Roots and Shadows is an English-language Indian novel, written by Shashi Deshpande in 1983.[1]
The novel focuses on Indu's interactions with others in her large family and the manner in which this helps to resolve their future and her own personal crisis.[2]
Characters edit
First generation edit
- Akka – The female matriarch of the family
- Indu's grandfather
- Old Uncle - Indu's grandfather's cousin
Second generation edit
- Narmada Atya - Indu's aunt
- Anant Kaka - Indu's uncle
- Govind - Indu's father
- Madhav Kaka and Sumitra Kaki - Indu's aunt and uncle
- Vinay Kaka and Kamala Kaki - Indu's aunt and uncle
- Sunanda Atya and Vasant Kaka - Indu's aunt and uncle
- Saroja - Naren's mother
Third generation edit
- Indu - Govind's daughter and the main protagonist
- Naren - Saroja's son and Indu's illicit partner
- Jayant - Indu's husband
- Hemant - Anant kaka and kaki's children
- Sumant - Anant kaka and kaki's children
- Padmini - Anant kaka and kaki's children
- Sharad -Anant kaka and kaki's children
- Sunil - Madhav kaka and Sumitra kaki's children
- Lata - Madhav kaka and Sumitra kaki's children
- Geeta -Madhav kaka and Sumitra kaki's children
- Vithal - the adopted Brahmin boy
Fourth generation edit
- Vishwas - Hemant's children
- Sanju - Hemant's children
Themes edit
- Marriage
- Joint-family system
- Infidelity
- Class and caste relations
- Feminism
- Modernism
Analysis and criticism edit
The work has been widely analysed and criticized for its feminist[3] orientation. It has been a source for many thesis and papers on the role of women in society of today.[4] The work is widely appreciated for bringing out the joint family system in Indian society.
References edit
- ^ Mishro, Krushna Chandra. "Roots and Shadows: Shashi Deshpande's Moral Prescription for a Reformed World of Relationships as the Basis of the Indian TraditionaI Dream of Vasudpiva Kutumbakam".
- ^ Fernandes, Joeanna Rebello (9 October 2015). "Deshpande's Rebellion". The Times of India. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ Prasad, N K (2010). "Feminism in Shashi Deshpande's Roots and Shadows". INFLIBNET.
- ^ Ashok, K. Kumar (2014). "Identity motif's in Shashi Deshpande's Roots and Shadows" (PDF).