FEMINISM IN ANITA NAIR’S LESSONS IN FORGETTING

P. SUBASHINI B.A., B.Ed

I. M.A English Literature

Govindammal Aditanar College for women

Tiruchendur.

ABSTRACT

This paper deals about the portrayal of women in Anita Nair’s Lessons in Forgetting.
This novel mainly deals with the motifs of marriage, the predicament of love in a corporate life,
status of women in Indian society, dependency, female foeticide, forgiving and second chance in
life and human relationships. The novel mainly focuses on how the characters digest their past
bitter experience that make their future in sweeter way; it is about second chance and fresh
beginning. Through the women characters in the novel Anita Nair describes the pathetic state of
women in the society.

KEY WORDS:

Manacles, foeticide, abscond, betrayal, suppression.

 Anita Nair’s Lessons in Forgetting is focused on the theme how the women in this novel
forget their unpleasant past which shatter their life in a second and how they move on into a new
life which gives a rebirth to them.

Anita Nair is an Indian English writer. She is a bestselling author of The Better Man,
Ladies Coupe and Mistress. Her books have been translated into over thirty languages around
the world. She is awarded with Hindu Literary Prize Award.

Anita Nair was born on 26 January 1966 in Kerala. Her works focus on dowry
harassment, female infanticide, female foeticide, male chauvinism. In her novels she potrays her
women characters as brave and independent. The women characters won’t shatter themselves in
their chaos instead they were potrayed as a sphninx bird that rise alive from the ashes. In this
novel Anita shows the quest of women how to live their life through the second chance. The
times of India praises the book as ‘’….. an intimate exploration of duty, betrayal and the frail
beauty of second chances…’’ (n.p)

The female characters in the novel like Meera, Sarada Ammal, Lily, Saro, Kala and
Smiriti really need their lessons in forgetting. Meera compares herself to the Greek Goddess, the
wife of Zeus. She plays a role of typical housewife. But, she also moves one step further and
she shapes herself as a cookbook writer. Even though Meera have some quarrel with her
husband, Giri she always had soft corner for him in her heart. But things get to change after the
absence of Giri. Through the character of Meera, Anita paints a portrait of Indian wife in a
detailed view.

When Meera comes to know about abscond of Giri in party. She become tensed and
agitated but she didn’t show her attitude about abscond of her husband’s missing. This
resembles the typical attitude of Indian wife who doesn’t reveal the inner feelings with others
and they think that revealing such things will be a shame to the pride of their family. It could be
noted in her act when Charlie, whom he met in the party, enquires about her search of her
husband Giri.

When Charlie, Meera’s friend asks her about her worried search, she doesn’t
express her quarrel with his husband and she tries to manage the situation as very
domestic woman, “she tries to hide the worry in her voice. (11)
 For a few days Meera doesn’t reveal abscond of Giri to her mother Saro and her
grandmother Lily. This also portrays the nature of typical Indian wife who hesitates reveal their
domestic problem with their parents. Meera could not bear the act of Giri and she thinks about
him, but she never talks about him. As a good mother she consoles her son by giving him hope.
Even though it is fake but it is needful for her son, Nikhil. She says, “I don’t know. May be he
had an urgent business meeting to go to” (28). Meera has a great respect towards wedlock and
she considers it a holy and sacred one. “Meera is sacred. It is not just being owners of a home
and a business” (207).

Untill abscond of Giri; Meera had a good imagination about Giri. She thinks he loves her
deeply. But when she reads the draft in Giri’s mail she was shocked to know about his another
face of rudeness which is so horrible. “Meera stares appalled at the unfinished mail. Who was he
writing to? And who is this Giri? Where is such rancor and bitterness coming from” (46). Anita
Nair beautifully shows the depressed state of Meera. Her mood could be noted through the
programmes Meera watch, “Mummy, why do you watch such depressing programmes?” (87).

As an Indian wife Meera reacts. Accordingly the reader’s view could be noted when
Giri makes her to understand that he need to leave them for his life sake the soft tempered Meera
bursts out her depressed state and she fights for the better future of her children. She says “What
about us? The Kids […]” (91). Her act is very odd to Giri. This shows her love and concern of
her children’s life.

When Giri leaves Meera. She feels bad for some time and then she grows bold enough
and wiches to be an independent woman. So she went out in search of a job. But she is the only
person of middle age among the interviewees, “Around her men and women who were young
enough to be her children …” (111). Meera decides to start a new life with profess or J.A.K. “so
Meera does what she can. She rests her head against his arm. This is all she to offer for now”
(365).

The next woman character is Sarada Ammal, JAK@ Kitcha’s mother. Sarada Ammal
was abandoned by her husband after Kitcha’s brahmoupadesham and he set out for Sanyasam.
When Anita Nair describes about the character of Sarada Ammal she derives her in a very
homely and pious manner.
 Kitcha’s mother Sarada Ammal, the perfect wife who observed every auspicious
date and ritual, who braided jasmine for evening puja and played the veena, who
on Janmasthami laid a trail of footprints through the house and lit a hundred and
one lamps on Karthika Vilakku. (17)

When Sarada’s husband tells her that she had been a chain to him which ties him down,
she broke out and she mutters, “For fourteen years, I never ever disagreed with you. Your will
was mine. And now, you call me a chain tying you down. How can you? What am I to do now?
What do I do now?” (17). She feels for the act of his husband abandoning her “I am cursed,
Kitcha, that’s what I am. Neither a wife nor a widow. Who am I Kitcha? You tell me” (18).
She oscilates about her identity.

Through the words of sarada that “Your will was mine” (17) Anita Nair depicts the male
dominated society and the suppressed state of woman in the family. Anita also paints the level
or position of women in men’s life. It could be spotted in the line “When Appa spoke next, he
addressed only Kitcha. It was as if he had already erased the presence of Sarada from his life”
(17).

Later Sarada becomes a teacher in the school. She also becomes independent. Even though she
waits for her husband, she finally loses the hope of her husband’s returning. She marries her
colleague and starts a newlife.

In this novel “Lessons in Forgetting” Anita Nair also threw light upon female foeticide.
Smiriti, JAK’S daughter is against this venomous action and she collects reports releated to this
activity. She says, “But it’s wrong’. Smriti wanted to cry. ‘How can you hold the sex of the
foetus against it?’ (328) for that only she was seduced by three men whom shatter her life down.

That there was evidence of sexual activity before the accident. With more than
one man…that my daughter, my Smriti was… The accident happened on the
beach. Do you think she would…’ His voice broke, unable to continue the
thought –Fuck on the beach like a bitch on heat with more than one man. (64)
 This shows the insecurity state of women in the society. Kala chithi gets rid of her
husband as well as her Vaidahi name, after marriage. She continues her old name, Kalachithi.
She cuts her hair, which causes weight to her.

Thus in this novel Lessons in Forgetting Anita Nair portrays the suppression of women
and the cruelties done to them. She not only portrays but also suggested the ways of coming out
of torturous manacles.

WORK CITED

1. Nair, Anita. Lessons in Forgetting, HarperCollins; India, 2010.

2. http://anitanair.net/