Male Image, Female Gaze: Men in Shashi Deshpandes Fiction

Book Details:

• Author: Manpreet J. Singh

• Publisher: Rawat Publications

• Language: English

• Edition: 2012

• ISBN: 9788131605080

• Pages: 198

• Cover: Hardcover

• Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches

About the Book

Male Image, Female Gaze offers a refreshing and analytical exploration of masculinity in the novels of Shashi Deshpande. While Deshpande writes distinctly from a female point of view, her works resist being confined within the boundaries of conventional feminist interpretation. This critical work by Manpreet J. Singh delves into Deshpande’s nuanced portrayal of male characters—not as antagonists but as potential agents of inclusive and sustainable social change.

Through an in-depth analysis, the book uncovers how Deshpande addresses contextual peculiarities and challenges within relational structures. Instead of pitting gender identities against one another, she highlights the complexities of the male psyche and the constraints that hinder a more inclusive reshaping of gender paradigms. Singh's work focuses on the portrayal of husbands, brothers, sons, and fathers to demonstrate how gradual social transformation occurs through underlying psychological tensions and evolving identities.

This study also emphasizes the adaptability of human nature in response to shifting realities, showcasing Deshpande’s faith in internal transformation and flexibility.

About the Author

Manpreet J. Singh is a literary scholar with a keen focus on Indian English literature. She completed her Ph.D. on Shashi Deshpande and her M.Phil. on Anita Desai. Her academic interests lie in exploring how literature serves as a bridge between theory and lived social experiences. Singh is also a published poet—her poetry collection The Golden Arc was brought out by Writer’s Workshop, Calcutta. She currently teaches English at Mata Sundri College, Delhi University.