell, the point of strategic survival chosen by Maya benefitted her in a large way but on the other hand, one can also bring to light that Anjali finally reached a place where Maya didn’t want herself to be. Yet, such a place (ie, Anjali with Govind) after few years is not portrayed in a cynical tone but the novel ends with a good hope for future.