Locating the Trajectory of Feminine Experience in

Patriarchal Family Structure: A Textual Analysis of Roy’s

The God of Small Things and Ministry of Utmost
Happiness

By

Hafsa Aziz

F17-3147

Supervised by

Dr Akmal Basharat

The Department of English Language and Literature

Faculty of Humanities and Social Science Lahore Leads University, Lahore.

 Locating the Trajectory of Feminine Experience in
Patriarchal Family Structure: A Textual Analysis of Roy’s
The God of Small Things and Ministry of Utmost
Happiness

Hafsa Aizz

F17-3147

SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR

THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY IN LINGUISTICS AT THE
FACULTY OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES LAHORE LEADS
UNIVERSITY
 DEDICATION
I dedicate this work to my parents, my friend Rimsha and one of my mentors Dr. Ismail
Abbasi for always supporting and motivating me to complete this work in time with the best of
my efforts. Also to my brothers for performing the tiresome duty of pick and drop for me for two
years.
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I owe a great deal to my Head of Department and Muhammad Usman Dar who has been
kind enough to give me his precious time, suggestions and supporting me to accomplish this
task. I would like to thank all the faculty of M.Phil English Literature for their moral support and
guidance during my study in Lahore Leads University.
 Abstract
Apart from earning a huge name in the field of science, technology and political affairs,
India is still lagging behind in terms of gender equality. This work has tried to investigate the
trajectories which are resulting into the subordination of female gender. And for this purpose,
researcher has done the psychoanalytic study of mother-daughter relationship by applying the
Psychoanalytic theory of Nancy Chodorow presented in The Reproduction of Mothering on the
works of Arundhati Roy The God of Small Things and Ministry of Utmost Happiness. In this
work, the researcher has done the study of all the developmental stages as object relation, pre-
oedipal and oedipal phase in the child’s life and how the relationship of child with mother makes
the child learn its respective role in the society by forming a never ending cycle of oppression
from mother to daughter with the values she (mother) has learnt in her childhood. Not only the
mother but other women closer to girl child act as agent of patriarchal family structure and
contribute in making her learn the expected role of her in society in the absence of mother since
the girl, in order to develop her individuality, keeps herself distant from the mother. Researcher
has adopted the qualitative method of content analysis for locating the trajectories which are
responsible for transmitting the subordinate values through the relationship of mother and
daughter.
Table of Contents

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1- Background of the Study ……………………………………….. 1

1.2- Psychoanalytic Feminism ………………………………………. 4

1.3- Role of Mother ………………………………………………….. 7

1.4- Author and Text Selected for the Study ………………………… 9

1.5- Significance of the Study ………………………………………. 11

1.6- Research Objectives ……………………………………………. 12

1.7- Research Questions …………………………………………….. 12

1.8- Delimitation of the Study ………………………………………. 13

1.9- Research Methodology …………………………………………. 13

Organization of the Study ………………………………………. 13

2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1- Formation of Sense of Self in Object Relation Phase ………………… 16

2.2- Pre-Oedipal Stage and Mothering …………………………………….. 18

2.3- Oedipal Phase and Sexual Orientation ……………………………….... 22

2.4- Family and Social Structure: Source of Femininity …………………… 26

2.5- Mothering in English Literature ……………………………………….. 31

2.5.1- Development of Literature in India ……………………………….. 35

2.6- Past Research on TGST and MUH and the Contribution ……………… 41
3. METHODOLOGY

3.1- Different Methods for Conducting Research ………………………... 42

3.2- Why Qualitative Research Method ………………………………….. 42

3.3- Qualitative Research in Social Sciences …………………………….. 43

3.4- Method of Textual Analysis ………………………………………..... 43

3.4.1- Critic or Reader? ………………………………….……………… 44

3.5- Approaches of Qualitative Content Analysis ………………………... 44

3.5.1- Why Direct Approach of Content Analysis ……………………… 45

4. ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

4.1- Object Relation and Mother’s Influence ………………………….. 48

4.2- Formation of Self and Pre-oedipal Phase …………………………. 49

4.3- Heterosexuality and Identification ………………………………… 52

4.4- Domestic Duties and Transmission of Values …………………….. 55

5. CONCLUSION

5.1- Conclusion …………………………………………………… 60

5.2- Recommendation …………………………………………….. 64